2-Samuel-3

[2-Samuel 3:1] NOW THERE WAS LONG WAR BETWEEN THE HOUSE OF SAUL AND THE HOUSE OF DAVID: BUT DAVID WAXED STRONGER AND STRONGER, AND THE HOUSE OF SAUL WAXED WEAKER AND WEAKER.

" DAVID" is juxtaposed to the "THE HOUSE OF SAUL" since the successor of Saul gives the impression of being weak and dependent on his kinfolk (such as Abner) who ruled alongside him (Shimeon Bar-Ephrat).

 

[2-Samuel 3:2] AND UNTO DAVID WERE SONS BORN IN HEBRON : AND HIS FIRSTBORN WAS AMNON, OF AHINOAM THE JEZREELITESS;

 

[2-Samuel 3:3] AND HIS SECOND, CHILEAB, OF ABIGAIL THE WIFE OF NABAL THE CARMELITE; AND THE THIRD, ABSALOM THE SON OF MAACAH THE DAUGHTER OF TALMAI KING OF GESHUR;

CHILEAB was also known as Daniel (1-Chronicles 3:1).

MAACAH was a name common to Israelites and Aramaens. An Irish war-goddess was named "Macah".

<<THE DAUGHTER OF TALMAI KING OF GESHUR>>: Geshur was an Aramaen Kingdom east of the Jordan within the region of Gilead which territory was the home-base of Ish-Boshet of the House of Saul.

 

[2-Samuel 3:4] AND THE FOURTH, ADONIJAH THE SON OF HAGGITH; AND THE FIFTH, SHEPHATIAH THE SON OF ABITAL;

 

[2-Samuel 3:5] AND THE SIXTH, ITHREAM, BY EGLAH DAVID'S WIFE. THESE WERE BORN TO DAVID IN HEBRON .

<<EGLAH>>: The Sages said that this was another name for Michal. There is the famous story of Michal later despising David when she saw him dancing in public (1-Chronicles 15:29 2-Samuel 6:16 ) and of not having any children until she died (2-Samuel 6:23 ). But, as we shall see, the Hebrew can also be understood that she had no child until the day that she died, i.e. she died in childbirth.


[2-Samuel 3:6] AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHILE THERE WAS WAR BETWEEN THE HOUSE OF SAUL AND THE HOUSE OF DAVID, THAT ABNER MADE HIMSELF STRONG FOR THE HOUSE OF SAUL.
Abner became the de facto ruler. This was not necessarily his intention but rather an outcome of his actions on behalf of the House of Saul to which he himself belonged.
 
[2-Samuel 3:7] AND SAUL HAD A CONCUBINE, WHOSE NAME WAS RIZPAH, THE DAUGHTER OF AIAH: AND ISHBOSHETH SAID TO ABNER, WHEREFORE HAST THOU GONE IN UNTO MY FATHER'S CONCUBINE?    
A concubine is an unofficial wife but what exactly the legal status of such a woman is or was seems to be a matter of debate.
<<RIZPAH, THE DAUGHTER OF AIAH>>: The name means something like "Hot Coal Daughter of An Eagle". Yehudah Kiel (Daat Mikra) suggest she was of foreign Giveonite extraction.
According to the Law as understood by the Sages only a King can marry the widow of another king.  David in his turn was destined to take for himself at least one of the former women of Saul (2-Samuel 21:8).
When David died his son Solomon became king after his brother Adoniah had made an unsuccessful attempt to become monarch before him. Solomon pardoned Adoniah conditionally. Adoniah then tried to marry Abishag who had been a female consort of David even though they had not actually had intercourse. Solomon realized that by trying to take the woman of David Adoniah was preparing to have himself recognized as the successor of David in place of Solomon. Adoniah was executed. See 1-Kings chapter one for the gory details.
[Who needs television when you have as much love, sex, and violence as you may need in Scripture?].
By taking the concubine of Saul Abner was transgressing his boundaries. Ish-Boshet may have suspected that there was potential treason in the behavior of Abner. 
 
[2-Samuel 3:8] THEN WAS ABNER VERY WROTH FOR THE WORDS OF ISHBOSHETH, AND SAID, AM I A DOG'S HEAD, WHICH AGAINST JUDAH DO SHEW KINDNESS THIS DAY UNTO THE HOUSE OF SAUL THY FATHER, TO HIS BRETHREN, AND TO HIS FRIENDS, AND HAVE NOT DELIVERED THEE INTO THE HAND OF DAVID, THAT THOU CHARGEST ME TO DAY WITH A FAULT CONCERNING THIS WOMAN?
The King James translation for all its faults is a good one and this is one of the verses where it shows its value.
<<A FAULT>>: Hebrew "aven" denoting moral turpitude.
<<CHARGEST ME TO DAY WITH A FAULT CONCERNING THIS WOMAN>>: This can also be translated as saying: "You charge me today with the offence concerning the woman".
From this reply we may infer a few points worth noting:
Abner acknowledged he was at fault and that what he had done was a sin.
It may be that Abner apparently had not formally made a union with the woman but had intercourse with her some time back and the matter had become known.
In other words Abner had been guilty of a moral lapse but he had not done anything that necessarily undermined the position of Ish-Boshet. By Ish-Boshet making an issue of the offence of Abner that had taken place in the past it was as if Ish-Boshet was preparing to harm Abner. Perhaps he was? Perhaps he was tired of taking a secondary role in the rule of his own kingdom and wanted an excuse to get Abner out of the way?
 
[2-Samuel 3:9] SO DO GOD TO ABNER, AND MORE ALSO, EXCEPT, AS THE LORD HATH SWORN TO DAVID, EVEN SO I DO TO HIM;             
 
[2-Samuel 3:10 ] TO TRANSLATE THE KINGDOM FROM THE HOUSE OF SAUL, AND TO SET UP THE THRONE OF DAVID OVER ISRAEL AND OVER JUDAH , FROM DAN EVEN TO BEERSHEBA .
 
[2-Samuel 3:11] AND HE COULD NOT ANSWER ABNER A WORD AGAIN, BECAUSE HE FEARED HIM.
Ish-Boshet was apparently startled by a realization of his own effrontery and even more so by the reaction of Abner.
 
[2-Samuel 3:1 AND ABNER SENT MESSENGERS TO DAVID ON HIS BEHALF, SAYING, WHOSE IS THE LAND?  SAYING ALSO, MAKE THY LEAGUE WITH ME, AND, BEHOLD, MY HAND SHALL BE WITH THEE, TO BRING ABOUT ALL ISRAEL UNTO THEE.
<<ON HIS BEHALF>>: Hebrew "Tachtav", literally "Underneath him". The meaning of this expression has several possibilities. The most probable one to my mind is that suggested by the Radak, that Abner sent the messengers in secret without the knowledge of Ish-Boshet.
The same term is used elsewhere:
" WHEN A WIFE GOETH ASIDE TO ANOTHER INSTEAD [Hebrew "tachat"] OF HER HUSBAND, AND IS DEFILED" [Numbers 5:29 ]. Here a woman betrays her husband by going to another. Abner betrayed his monarch by corresponding with David.                      
 
[2-Samuel 3:13] AND HE SAID, WELL; I WILL MAKE A LEAGUE WITH THEE: BUT ONE THING I REQUIRE OF THEE, THAT IS, THOU SHALT NOT SEE MY FACE, EXCEPT THOU FIRST BRING MICHAL SAUL'S DAUGHTER, WHEN THOU COMEST TO SEE MY FACE.                
 
[2-Samuel 3:14] AND DAVID SENT MESSENGERS TO ISHBOSHETH SAUL'S SON, SAYING, DELIVER ME MY WIFE MICHAL, WHICH I ESPOUSED TO ME FOR AN HUNDRED FORESKINS OF THE PHILISTINES.
Ish-Boshet would have been amenable to this request due to the counsel of Abner. 
David had actually given Saul two hundred foreskins (1-Samuel 18:27 ) but one hundred was the original number requested as dowry (1-Samuel 18:25 ).   
 
[2-Samuel 3:15] AND ISHBOSHETH SENT, AND TOOK HER FROM HER HUSBAND, EVEN FROM PHALTIEL THE SON OF LAISH.              
 
[2-Samuel 3:16] AND HER HUSBAND WENT WITH HER ALONG WEEPING BEHIND HER TO BAHURIM. THEN SAID ABNER UNTO HIM, GO, RETURN. AND HE RETURNED.
<<HUSBAND>>:  David was the first husband of Michal. David gained the hand of Michal the daughter of Saul by presenting Saul with the foreskins of two hundred slain Philistines. Saul had requested the precupices from David as a bridal price but had apparently expected David to get killed in trying to obtain them or later be slain by Philsitine avengers (1-Samuel 18:21). After that when David was declared an outlaw and fled Saul took his daughter and gave her to another man. This was against the Law. It may be (as the Sages suggest) that Saul thought the original marriage with David was illegal or that as King he had the right to undo the marital ties of others. Such an assumption may have been accepted amongst the rulers of the Ancient World at that time.
 
As for Michal being with another man and then returning to David this too is problematic. Several possible solutions have been proposed such as:
a. Phaltiel and Michal though forced to stay together did not have intercourse with each other.
b. Phaltiel and Michal misunderstood their legal status and thought they were allowed to be together. It was a genuine mistake and therefore their culpability was much less.
c. Even though Michal was with Phaltiel it was under fear of death. Saul in his deranged state may have been liable to put her to death. Technically, it was as if she was being raped. The Law is that for intercourse to be called rape it is enough that the initial contact be forced upon a woman even if in continuation she co-operates. 
 
The Malbim points out that by receiving Michal back and having her sent to him by Ish-Boshet David was strenthening his own claim to the Kingdom since the son-in-law of the King could also be considered a legitimate successor.
Even so,
Michal loved David.
This is the only woman (apart from the heroine in the Song of Solomon?)
that the Bible testifies that she loved a man:
 AND MICHAL SAUL'S DAUGHTER LOVED DAVID  (1-Samuel 18:20 ).
 THE LORD WAS WITH DAVID, AND THAT MICHAL SAUL'S DAUGHTER LOVED HIM [1-Samuel 18:28 ].
Was God with David partly because Michal loved David?
Does a woman really make the man?

David had  performed a mighty act of heroism in killing two hundred Philistines in order to gain the daughter  of Saul.
Even the slaying of Goliath that established David as a leading figure in the Kingdom had been preceded by a promise that the hero would receive the daughter of King Saul (1-Samuel 17:25).
Michal was something that David had  earned and risked everything for in the days of his youth.
She saved the life of David and risked her own (1-Samuel 19:12 ).
The Sages said that Michal always remained the favorite wife of David.
 
 
[2-Samuel 3:17] AND ABNER HAD COMMUNICATION WITH THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL , SAYING, YE SOUGHT FOR DAVID IN TIMES PAST TO BE KING OVER YOU:
The people wanted David. He had been a hero and saviour of Israel since his youth. Now the daughter of Saul had rejoined him and Abner representing the House of Saul and up until now its mainstay was declaring himself in support of him. It could even be said that the main body of the House of Saul had identified itself with David.
 
[2-Samuel 3:18] NOW THEN DO IT: FOR THE LORD HATH SPOKEN OF DAVID, SAYING, BY THE HAND OF MY SERVANT DAVID I WILL SAVE MY PEOPLE ISRAEL OUT OF THE HAND OF THE PHILISTINES, AND OUT OF THE HAND OF ALL THEIR ENEMIES.              
It was manifest destiny that David should be king. This was the obvious will of God and of the people themselves.      
 
[2-Samuel 3:19] AND ABNER ALSO SPAKE IN THE EARS OF BENJAMIN: AND ABNER WENT ALSO TO SPEAK IN THE EARS OF DAVID IN HEBRON ALL THAT SEEMED GOOD TO ISRAEL, AND THAT SEEMED GOOD TO THE WHOLE HOUSE OF BENJAMIN.
 
[2-Samuel 3:20] SO ABNER CAME TO DAVID TO HEBRON , AND TWENTY MEN WITH HIM. AND DAVID MADE ABNER AND THE MEN THAT WERE WITH HIM A FEAST.
 
[2-Samuel 3:21] AND ABNER SAID UNTO DAVID, I WILL ARISE AND GO, AND WILL GATHER ALL ISRAEL UNTO MY LORD THE KING, THAT THEY MAY MAKE A LEAGUE WITH THEE, AND THAT THOU MAYEST REIGN OVER ALL THAT THINE HEART DESIRETH. AND DAVID SENT ABNER AWAY; AND HE WENT IN PEACE.
It does not say expressly that David agreed to a pact with Abner only that Abner could have understood matters that way.
 
[2-Samuel 3:2 AND, BEHOLD, THE SERVANTS OF DAVID AND JOAB CAME FROM PURSUING A TROOP, AND BROUGHT IN A GREAT SPOIL WITH THEM: BUT ABNER WAS NOT WITH DAVID IN HEBRON ; FOR HE HAD SENT HIM AWAY, AND HE WAS GONE IN PEACE.              
The sending of Abner away "in peace" is mentioned in the previous verse and in this one. It is repeated twice for emphasis. David had an understanding with Abner. At the least David was under an obligation for the sake of honor that no harm come to Abner. Joab was the counterpart of Abner and second-in-command to Abner. Not only did Joab have a grudge against Abner due to the killing of Asahel his brother but also Abner was a rival for the post of second-in-command to the King in the Kingdom whose reunification was now only a matter of time.
Joab had returned from a  succesful campaign against the enemy having led all the army and bringing back much booty to ease the economic burden of the followers of David. Joab was on the ascent. He had a psychological edge over both David and Abner.
 
[2-Samuel 3:23] WHEN JOAB AND ALL THE HOST THAT WAS WITH HIM WERE COME, THEY TOLD JOAB, SAYING,  ABNER THE SON OF NER CAME TO THE KING, AND HE HATH SENT HIM AWAY, AND HE IS GONE IN PEACE.
<<IN PEACE>> Peace is mentioned for the third time in as many verses.
 
[2-Samuel 3:24] THEN JOAB CAME TO THE KING, AND SAID, WHAT HAST THOU DONE? BEHOLD, ABNER CAME UNTO THEE; WHY IS IT THAT THOU HAST SENT HIM AWAY, AND HE IS QUITE GONE?                     
 
[2-Samuel 3:25] THOU KNOWEST ABNER THE SON OF NER, THAT HE CAME TO DECEIVE THEE, AND TO KNOW THY GOING OUT AND THY COMING IN, AND TO KNOW ALL THAT THOU DOEST.
 
[2-Samuel 3:26] AND WHEN JOAB WAS COME OUT FROM DAVID, HE SENT MESSENGERS AFTER ABNER, WHICH BROUGHT HIM AGAIN FROM THE WELL OF SIRAH: BUT DAVID KNEW IT NOT.
<<WELL OF SIRAH>>: This is identified with a place on the edge of Hebron where there exist wells from Ancient Times.
 
[2-Samuel 3:27] AND WHEN ABNER WAS RETURNED TO HEBRON , JOAB TOOK HIM ASIDE IN THE GATE TO SPEAK WITH HIM QUIETLY, AND SMOTE HIM THERE UNDER THE FIFTH RIB, THAT HE DIED, FOR THE BLOOD OF ASAHEL HIS BROTHER.                    
He struck him through the fifth rib into the heart just as Abner had done to Asahel (2-Samuel 2:23 ). He killed him in deceit, speaking quietly, leading him to believe that he intended no harm.
 
[2-Samuel 3:28] AND AFTERWARD WHEN DAVID HEARD IT, HE SAID, I AND MY KINGDOM ARE GUILTLESS BEFORE THE LORD FOR EVER FROM THE BLOOD OF ABNER THE SON OF NER:
The crime was made even worse by being connected to the acknowledgement of David as rightful king over all Israel. Joab and Abishai were the senior officials in the administration of David and whatever they did was done as an expression of the rule of David. It now seemed as if Abner had been granted the "immunity" of being sent away in peace and then immediately slain by deceit, and all in the name of David who indeed had had no part of it nor wanted it. 
 
[2-Samuel 3:29] LET IT REST ON THE HEAD OF JOAB, AND ON ALL HIS FATHER'S HOUSE; AND LET THERE NOT FAIL FROM THE HOUSE OF JOAB ONE THAT HATH AN ISSUE, OR THAT IS A LEPER, OR THAT LEANETH ON A STAFF, OR THAT FALLETH ON THE SWORD, OR THAT LACKETH BREAD.
Joab and Abner were counterparts to each other. Abner was the uncle of Saul being the brother of Kish the father of Saul. Joab was a cousin of David being the son of Zeruiah the sister of David (1-Chronicles 2:16 ), in other words his nephew. Zeruiah may have been much older than David and she could even have been married and given birth to Joab before David came into the world. David was the youngest son of Jesse. it may be that Joab was older than David.
The Sages said that all the curses that David cursed Joab with were fulfilled in the descendants of David himself. We should be careful with what we say about others.
 
[2-Samuel 3:30] SO JOAB, AND ABISHAI HIS BROTHER SLEW ABNER, BECAUSE HE HAD SLAIN THEIR BROTHER ASAHEL AT GIBEON IN THE BATTLE .
Abishai apparently also h played a part in the assassination of Abner.
<< IN THE BATTLE>>: Abner had slain Asahel in battle whereas Joab and Abishai killed Abner in peace as the Bible stresses.
 
[2-Samuel 3:31] AND DAVID SAID TO JOAB, AND TO ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WERE WITH HIM, REND YOUR CLOTHES, AND GIRD YOU WITH SACKCLOTH, AND MOURN BEFORE ABNER. AND KING DAVID HIMSELF    FOLLOWED THE BIER.
 
[2-Samuel 3:3 AND THEY BURIED ABNER IN HEBRON : AND THE KING LIFTED UP HIS VOICE, AND WEPT AT THE GRAVE OF ABNER; AND ALL THE PEOPLE WEPT.
 
[2-Samuel 3:33] AND THE KING LAMENTED OVER ABNER, AND SAID, DIED ABNER AS A FOOL DIETH?
 
[2-Samuel 3:34] THY HANDS WERE NOT BOUND, NOR THY FEET PUT INTO FETTERS: AS A MAN FALLETH BEFORE WICKED MEN, SO FELLEST THOU. AND ALL THE PEOPLE WEPT AGAIN OVER HIM.
<<WICKED MEN>>: Hebrew "bnie avlah" i.e. the sons of evil. "Avlah" in Hebrew means "evil" in English and the two words derive from the same root.
Abner was not a captive of war who had been subdued or a criminal who had been sentenced and brought forth in chains to be executed knowing well what awaited him.
 
[2-Samuel 3:35] AND WHEN ALL THE PEOPLE CAME TO CAUSE DAVID TO EAT MEAT WHILE IT WAS YET DAY, DAVID SWARE, SAYING, SO DO GOD TO ME, AND MORE ALSO, IF I TASTE BREAD, OR OUGHT ELSE, TILL THE  SUN BE DOWN.
 
[2-Samuel 3:36] AND ALL THE PEOPLE TOOK NOTICE OF IT, AND IT PLEASED THEM: AS WHATSOEVER THE KING DID PLEASED ALL THE PEOPLE.
 
[2-Samuel 3:37] FOR ALL THE PEOPLE AND ALL ISRAEL UNDERSTOOD THAT DAY THAT IT WAS NOT OF THE KING TO SLAY ABNER THE SON OF NER.
 
[2-Samuel 3:38] AND THE KING SAID UNTO HIS SERVANTS, KNOW YE NOT THAT THERE IS A PRINCE AND A GREAT MAN FALLEN THIS DAY IN ISRAEL ?
 
[2-Samuel 3:39] AND I AM THIS DAY WEAK, THOUGH ANOINTED KING; AND THESE MEN THE SONS OF ZERUIAH BE TOO HARD FOR ME: THE LORD SHALL REWARD THE DOER OF EVIL ACCORDING TO HIS WICKEDNESS.
David was a king, a hero. He was in the right. Nevertheless he decided to leave the matter of the slaying of Abner to the judgement of heaven. So too, we all have to hold ourselves back and not react at certain moments even though we are in the right.


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