2 Samuel 3
3
1 However, the war was prolonged between the house of Saul and the house of David. David was becoming steadily stronger, while the house of Saul was becoming increasingly weaker.
2 Now sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, born to Ahinoam the Jezreelite. 3 His second son#tn The Hebrew text does not have the word “son.” So also in vv. 3-5. was Kileab, born to Abigail the widow#tn Heb “wife.” of Nabal the Carmelite. His third son was Absalom, the son of Maacah daughter of King Talmai of Geshur. 4 His fourth son was Adonijah, the son of Haggith. His fifth son was Shephatiah, the son of Abitail. 5 His sixth son was Ithream, born to David’s wife Eglah. These sons#tn The Hebrew text does not have “sons.” were all born to David in Hebron.
Abner Defects to David’s Camp
6 As the war continued between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was becoming more influential#tn Heb “was strengthening himself.” The statement may have a negative sense here, perhaps suggesting that Abner was overstepping the bounds of political propriety in a self-serving way. in the house of Saul. 7 Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah daughter of Aiah. Ish-bosheth#tc The Hebrew of the MT reads simply “and he said,” with no expressed subject for the verb. It is not likely that the text originally had no expressed subject for this verb, since the antecedent is not immediately clear from the context. We should probably restore to the Hebrew text the name “Ish-bosheth.” See a few medieval Hebrew mss, Aquila, Symmachus, Theodotion, and Vulgate. Perhaps the name was accidentally omitted by homoioarcton. Note that both the name Ishbosheth and the following preposition אֶל (’el) begin with the letter alef. said to Abner, “Why did you have sexual relations with#tn Heb “come to”; KJV, NRSV “gone in to”; NAB “been intimate with”; NIV “sleep with.” my father’s concubine?”#sn This accusation against Abner is a very serious one, since an act of sexual infringement on the king’s harem would probably have been understood as a blatant declaration of aspirations to kingship. As such it was not merely a matter of ethical impropriety but an act of grave political significance as well.
8 These words of Ish-bosheth really angered Abner and he said, “Am I the head of a dog that belongs to Judah? This very day I am demonstrating#tn Heb “I do.” loyalty to the house of Saul your father and to his relatives#tn Heb “brothers.” and his friends! I have not betrayed you into the hand of David. Yet you have accused me of sinning with this woman today!#tn Heb “and you have laid upon me the guilt of the woman today.” 9 God will severely judge Abner#tn Heb “So will God do to Abner and so he will add to him.” if I do not do for David exactly what the Lord has promised him,#tc Heb “has sworn to David.” The LXX, with the exception of the recension of Origen, adds “in this day.” 10 namely, to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah all the way from Dan to Beer Sheba!” 11 Ish-bosheth#tn Heb “he”; the referent (Ish-bosheth) has been specified in the translation for clarity. was unable to answer Abner with even a single word because he was afraid of him.
12 Then Abner sent messengers#tn The Hebrew text adds here, “on his behalf.” to David saying, “To whom does the land belong? Make an agreement#tn Heb “cut a covenant.” So also in vv. 13, 21. with me, and I will do whatever I can#tn Heb “and behold, my hand is with you.” to cause all Israel to turn to you.” 13 So David said, “Good! I will make an agreement with you. I ask only one thing from you. You will not see my face unless you bring Saul’s daughter Michal when you come to visit me.”#tn The words “when you come to see my face,” though found in the Hebrew text, are somewhat redundant given the similar expression in the earlier part of the verse. The words are absent from the Syriac Peshitta.
14 David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth son of Saul with this demand:#tn Heb “to Ish-bosheth son of Saul saying.” To avoid excessive sibilance (especially when read aloud) the translation renders “saying” as “with this demand.” “Give me my wife Michal whom I acquired#tn Heb “whom I betrothed to myself.” for a hundred Philistine foreskins.” 15 So Ish-bosheth took her#tn Heb “sent and took her.” from her husband Paltiel#tn In 1 Sam 25:44 this name appears as “Palti.” son of Laish. 16 Her husband went along behind her, weeping all the way to Bahurim. Finally Abner said to him, “Go back!”#tn Heb “Go, return.” So he returned home.
17 Abner advised#tn Heb “the word of Abner was with.” the elders of Israel, “Previously you were wanting David to be your king.#tn Heb “you were seeking David to be king over you.” 18 Act now! For the Lord has said to David, ‘By the hand of my servant David I will save#tc The present translation follows the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate in reading “I will save,” rather than the MT “he saved.” The context calls for the 1st person common singular imperfect of the verb rather than the 3rd person masculine singular perfect. my people Israel from#tn Heb “from the hand of.” the Philistines and from all their enemies.’”
19 Then Abner spoke privately#tn Heb “into the ears of.” with the Benjaminites. Abner also went to Hebron to inform David privately#tn Heb “also Abner went to speak into the ears of David in Hebron.” of all that Israel and the entire house of Benjamin had agreed to.#tn Heb “all which was good in the eyes of Israel and in the eyes of all the house of Benjamin.” 20 When Abner, accompanied by twenty men, came to David in Hebron, David prepared a banquet for Abner and the men who were with him. 21 Abner said to David, “Let me leave so that I may go and gather all Israel to my lord the king so that they may make an agreement#tn After the cohortatives, the prefixed verbal form with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result. with you. Then you will rule over all that you desire.” So David sent Abner away, and he left in peace.
Abner Is Killed
22 Now David’s soldiers#tn Heb “And look, the servants of David.” and Joab were coming back from a raid, bringing a great deal of plunder with them. Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, for David#tn Heb “he”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity. had sent him away and he had left in peace. 23 When Joab and all the army that was with him arrived, Joab was told: “Abner the son of Ner came to the king; he sent him away, and he left in peace!”
24 So Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Abner#tn Heb “Look, Abner.” has come to you! Why would you send him away? Now he’s gone on his way!#tc The LXX adds “in peace.” 25 You know Abner the son of Ner! Surely he came here to spy on you and to determine when you leave and when you return#tn Heb “your going out and your coming in.” The expression is a merism. It specifically mentions the polar extremities of the actions but includes all activity in between the extremities as well, thus encompassing the entirety of one’s activities. and to discover everything that you are doing!”
26 Then Joab left David and sent messengers after Abner. They brought him back from the well of Sirah. (But David was not aware of it.) 27 When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside at the gate as if to speak privately with him. Joab then stabbed him#tn Heb “and he struck him down there [in] the stomach.” in the abdomen and killed him, avenging the shed blood of his brother Asahel.#tn Heb “and he [i.e., Abner] died on account of the blood of Asahel his [i.e., Joab’s] brother.”
28 When David later heard about this, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the Lord of the shed blood of Abner son of Ner! 29 May his blood whirl over#tn Heb “and may they whirl over.” In the Hebrew text the subject of the plural verb is unexpressed. The most likely subject is Abner’s “shed blood” (v. 28), which is a masculine plural form in Hebrew. The verb חוּל (khul, “whirl”) is used with the preposition עַל (’al) only here and in Jer 23:19; 30:23. the head of Joab and the entire house of his father!#tc 4QSama has “of Joab” rather than “of his father” read by the MT. May the males of Joab’s house#tn Heb “the house of Joab.” However, it is necessary to specify that David’s curse is aimed at Joab’s male descendants; otherwise it would not be clear that “one who works at the spindle” refers to a man doing woman’s work rather than a woman. never cease to have#tn Heb “and may there not be cut off from the house of Joab.” someone with a running sore or a skin disease or one who works at the spindle#tn The expression used here is difficult. The translation “one who works at the spindle” follows a suggestion of S. R. Driver that the expression pejoratively describes an effeminate man who, rather than being a mighty warrior, is occupied with tasks that are normally fulfilled by women (S. R. Driver, Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel, 250-51; cf. NAB “one unmanly”; TEV “fit only to do a woman’s work”; CEV “cowards”). But P. K. McCarter, following an alleged Phoenician usage of the noun to refer to “crutches,” adopts a different view. He translates the phrase “clings to a crutch,” seeing here a further description of physical lameness (II Samuel [AB], 118). Such an idea fits the present context well and is followed by NIV, NCV, and NLT, although the evidence for this meaning is questionable. According to DNWSI 2:915-16, the noun consistently refers to a spindle in Phoenician, as it does in Ugaritic (see UT 468). or one who falls by the sword or one who lacks food!”
30 So Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel in Gibeon during the battle.
31 David instructed Joab and all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes! Put on sackcloth! Lament before Abner!” Now King David followed#tn Heb “was walking.” behind the funeral bier. 32 So they buried Abner in Hebron. The king cried loudly#tn Heb “lifted up his voice and wept.” The expression is a verbal hendiadys. over Abner’s grave and all the people wept too. 33 The king chanted the following lament for Abner:
“Should Abner have died like a fool?
34 Your hands#tc The translation follows many medieval Hebrew manuscripts and several ancient versions in reading “your hands,” rather than “your hand.” were not bound,
and your feet were not put into irons.
You fell the way one falls before criminals.”
All the people#tc 4QSama lacks the words “all the people.” wept over him again. 35 Then all the people came and encouraged David to eat food while it was still day. But David took an oath saying, “God will punish me severely#tn Heb “Thus God will do to me and thus he will add.” if I taste bread or anything whatsoever before the sun sets!”
36 All the people noticed this and it pleased them.#tn Heb “it was good in their eyes.” In fact, everything the king did pleased all the people. 37 All the people and all Israel realized on that day that the killing of Abner son of Ner was not done at the king’s instigation.#tn Heb “from the king.”
38 Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not realize that a great leader#tn Heb “a leader and a great one.” The expression is a hendiadys. has fallen this day in Israel? 39 Today I am weak, even though I am anointed as king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too much for me to bear!#tn Heb “are hard from me.” May the Lord punish appropriately the one who has done this evil thing!”#tn Heb “May the Lord repay the doer of the evil according to his evil” (NASB similar).
Currently Selected:
2 Samuel 3: NET
Highlight
Share
Compare
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
1996 - 2007 by Biblical Studies Press, LLC
2 Samuel 3
3
1There was then long warre betweene the house of Saul and the house of Dauid: but Dauid waxed stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker. 2And vnto Dauid were children borne in Hebron: and his eldest sonne was Amnon of Ahinoam the Izreelite, 3And his seconde, was Chileab of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite: and the third, Absalom the sonne of Maacah the daughter of Talmai the King of Geshur, 4And the fourth, Adoniiah the sonne of Haggith, and the fifth, Shephatiah the sonne of Abital, 5And the sixt, Ithream by Eglah Dauids wife: these were borne to Dauid in Hebron. 6Nowe while there was warre betweene the house of Saul and the house of Dauid, Abner made all his power for the house of Saul. 7And Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiiah. And Ish-bosheth sayde to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in to my fathers concubine? 8Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I a dogges head, which against Iudah do shew mercie this day vnto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his neighbours, and haue not deliuered thee into the hande of Dauid, that thou chargest me this day with a fault concerning this woman? 9So doe God to Abner, and more also, except, as the Lord hath sworne to Dauid, euen so I doe to him, 10To remoue the kingdome from the house of Saul, that the throne of Dauid may be stablished ouer Israel, and ouer Iudah, euen from Dan to Beer-sheba. 11And he durst no more answere to Abner: for he feared him. 12Then Abner sent messengers to Dauid on his behalfe, saying, Whose is the lande? who should also say, Make couenant with me, and beholde, mine hande shalbe with thee, to bring all Israel vnto thee. 13Who saide, Well, I will make a couenant with thee: but one thing I require of thee, that is, that thou see not my face except thou bring Michal Sauls daughter when thou commest to see me. 14Then Dauid sent messengers to Ish-bosheth Sauls sonne, saying, Deliuer me my wife Michal, which I marryed for an hundreth foreskinnes of the Philistims. 15And Ish-bosheth sent, and tooke her from her husband Phaltiel the sonne of Laish. 16And her husband went with her, and came weeping behinde her, vnto Bahurim: then saide Abner vnto him, Go, and returne. So he returned. 17And Abner had communication with the Elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for Dauid in times past, that he might be your King. 18Nowe then doe it: for the Lord hath spoken of Dauid, saying, By the hand of my seruant Dauid I will saue my people Israel out of the handes of the Philistims, and out of the handes of all their enemies. 19Also Abner spake to Beniamin, and afterward Abner went to speake with Dauid in Hebron, concerning all that Israel was content with, and the whole house of Beniamin. 20So Abner came to Dauid to Hebron, hauing twentie men with him, and Dauid made a feast vnto Abner, and to the men that were with him. 21Then Abner sayde vnto Dauid, I will rise vp, and goe gather all Israel vnto my lorde the King, that they may make a couenant with thee, and that thou mayest reigne ouer all that thine heart desireth. Then Dauid let Abner depart, who went in peace. 22And beholde, the seruants of Dauid and Ioab came from the campe, and brought a great pray with them (but Abner was not with Dauid in Hebron: for he had sent him away, and he departed in peace) 23When Ioab, and all the hoste that was with him were come, men tolde Ioab, saying, Abner the sonne of Ner came to the King, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace. 24Then Ioab came to the King, and saide, What hast thou done? beholde, Abner came vnto thee, why hast thou sent him away, and he is departed? 25Thou knowest Abner the sonne of Ner: for he came to deceiue thee, and to knowe thy outgoing and ingoing, and to knowe all that thou doest. 26And when Ioab was gone out from Dauid, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him againe from the well of Siriah vnknowing to Dauid. 27And when Abner was come againe to Hebron, Ioab tooke him aside in the gate to speake with him peaceably, and smote him vnder the fift ryb, that he dyed, for the blood of Asahel his brother. 28And when afterwarde it came to Dauids eare, he saide, I and my kingdome are giltlesse before the Lord for euer, concerning the blood of Abner the sonne of Ner. 29Let the blood fall on the head of Ioab, and on all his fathers house, that the house of Ioab be neuer without some that haue running issues, or leper, or that leaneth on a staffe, or that doeth fall on the sworde, or that lacketh bread. 30(So Ioab and Abishai his brother slewe Abner, because he had slaine their brother Asahel at Gibeon in battel) 31And Dauid said to Ioab, and to al the people that were with him, Rent your clothes, and put on sackecloth, and mourne before Abner: and King Dauid him selfe followed the beare. 32And when they had buryed Abner in Hebron, the King lift vp his voyce, and wept beside the sepulchre of Abner, and all the people wept. 33And the King lamented ouer Abner, and sayde, Dyed Abner as a foole dyeth? 34Thine handes were not bounde, nor thy feete tyed in fetters of brasse: but as a man falleth before wicked men, so diddest thou fall. And all the people wept againe for him. 35Afterwarde all the people came to cause Dauid eate meate while it was yet day, but Dauid sware, saying, So doe God to me and more also, if I taste bread, or ought els till the sunne be downe. 36And all the people knewe it, and it pleased them: as whatsoeuer the King did, pleased all the people. 37For all the people and all Israel vnderstoode that day, howe that it was not the Kings deede that Abner the sonne of Ner was slaine. 38And the King said vnto his seruants, Know ye not, that there is a prince and a great man falle this day in Israel? 39And I am this day weake and newly anoynted King: and these men the sonnes of Zeruiah be too harde for me: the Lord rewarde the doer of euill according to his wickednesse.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Compare
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
PUBLIC DOMAIN