2 Samuel 3:11

_SO DO GOD TO ABNER, AND MORE ALSO, EXCEPT, AS THE LORD HATH SWORN TO DAVID, EVEN SO I DO TO HIM;_ No JFB commentary on these verses....

7-21 Many, like Abner, are not above committing base crimes, who are too proud to bear reproof, or even the suspicion of being guilty. While men go on in sin, and apparently without concern, they are often conscious that they are fighting against God. Many mean to serve their own purposes; and will betray those who trust them, when they can get any advantage. Yet the Lord serves his own designs, even by those who are thus actuated by revenge, ambition, or lust; but as they intend not to honour him, in the end they will be thrown aside with contempt. There was real generosity both to Michal and to the memory of Saul, in David's receiving the former, remembering probably how once he owed his life to her affection, and knowing that she was separated from him partly by her father's authority. Let no man set his heart on that which he is not entitled to. If any disagreement has separated hus...

Verse 2 Samuel 3:11. _HE COULD NOT ANSWER ABNER A WORD_] Miserable is the lot of a king who is governed by the general of his army, who may strip him of his power and dignity whenever he pleases! Witness the fate of poor Charles I. of England and Louis XVI. of France. Military men, above all others, should never be intrusted with any _civil_ power, and should be great only in the _field_....

EXPOSITION 2 SAMUEL 3:1 THERE WAS LONG WAR. As Ishbosheth reigned only two years, and as "the house of Saul" is the phrase used, it seems probable that after Ishbosheth's murder, during the five years before David's election to the throne of all Israel, the house of Saul had some puppet representative at Mahanaim, and some commander in Abner's place. But after the death of this able man matters would go from bad to worse, and, though David probably remained on the defensive, yet the contrast between the peace and good government of Judah and the misery in Israel made all the tribes wish to put an end to a harassing civil war. It is plain, too, that the Philistines, repelled at first by Abner's skill, had again gained the ascendant, and regarded themselves so completely as the rulers of the country, that they resented immediately with summ

AND HE COULD NOT ANSWER ABNER A WORD AGAIN,.... That is, he would not, he durst not; otherwise, if it was fact he charged him with, he could have insisted on the truth of it, and aggravated the crime and scandal of it; and observed it to him, that the kindness he had shown him was no excuse for it; but such things, though he would, he durst not say: BECAUSE HE FEARED HIM; he had the army at his command, and could dethrone him when he pleased; and it has been the fate of greater men than Ishbosheth to be awed by their generals, and even David himself; see 2 Samuel 3:39....

4. ABNER'S DEEDS AND END CHAPTER 3 _ 1. The long war and its results (2 Samuel 3:1)_ 2. David's family (2 Samuel 3:2) 3. Abner's defiant deed (2 Samuel 3:6) 4. Abner and Ish-bosheth (2 Samuel 3:8) 5. Abner's defection to David (2 Samuel 3:12) 6. David's request (2 Samuel 3:13) 7. Abner with David (2 Samuel 3:17)...

2 SAMUEL 3:6 TO 2 SAMUEL 4:12. QUARREL BETWEEN ABNER AND ISHBAAL. TREACHERY OF ABNER. DEATH OF ABNER, AND OF ISHBAAL (J)._ Cf_. p. 286. 2 SAMUEL 3:6. Abner went in to Rizpah, Saul's concubine; an act of _lè se majesté,_ as the harem of a king was the property of his successor (2 Samuel 12:8; 2 Samuel 16:22). He met Ishbaal's remonstrances with contemptuous and indignant anger. Was he, to whom the house of Saul owed so much, to be treated like a dog, on account of a trifling matter about a woman? He would soon show the nominal

Quarrel between Abner and Ish-bosheth 6. _made himself strong_ Or, SHEWED HIMSELF STRONG. Ish-bosheth was evidently weak and incapable, a mere puppet in the hands of Abner, who had made himself the mainstay of Saul's house, partly from his family connexion, partly with a view to secure the greatest amount of influence, possibly with the hope of eventually becoming king himself. At length foreseeing the impossibility of continuing a successful opposition to David's growing power, he took the opportunity of a quarrel with Ish-bosheth to make such overtures to David as might secure him favourable terms and an influential position....

Abner Rebels Against Ish-bosheth. 2 Samuel 3:6-11 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. 7 And Saul had a concubine, whose name _was_ Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and _Ish-bosheth_ said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father's concubine? 8 Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, _Am_ I a dog's head, which against Judah do show 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 today with a fault concerning this woman? 9 So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as the Lord hath sworn to David, even so I do to him; 10 To translate the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of Da

ABNER IS TREACHEROUSLY MURDERED BY JOAB 3. Chileab] We read nothing more of him and he probably died as a child. In 1 Chronicles 3:1 he is called Daniel. GESHUR] a kingdom on the border of Bashan, where Absalom afterwards took refuge (2 Samuel 13:37) It must not be confused with the Geshur of 1 Samuel 27:8....