2 Samuel 3:30

_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._ No JFB commentary on these verses....

22-39 Judgments are prepared for such scorners as Abner; but Joab, in what he did, acted wickedly. David laid Abner's murder deeply to heart, and in many ways expressed his detestation of it. The guilt of blood brings a curse upon families: if men do not avenge it, God will. It is a sad thing to die like a fool, as they do that any way shorten their own days, and those who make no provision for another world. Who would be fond of power, when a man may have the name of it, and must be accountable for it, yet is hampered in the use of it? David ought to have done his duty, and then trusted God with the issue. Carnal policy spared Joab. The Son of David may long delay, but never fails to punish impenitent sinners. He who now reigns upon the throne of David, has a kingdom of a nobler kind. Whatever He doeth, is noticed by all his willing people, and is pleasing to them....

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

SO JOAB AND ABISHAI HIS BROTHER SLEW ABNER,.... For though it was only Joab that gave him the thrust of which he died, Abishai was in the secret, and was consenting and advising to his death, and so an accessory to it; and might be present, ready to assist in it, if occasion required; and so Josephus k expressly says, that Abishai his brother was with him when he drew his sword, and smote him: BECAUSE HE HAD SLAIN THEIR BROTHER ASAHEL AT GIBEON IN THE BATTLE: which was no just reason at all; his blood was shed in war, this in peace, in cold blood, and under the guise of friendship; that was shed with reluctance, and after fair warning, and in defence of himself; but this wilfully in Joab, unawares to Abner, and in great deceit and hypocrisy; see 1 Kings 2:5. k Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 7. c. 1. sect. 6.)...

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)...

David made it clear that he had nothing to do with the murder. He gave Abner honourable burial, and king and people lamented him. The dirge in 2 Samuel 3:33 f. is generally accepted as the work of David....

GIBEON. Compare 2 Samuel 2:13....

The Curse of Blood-guiltiness 28. _I and my kingdom are guiltless_ With a strong asseveration David asserts his entire innocence of any complicity in this murder. Neither upon himself personally nor upon "his kingdom," i.e. the royal house, his descendants and successors, could punishment for shedding this innocent blood justly fall. Cp. 1 Kings 2:31-33. For the doctrine of a divine judgment which was certain to fall upon the murderer and his posterity, "visiting the sins of the fathers upon the children," see Genesis 4:11; Deuteronomy 21:6-9; Matthew 23:35. Compare the Greek belief in the avenging Furies wh

_Joab Murders Abner._ 2 Samuel 3:22-30 22 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. 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. 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? 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. 26 And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him again from the well of

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....