2 Samuel 3:4

_AND THE FOURTH, ADONIJAH THE SON OF HAGGITH; AND THE FIFTH, SHEPHATIAH THE SON OF ABITAL;_ NO JFB COMMENTARY ON THIS VERSE....

1-6 The length of this war tried the faith and patience of David, and made his settlement at last the more welcome. The contest between grace and corruption in the hearts of believers, may fitly be compared to this warfare. There is a long war between them, the flesh lusting against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh; but as the work of holiness is carried on, corruption, like the house of Saul, grows weaker and weaker; while grace, like the house of David, grows stronger and stronger....

ADONIJAH - The same who, when David was dying, aspired to the crown, and was put to death by Solomon. SHEPHATIAH - “God is judge.” This is the same name as Jehoshaphat, only with the two elements composing it placed in inverted order. Nothing more is known of him or of his brother Ithream....

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 THE FOURTH, ADONIJAH THE SON OF HAGGITH,.... The same that usurped the throne before his father's death, to anticipate Solomon, and died by his order, 1 Kings 1:5; AND THE FIFTH, SHEPHATIAH THE SON OF ABITAL; of whom we read nowhere else....

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)...

An editorial note, including an account of David's family. It is curious that the last-named wife, Eglah, and she only, is expressly called David's wife. The letters in the Heb. may be a corruption of some description which would have conveyed further information. ICC suggests that the original reading was sister of David. 2 Samuel 13:13 shows that such marriages were legitimate in Israel at the time....

_Adonijah_ Who made an ill return for his father's indulgence (1 Kings 1:6) by setting up a rival claim to the throne in opposition to Solomon, in which he was supported by Joab and Abiathar (1 Kings 1:5 ff.). He was pardoned at the time, but shortly afterwards put to death for preferring a request which, viewed in the light of Oriental customs, was tantamount to repeated treason. Thus three of the six sons born to David in Hebron attained an unenviable notoriety; the remaining three, who are not mentioned again in the history, are happy in their obscurity....

3. A Period of Two Kings in Israel, 2 Samuel 3:1-39. _David's Family._ 2 Samuel 3:1-5 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. 2 And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his first-born was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; 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; 4 And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; 5 And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron. _1._ Who prevailed in the wars between Israel and Judah?...

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....