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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - 2 Samuel 3:22 - 3:39
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Abner Murdered by Joab, Mourned by David
v. 22. And, behold, the servants of David and Joab, the latter being the general of the army of Judah, came from pursuing a troop, they had been out on a raid against one of the neighboring nations, and brought in a great spoil with them, such expeditions being necessary at that time to support the army. But Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace, dismissed as on the best footing with David.
v. 23. When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, they told Joab, some people promptly informed him, saying, Abner, the son of Ner, came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace.
v. 24. Then Joab, who was filled with hatred against Abner, came to the king and said, What hast thou done? Behold, Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away, instead of holding him captive? And he is quite gone; no one had made a move to secure him.
v. 25. Thou knowest Abner, the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, with an evil and hostile purpose, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest. In his reproach of David, Joab accused Abner of being a spy, a traitor, who was seeking information favorable to his schemes. The object was, of course, to make David so unfavorably disposed toward Abner that he would overlook the revenge which Joab was planning.
v. 26. And when Joab was come out from David, after this interview, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him again from the well, or cistern, of Sirah, for he had progressed to that point when the messengers reached him; but David knew it not, he was unacquainted with Joab's plans, much less did he approve of them.
v. 27. And when Abner was returned to Hebron, undoubtedly under the impression that David had some further instructions for him, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, in secret, in private, his attendants therefore retiring, and smote him there under the fifth rib, in the abdomen, that he died, for the blood of Asahel, his brother, for whom Joab considered himself an avenger. Joab's deed was murder and cast false suspicions on David; his real ground for committing it was false ambition and envy, for he feared that lie would be superseded by the more renowned Abner.
v. 28. And afterward, when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord forever from the blood of Abner, the son of Ner.
v. 29. Let it, the guilt, rest on the head of Joab and on all his father's house, the punishment of God should turn, roll, plunge upon the entire family of Joab; and let there not fail from the house of Joab, not one escaping this fate, one that hath an issue, Lev_15:2, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, being a cripple, or that falleth on the sword, finding his death in battle, or that lacketh bread. Terrible sicknesses, violent deaths: and poverty: those were the afflictions with which the posterity of Joab was ever to be punished.
v. 30. So Joab and Abishai, his brother, who was an accomplice, slew Abner because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle. The deed showed traits in Joab's character which appeared once more at a later time, in the murder of Amasa, 2Sa_20:10.
v. 31. And David said to Joab and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, the signs of deepest grief, and mourn before Abner, in the presence of his corpse, by an official lamentation. And King David himself followed the bier, his share in the ceremonies showing the deep personal sorrow which he felt.
v. 32. And they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, his tears being further evidence of the genuineness of his grief; and all the people wept, sharing his trouble and his sympathy.
v. 33. And the king lamented over Abner, in an elegy expressing his deepest sorrow over Abner's innocent and shameful death, and said, Died Abner as a fool dieth, like a good-for-nothing, worthless fellow?
v. 34. Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters, he was not guilty of any crime; as a man falleth before wicked men, before assassins, so fellest thou, murdered in malice. And all the people, moved by the lament of this elegy, wept again over him.
v. 35. And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat, to partake of food, while it was yet day, David sware, saying, So do God to me and more also if I taste bread or aught else till the sun be down; his grief culminated in his voluntary fasting.
v. 36. And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them; as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people, he won the love and confidence of the people by his manner of acting and freed himself from all suspicion of complicity in the murder of Abner.
v. 37. For all the people, those present in Hebron, and all Israel, to whom the news was brought, understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner, the son of Ner.
v. 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? Abner had been a prince by reason of his distinguished military ability, and a great man on account of his lofty character and virtues of value to the nation.
v. 39. And I am this day weak, still powerless to act as the occasion really required, though anointed king; and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, be too hard for me, he did not feel able as yet to bring them to justice. The Lord shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness. Into Jehovah's hands, for the present, David placed this matter for adjustment. If fleshly zeal, anger, jealousy, revenge, are the motives actuating a person, the Lord will punish him in due time.