2. Samuel 3:8 Kommentar

The battle between Joab and Abner did not end the controversy between the two houses of Saul and David, but it is in this chapter working towards a period. Here is, I. The gradual advance of David's interest (Sa2 3:1). II. The building up of his family (Sa2 3:2-5). III. Abner's quarrel with Ish-bosheth, and his treaty with David (Sa2 3:6-12). IV. The preliminaries settled (Sa2 3:13-16). V. Abner's undertaking and attempt to bring Israel over to David (Sa2 3:17-21). VI. The treacherous murder of Abner by Joab, when he was carrying on this matter (Sa2 3:22-27). VII. David's great concern and trouble for the death of Abner (Sa2 3:28-39).

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 3 This chapter begins with the continuation of the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Sa2 3:1; and gives an account of the wives of David, and his sons by them, Sa2 3:2; of a quarrel between Ishbosheth and Abner, Sa2 3:6; and of Abner's proposal to make a league with David; but David would not see his face unless Michal his wife was returned to him, who was accordingly, Sa2 3:12; and of the interest Abner made with the elders of Israel in favour of David, which he reported to him, and promised to make more, Sa2 3:17; but Joab returning from a pursuit, and with great spoil, just as Abner departed, and hearing of it, chided David for letting him go, and privately sent for him back, and treacherously murdered him, Sa2 3:22; from which murder David cleared himself and his kingdom, and for it made dreadful imprecations on Joab and his family, Sa2 3:28; and buried Abner with great lamentation, expressing much concern for his death, and the high opinion he had of him, Sa2 3:31.

Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ishbosheth,.... If false he had a good deal of reason for it; and if true, he thought he deserved better at his hands, than to be reproved for and upbraided with what he might think was a very small fault, and might easily be connived at, and especially in one that had been so serviceable to him: and said, am I a dog's head; such a mean, vile, contemptible person with thee, as if no better than a dog, and as useless and as unserviceable as a dead dog, the head of a dog cut off; see Sa1 24:14 Sa2 9:8; or am I esteemed and to be treated as a head of dogs, a keeper of a pack of hounds, and not as a general of the armies of Israel? so Jarchi and others; but it seems rather to respect the filthy nature of a dog, that will couple with any; and so the sense is, am I such a filthy lustful creature that care not with whom I lie, no more, than a dog? which against Judah do show kindness to the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends; who in opposition to the tribe of Judah, which alone abode by David, had shown respect to the family of Saul, and all his friends, by his close attachment to Ishbosheth: and have not delivered thee into the hand David; when it was in his power to have done it many a tithe: that thou chargest me today with a fault concerning this woman? he neither denies nor owns the charge, and yet, by his not denying it, tacitly owns it; though, by his way of speaking, he suggests as if it was no fault at all, at least a very trifling one, and such as ought not to have been mentioned to him, considering the services he had done to Ishbosheth and his family.

Account of the children born to David in Hebron, Sa2 3:1-5. Abner being accused by Ish-bosheth of familiarities with Rizpah, Saul's concubine, he is enraged; offers his services to David; goes to Hebron, and makes a league with him, vv. 6-22. Joab, through enmity to Abner, pretends to David that he came as a spy, and should not be permitted to return, Sa2 3:23-25. He follows Abner, and treacherously slays him, Sa2 3:26, Sa2 3:27. David hearing of it is greatly incensed against Joab, and pronounces a curse upon him and upon his family, Sa2 3:28, Sa2 3:29. He commands a general mourning for Abner, and himself follows the bier weeping, Sa2 3:30-32. David's lamentation over Abner, Sa2 3:33, Sa2 3:34. The people solicit David to take meat; but he fasts the whole day, and complains to them of the insolence and intrigues of Joab and his brothers: the people are pleased with his conduct, Sa2 3:35-39.

Am I a dog's head - Dost thou treat a man with indignity who has been the only prop of thy tottering kingdom, and the only person who could make head against the house of David?

SIX SONS BORN TO DAVID. (Sa2 3:1-5) there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David--The rival parties had varying success, but David's interest steadily increased; less, however, by the fortunes of war, than a growing adherence to him as the divinely designated king.

"And the war became long (was protracted) between the house of Saul and the house of David; but David became stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul weaker and weaker." הלך, when connected with another verb or with an adjective, expresses the idea of the gradual progress of an affair (vid., Ges. 131, 3, Anm. 3). The historian sums up in these words the historical course of the two royal houses, as they stood opposed to one another. "The war" does not mean continual fighting, but the state of hostility or war in which they continued to stand towards one another. They concluded no peace, so that David was not recognised by Ishbosheth as king, any more than Ishbosheth by David. Not only is there nothing said about any continuance of actual warfare by Abner or Ishbosheth after the loss of the battle at Gibeon, but such a thing was very improbable in itself, as Ishbosheth was too weak to be able to carry on the war, whilst David waited with firm reliance upon the promise of the Lord, until all Israel should come over to him.