Advanced Commentary
Texts -- 2 Samuel 3:2-39 (NET)
Pericope
NET
- 2Sa 3:6-21 -- Abner Defects to David's Camp
- 2Sa 3:22-39 -- Abner Is Killed
Bible Dictionary
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Abner
[ebd] father of light; i.e., "enlightening", the son of Ner and uncle of Saul. He was commander-in-chief of Saul's army (1 Sam. 14:50; 17:55; 20:25). He first introduced David to the court of Saul after the victory over Goliath (1...
[isbe] ABNER - ab'-ner ('abhner; in 1 Sam 14:50 the Hebrew has the fuller form, 'abhiner, Abiner; compare Abiram by the side of Abram; meaning, "my father is a lamp"): Captain of the host under Saul and Ishbosheth (Eshbaal). He was...
[smith] (father of light). Son of Ner, who was the brother of Kish, (1Â Chronicles 9:36) the father of Saul. (B.C. 1063.) Abner, therefore, was Saul?s first cousin, and was made by him commander-in-chief of his army. (1Â Samuel ...
[nave] ABNER, son of Ner. Cousin of Saul, 1 Sam. 14:50, 51, with 1 Sam. 9:1. Captain of the army, 1 Sam. 14:50; 17:55; 26:5, 14. Dedicated spoils of war to the tabernacle, 1 Chr. 26:27, 28. Loyalty of, to the house of Saul, 2 Sam...
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David
[ebd] beloved, the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a citizen of Bethlehem. His father seems to have been a man in humble life. His mother's name is not recorded. Some think she was the Nahash of 2 Sam. 17:25. As to his personal ...
[isbe] DAVID - da'-vid (dawidh, or dawidh, "beloved"; Daueid, also in New Testament, Dauid, Dabid; see Thayer's Lexicon): I. NAME AND GENEALOGY II. EARLY YEARS 1. Shepherd 2. Slinger 3. Harpist 4. Poet 5. Psalmist 6. Tribesman III....
[smith] (well-beloved), the son of Jesse. His life may be divided into three portions: His youth before his introduction to the court of Saul; His relations with Saul; His reign. The early life of David contains in many important re...
[nave] DAVID 1. King of Israel. Genealogy of, Ruth 4:18-22; 1 Sam. 16:11; 17:12; 1 Chr. 2:3-15; Matt. 1:1-6; Luke 3:31-38. A shepherd, 1 Sam. 16:11. Kills a lion and a bear, 1 Sam. 17:34-36. Anointed king, while a youth, by the ...
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Ish-bosheth
[ebd] man of shame or humiliation, the youngest of Saul's four sons, and the only one who survived him (2 Sam. 2-4). His name was originally Eshbaal (1 Chr. 8:33; 9:39). He was about forty years of age when his father and three br...
[isbe] ISH-BOSHETH - ish-bo'-sheth (ish-bosheth, "man of shame"' Iesbosthe): Called 'eshba`al, "man of Baal" (1 Ch 8:33), and yishwi, "man of Yahweh" (?), perhaps for 'isheyo (1 Sam 14:49). Compare ESHBAAL and ISHVI (the King James...
[nave] ISH-BOSHETH Son of Saul. Called Esh-baal in 1 Chr. 8:33; 9:39. Made king by Abner, 2 Sam. 2:8-10. Deserted by Abner, 2 Sam. 3:6-12. Restores Michal, David's wife, to David, 2 Sam. 3:14-16. Assassinated, 2 Sam. 4:5-8. Av...
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Lamentations, Book of
[ebd] called in the Hebrew canon 'Ekhah, meaning "How," being the formula for the commencement of a song of wailing. It is the first word of the book (see 2 Sam. 1:19-27). The LXX. adopted the name rendered "Lamentations" (Gr. thr...
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SAMUEL, BOOKS OF
[isbe] SAMUEL, BOOKS OF - || I. PLACE OF THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL IN THE HEBREW CANON II. CONTENTS OF THE BOOKS AND PERIOD OF TIME COVERED BY THE HISTORY III. SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS 1. Life of Samuel (1 Samuel 1 through 15) 2. Reign and D...
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Hebron
[nave] HEBRON 1. A city of Asher, Josh. 19:28. 2. A city of Judah, S. of Jerusalem. When built, Num. 13:22. Fortified, 2 Chr. 11:10. Called Kirjath-arba, Gen. 23:2; Arba, Gen. 35:27; Josh. 15:13. Abraham dwells and Sarah dies a...
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Joab
[ebd] Jehovah is his father. (1.) One of the three sons of Zeruiah, David's sister, and "captain of the host" during the whole of David's reign (2 Sam. 2:13; 10:7; 11:1; 1 Kings 11:15). His father's name is nowhere mentioned, alth...
[isbe] JOAB - jo'-ab (yo'-abh, "Yahweh is father"; Ioab): (1) Son of Zeruiah, David's sister. He was "captain of the host" (compare 2 Sam 19:13) under David. 1. Joab and Abner: (a) Joab is first introduced in the narrative of the w...
[nave] JOAB 1. Son of David's sister, 1 Chr. 2:16. Commander of David's army, 2 Sam. 8:16; 20:23; 1 Chr. 11:6; 18:15; 27:34. Dedicated spoils of his battles, 1 Chr. 26:28. Defeated the Jebusites, 1 Chr. 11:6. Defeats and slays ...
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Treason
[nave] TREASON. Instances of Of Aaron and Miriam against Moses, Num. 12:1-11. Of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram against Moses and Aaron, Num. 16:1-33. Of Rahab against Jericho, Josh. 2. Of the betrayer of Beth-el, Judg. 1:24, 25. ...
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Conspiracy
[nave] CONSPIRACY. Law Against Ex. 23:1, 2 Instances of Joseph's brethren, against Joseph, Gen. 37:18-20. Miriam and Aaron, against Moses, Num. 12; 14:4; 16:1-35. Abimelech, against Gideon's sons, Judg. 9:1-6. Gaal, against ...
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Michal
[ebd] rivulet, or who as God?, the younger of Saul's two daughters by his wife Ahinoam (1 Sam. 14:49, 50). "Attracted by the graces of his person and the gallantry of his conduct, she fell in love with David and became his wife" (...
[isbe] MICHAL - mi'-kal (mikhal, contracted from mikha'el, "Michael" (which see); Melchol): Saul's younger daughter (1 Sam 14:49), who, falling in love with David after his victory over Goliath (1 Sam 18:20), was at last, on the pa...
[smith] (who is like God?), the younger of Saul?s two daughters, (1Â Samuel 14:49) who married David. The price fixed on Michal?s hand was no less than the slaughter of a hundred Philistines. David by a brilliant feat doubled the t...
[nave] MICHAL, daughter of Saul. Given to David as a reward for slaying Goliath, 1 Sam. 18:22-28. Rescues David from death, 1 Sam. 19:9-17. Saul forcibly separates them and she is given in marriage to Phalti, 1 Sam. 25:44. David ...
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Tact
[nave] TACT Prov. 15:1; 25:15. In preaching, 1 Cor. 9:19-22; 2 Cor. 12:6. Of Gideon, Judg. 8:1-3. Of Saul, in managing malcontents, 1 Sam. 10:27; 11:7, 12-15. Nabal's wife, Abigail, 1 Sam. 25:18-37. In David's popular methods:...
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Rizpah
[ebd] coal; hot stone, the daughter of Aiah, and one of Saul's concubines. She was the mother of Armoni and Mephibosheth (2 Sam. 3:7; 21:8, 10, 11). It happened that a grievous famine, which lasted for three years, fell upon the l...
[isbe] RIZPAH - riz'-pa (ritspah, "hot stone"; Josephus, Rhaispha): In 2 Sam 3:7 the subject of a coarse slander. 2 Sam 21 contains the pathetic story of Rizpah's faithful watch over the bodies of her dead sons Mephibosheth and Arm...
[nave] RIZPAH Concubine of Saul, 2 Sam. 3:7. Guards the bodies of her sons hanged by command of David, 2 Sam. 21:8-11.
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Mourning
[smith] One marked feature of Oriental mourning is what may be called its studies publicity and the careful observance of the prescribed ceremonies. (Genesis 23:2; Job 1:20; 2:12) Among the particular forms observed the following ma...
[nave] MOURNING For the dead: Head uncovered, Lev. 10:6; 21:10; lying on ground, 2 Sam. 12:16; personal appearance neglected, 2 Sam. 14:2; cutting the flesh, Lev. 19:28; 21:1-5; Deut. 14:1; Jer. 16:6, 7; 41:5; lamentations, Gen. 50...
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Mourn
[ebd] Frequent references are found in Scripture to, (1.) Mourning for the dead. Abraham mourned for Sarah (Gen. 23:2); Jacob for Joseph (37:34, 35); the Egyptians for Jacob (50:3-10); Israel for Aaron (Num. 20:29), for Moses (Deu...
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Haggith
[ebd] festive; the dancer, a wife of David and the mother of Adonijah (2 Sam. 3:4; 1 Kings 1:5, 11; 2:13; 1 Chr. 3:2), who, like Absalom, was famed for his beauty.
[isbe] HAGGITH - hag'-ith (chaggith, "festal"): According to 2 Sam 3:4; 1 Ki 1:5,11; 2:13; 1 Ch 3:2, the fifth wife of David and the mother of his fourth son, Adonijah. The latter was born in Hebron while David's capital was there ...
[smith] (festive; a dancer), one of David?s wives, the mother of Adonijah. (2Â Samuel 3:4; 1Â Kings 1:6) (B.C. 1053.)
[nave] HAGGITH, wife of David. Mother of Adonijah, 2 Sam. 3:4; 1 Kin. 1:5, 11; 2:13; 1 Chr. 3:2.
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GENEALOGY, 8 part 1
[isbe] GENEALOGY, 8 part 1 - 8. Principal Genealogies and Lists: In the early genealogies the particular strata to which each has been assigned by reconstructive critics is here indicated by J, the Priestly Code (P), etc. The signs...
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ALLIANCE
[isbe] ALLIANCE - a-li'-ans. 1. In the Patriarchal Stories: Frequent references are made to alliances between the patriarchs and foreigners. Abraham is reported to have had "confederates" among the chiefs of the Canaanites (Gen 14:...
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Government
[nave] GOVERNMENT Paternal functions of, Gen. 41:25-57. Civil service school provided by, Dan. 1:3-20. Maintains a system of public instruction, 2 Chr. 17:7-9. Executive departments in. See: Cabinet; King; Ruler; Statecraft. Ju...
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Phalti
[ebd] deliverance of the Lord, the son of Laish of Gallim (1 Sam. 25:44)= Phaltiel (2 Sam. 3:15). Michal, David's wife, was given to him.
[smith] (my deliverance), the son of Laish of Gallim, to whom Saul gave Michal in marriage after his mad jealousy had driven David forth as an outlaw. (1Â Samuel 25:4-1) In (2Â Samuel 3:15) he is called PHALTIEL. With the excepti...
[nave] PHALTI, called also Phaltiel. Son-in-law of Saul, 1 Sam. 25:44; 2 Sam. 3:15, 16.
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JERIMOTH
[isbe] JERIMOTH - jer'-i-moth (see JEREMOTH, (c)): (1) A Benjamite (1 Ch 7:7). (2) A Benjamite who joined David at Ziklag, or perhaps a Judean (1 Ch 12:5 (Hebrew 6)). (3) In 1 Ch 24:30 = JEREMOTH, (4) (which see). (4) A Levite musi...
Arts
Questions
- The great songs of the Old Testament, besides the Psalms and certain metrical passages in Job, are: Lantech's Sword Song, Gen. 4:23,24; Noah's Song, Gen. 9:25-27; Moses' and Miriam's Song, Ex. 15:1-19,21; War Songs, etc., Num...
- He had a number of wives, but those that are known chiefly to history are Abigail of Carmel (I Chron. 3:1); Michal, the daughter of Saul (II Sam. 3:13); and Bathsheba (I Chron. 3:5)....
Sermon Illustrations
Resources/Books
Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)
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The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
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These verses summarize Samuel's continuing ministry as a prophet in Israel. Samuel qualified for this privilege by his faithful obedience to God's will as he knew it. God sovereignly chose Samuel for this ministry, but his di...
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As mentioned before, this chapter opens and closes with a tragedy in David's life, the death of Samuel and the departure of Michal. Evidently Saul considered David as good as dead, and so, sometime during these events, he gav...
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God had announced that Saul would deliver His people from the hand of the Philistines (9:16). However, Saul frustrated God's purpose by not following the Lord faithfully. Consequently the Philistines got the better of Saul an...
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(Continued from notes on 1 Samuel)V. David's triumphs chs. 1-8A. The beginning of David's kingdom 1:1-3:51. David's discovery of Saul and Jonathan's deaths ch. 12. David's move to Hebron 2:1-4a3. David's overtures to Jabesh-g...
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The first 20 chapters of 2 Samuel are divisible into four units each of which ends with a list of names that is four verses long (1:1-3:5; 3:6-5:16; 5:17-8:18; 9:1-20:26).2The first two units conclude with lists of David's so...
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The present section begins with Yahweh's destruction of Saul's line and ends with a summary of David's fecundity. In the middle we find the record of David's anointing as king over Judah (2:1-7). In 1:1-3:5 we see the Israeli...
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"Without doubt this portion [of 2 Samuel, i.e., chapters 2-8] forms the crux of the book. Here the fertility motif reaches a peak. The thesis of the author--that Israel is blessed with fertility when the nation (and the epito...
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David's overtures to the Jabesh-gileadites were very important. Saul's commander-in-chief and cousin, Abner, was working to install Saul's youngest son, Ish-bosheth (called Eshbaal in 1 Chron. 9:39), as his father's successor...
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The first verse in this chapter summarizes 2:8-32. The point of the remaining verses is that during the seven and one-half years that David ruled Judah he grew stronger because God was blessing him.33David resorted to further...
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The writer also documented God's blessing on David in this record of how David wisely unified the nation of Israel and became the leader of all 12 tribes."The story of how David became king of all Israel follows, in most esse...
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Abner was the strong man in Israel. Ish-bosheth was simply a figurehead (v. 11). Abner's loyalty to the house of Saul is clear from his actions so far. However there was conflict between Ish-bosheth and Abner. In the ancient ...
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"Saul the king is dead, Jonathan the heir apparent is dead, Abinadab and Malki-Shua (two of Jonathan's brothers) are dead (1 Sam 31:2), Abner the commander of the army is dead--and no other viable claimants or pretenders cont...
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Again David sinned by multiplying wives (Deut. 17:17). Nevertheless in spite of this sin God continued to bless him with fertility because he was God's elect and, for the most part, God's obedient servant. Fortunately God doe...
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"As the story of David's accession to kingship over Judah (1:1-3:5) parallels that of his accession to the throne of Israel (3:6-5:16), each concluding with a list of his sons (3:2-5; 5:13-16), so the account of his powerful ...
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The promises Yahweh made to David here are an important key to understanding God's program for the future.God rejected David's suggestion that he build a temple for the Lord and gave three reasons. First, there was no pressin...
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"From the religious heights of chapter 7 we descend again to the everyday world of battles and bloodshed in chapter 8. The military action picks up where the story left off at the end of chapter 5."130Chapter 8 evidently desc...
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Chapters 9-20 contrast with chapters 2-8 in that this later section is negative whereas the earlier one was positive. It records failure; the former records success. Compare the similar narrative of Saul's triumphs (1 Sam. 7-...
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While Joab was continuing to subdue the Ammonites the following spring by besieging Rabbah (modern Amman, the capital of Jordan; cf. 10:7), David was residing in Jerusalem (11:1). By mentioning the fact that normally kings le...
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Maacah bore Absalom while David was reigning in Hebron (3:3). He was David's third-born. Amnon, his first-born, was also born in Hebron but by Ahinoam (3:2). Both sons may have been in their late teens or early twenties at th...
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The writer may have devoted so much text to straightening out the rumor that Absalom had killed all the king's sons to stress God's mercy in not cutting off all of them. At first report David probably thought God had judged h...
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This second descendant of Saul demonstrated a reaction to David that was the opposite of Ziba's. Ziba had been ingratiating and submissive, but Shimei, a "reptile of the royal house of Saul,"245was insulting and defiant (cf. ...
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"With Joab's return to the king in Jerusalem, the grand symphony known as the Court History of David reaches its conclusion for all practical purposes (at least as far as the books of Samuel are concerned . . .). The last fou...
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Achtemeier, Paul J., and Elizabeth Achtemeier. The Old Testament Roots of Our Faith. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1979.Ackerman, James S. "Knowing Good and Evil: A Literary Ananysis of the Court History in 2 Samuel 9-20 and ...
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Adonijah was David's fourth son (2 Sam. 3:4) and the eldest one living at this time. Evidently he believed it was more important that the eldest son succeed David, as was customary in the Near East, than that the king of Yahw...
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David's words here state succinctly the philosophy of history the writer of Kings set forth in this book.27It is the philosophy David had learned and now commended to his son Solomon. Careful obedience to the Law of Moses wou...
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The writer's condemnation of Solomon in verses 1-2 rests on Deuteronomy 23:3-9 as well as Deuteronomy 7:3-4. The phraseology goes back to 23:3-9 and the motive to 7:3-4 (cf. Exod. 23:31-33; 34:15-16; Ezra 9:1; Neh. 13:26). So...
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Aharoni, Yohanan. "The Building Activities of David and Solomon."Israel Exploration Journal24:1(1974):13-16.Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonahl. The Macmillan Bible Atlas. Revised ed., New York: Macmillan Publishing Co.,...
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Sometimes God used the events in the lives of His prophets to speak to the people as well as their messages."Hosea's unhappy marriage (Hos. 1-3), Isaiah's family (Isa. 7-8), the death of Ezekiel's wife (Ezek. 24:15-27), and J...
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24:15-16 The Lord told Ezekiel that He was about to take the life of his beloved wife. The English word "blow"(v. 16) implies a sudden, unexpected death. The Hebrew word, magephoh, does not demand a sudden death, but it somet...
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The emphasis in this message is on the fact that God would renew His love for Israel and would restore their "marriage"relationship.2:14 Following Israel's decision to return to Yahweh after her punishment (v. 7), the Lord pr...
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5:1 This message begins as the previous two did, with a call to hear the Lord's word. However here Amos announced that what follows is a dirge (Heb. qinah) against the house of Israel. A dirge was a lament that was sung at th...
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Jonah's proclamation moved the Ninevites to humble themselves and seek divine mercy.3:5 The people believed in God because of the message from God that Jonah had brought to them. Fasting and wearing sackcloth were signs of se...
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2:20 The Lord gave Haggai a second message on the same day as the previous message (v. 10), the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month (Kislev 24, December 18).2:21 Haggai was to tell Zerubbabel that Yahweh was going to shake t...
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Pilate was a cruel ruler who made little attempt to understand the Jews whom he hated.1047He had treated them unfairly and brutally on many occasions, but recently Caesar had rebuked him severely.1048This probably accounts fo...
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1:15 In view of Peter's leadership gifts, so obvious in the Gospels, it is no surprise that he is the one who took the initiative on this occasion."Undoubtedly, the key disciple in Luke's writings is Peter. He was the represe...