Text -- 2 Samuel 3:1-12 (NET)

3:1 However, the war was prolonged between the house of Saul and the house of David. David was becoming steadily stronger, while the house of Saul was becoming increasingly weaker. 3:2 Now sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, born to Ahinoam the Jezreelite. 3:3 His second son was Kileab, born to Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. His third son was Absalom, the son of Maacah daughter of King Talmai of Geshur. 3:4 His fourth son was Adonijah, the son of Haggith. His fifth son was Shephatiah, the son of Abitail. 3:5 His sixth son was Ithream, born to David’s wife Eglah. These sons were all born to David in Hebron.

Abner Defects to David’s Camp

3:6 As the war continued between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was becoming more influential in the house of Saul. 3:7 Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah daughter of Aiah. Ish-bosheth said to Abner, “Why did you have sexual relations with my father’s concubine?” 3:8 These words of Ish-bosheth really angered Abner and he said, “Am I the head of a dog that belongs to Judah? This very day I am demonstrating loyalty to the house of Saul your father and to his relatives and his friends! I have not betrayed you into the hand of David. Yet you have accused me of sinning with this woman today! 3:9 God will severely judge Abner if I do not do for David exactly what the Lord has promised him, 3:10 namely, to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah all the way from Dan to Beer Sheba!” 3:11 Ish-bosheth was unable to answer Abner with even a single word because he was afraid of him. 3:12 Then Abner sent messengers to David saying, “To whom does the land belong? Make an agreement with me, and I will do whatever I can to cause all Israel to turn to you.”

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: 2Sa 3:3

¹ tn The Hebrew text does not have the word “son.” So also in vv. 3-5.

² tn Heb “wife.”

NET Notes: 2Sa 3:5

¹ tn The Hebrew text does not have “sons.”

NET Notes: 2Sa 3:6

¹ tn Heb “was strengthening himself.” The statement may have a negative sense here, perhaps suggesting that Abner was overstepping the bounds of political propriety in a self-serving way.

NET Notes: 2Sa 3:7

¹ tc The Hebrew of the MT reads simply “and he said,” with no expressed subject for the verb. It is not likely that the text originally had no expressed subject for this verb, since the antecedent is not immediately clear from the context. We should probably restore to the Hebrew text the name “Ish-bosheth.” See a few medieval Hebrew mss, Aquila, Symmachus, Theodotion, and Vulgate. Perhaps the name was accidentally omitted by homoioarcton. Note that both the name Ishbosheth and the following preposition אֶל (’el) begin with the letter alef.

² tn Heb “come to”; KJV, NRSV “gone in to”; NAB “been intimate with”; NIV “sleep with.”

³ sn This accusation against Abner is a very serious one, since an act of sexual infringement on the king’s harem would probably have been understood as a blatant declaration of aspirations to kingship. As such it was not merely a matter of ethical impropriety but an act of grave political significance as well.

NET Notes: 2Sa 3:8

¹ tn Heb “I do.”

² tn Heb “brothers.”

³ tn Heb “and you have laid upon me the guilt of the woman today.”

NET Notes: 2Sa 3:9

¹ tn Heb “So will God do to Abner and so he will add to him.”

² tc Heb “has sworn to David.” The LXX, with the exception of the recension of Origen, adds “in this day.”

NET Notes: 2Sa 3:11

¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Ish-bosheth) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

NET Notes: 2Sa 3:12

¹ tn The Hebrew text adds here, “on his behalf.”

² tn Heb “cut a covenant.” So also in vv. 13, 21.

³ tn Heb “and behold, my hand is with you.”