2 Samuel 3 - Printer Friendly

What does 2 Samuel 3 mean?

Chapter Commentary:

Second Samuel 3 details the end of an unfortunate civil war. Shortly after Saul died, the men of Judah made David their king. Five years later, Saul's cousin and former general Abner crowned Saul's son Ish-bosheth king over the remaining tribes. Abner and the army of Israel met David's military commander Joab and his army in Gibeon. What began as a limited duel ended in a fierce battle. Things might have ended there, but Abner killed Joab's younger brother in self-defense. The battle is now a two-year civil war driven by vengeance of vengeance (2 Samuel 2).

The internal battle dividing Israel continues. The houses of David and Saul battle each other for control of the unified throne of Israel. Though David is king over only Judah in the south, he is steadily growing stronger as Ish-bosheth in the north grows weaker (2 Samuel 3:1).

One way David's house is growing stronger is by adding many sons, each of which could one day take the throne of Israel after him. When David was first made king, he had two wives (2 Samuel 2:2). As he adds wives and has more potential heirs, his impact will continue to grow (2 Samuel 3:2–5).

Though Abner is losing the war, he's growing more powerful in Ish-bosheth's kingdom. Abner goes so far as to sleep with one of Saul's concubines: an act of dominance. When Ish-bosheth confronts him, Abner flies into a rage. How dare Ish-bosheth challenge him after all he has done for the house of Saul? He declares that he has changed his mind and will now help David to become king over all of Israel (2 Samuel 3:6–11).

Abner sends messengers to David offering a covenant to make David king over all of Israel. David responds that he is willing if Abner will bring David's first wife, Michal, back to him. Michal was Saul's daughter; Saul gave her to David in exchange for a hundred Philistine foreskins; David returned with twice that many (1 Samuel 18:20–28). After Saul tried to kill David and David fled, Saul gave Michal to another man. Ish-bosheth agrees to give the order, and Michal is taken from her heartbroken husband (1 Samuel 25:44) and returned to David (2 Samuel 3:12–16).

Abner meets with the elders of Israel. He works to convince them to transfer support from Ish-bosheth to David. Even Saul's own tribe of Benjamin agrees. Abner arrives in Hebron and tells David all of Israel is ready to follow him. David throws a feast in Abner's honor and then sends him away to bring the leaders of Israel to Hebron to crown David king (2 Samuel 3:17–21).

Shortly after Abner leaves the city, Joab, the commander of David's army, returns from a raid with his men. When Joab learns that David made an agreement with Abner and held a feast for him, he confronts the king. Joab angrily insists that Abner came to Hebron only as a spy for Ish-bosheth. Everyone seems to have forgotten—or does not care—that Abner killed Joab's brother (2 Samuel 2:18–23). The circumstances of that killing don't matter to Joab. He's bent on revenge (2 Samuel 3:22–25).

Without David knowing, Joab sends messengers to bring Abner back. Joab lures Abner in close and stabs him in the stomach, echoing Abner's slaying of Joab's brother Asahel (2 Samuel 2:23). When David learns Joab has killed Abner, he disavows the action and says he will take no responsibility for Joab's choice. In fact, David pronounces a curse on Joab and his descendants. David publicly mourns for Abner, weeping as he follows the bier to the graveside, reciting a lament and fasting until sundown (2 Samuel 3:26–39).

One more death must come before peace. Two raiders who work for Ish-bosheth murder their king in his sleep. They bring his head to David, expecting a reward. They don't understand David's reverence for King Saul and his family. Instead of a reward, David has them executed (2 Samuel 4). Only then can he be made king (2 Samuel 5:1–5).

Second Samuel 3:1–5 illustrates David's growing strength. His army has been at war with Ish-bosheth's for two years (2 Samuel 2). Even though Ish-bosheth's commander is the mighty Abner, David's side grows stronger. His family is also expanding; he adds four wives and several sons. Once he is king of all Israel and moves to Jerusalem, he'll add even more wives, several concubines, many sons, and at least one daughter (1 Chronicles 3:1–9).

In 2 Samuel 3:6–11, General Abner makes a move for the crown. He installed Saul's son Ish-bosheth as king over the northern and eastern tribes, but after two years, he's grown tired of his puppet. He sleeps with Saul's concubine Rizpah: a move typically made to demonstrate authority over the woman's husband. Ish-bosheth confronts Abner, and Abner gets so angry he vows to give Ish-bosheth's kingdom to David. He will, but he will give his life to do it (2 Samuel 3:12–30).

In 2 Samuel 3:12–19, David finds an unexpected ally. Seven years prior, David became king of Judah; five years after that Abner made Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, king over the other Israelite tribes. An altercation between Abner and Ish-bosheth about what Abner believes he's owed breaks up the partnership. Abner goes to David and promises to deliver Israel to him. David agrees, on the condition that Ish-bosheth returns David's first wife, Michal, to him (1 Samuel 25:44). Abner convinces the tribal elders to switch their allegiances, but Joab kills him before they can travel to David (2 Samuel 3:20–30).

Second Samuel 3:20–25 reveals the fickleness of war and politics. Abner, general of the armies of Israel, has been at war with David for two years. But when he arrives with an entourage, David throws him a feast. Abner has grown weary of the puppet-king he installed as David's rival. Abner offers to add the northern and eastern tribes to David's kingdom (2 Samuel 3:6–19). David agrees, and Abner meets with the elders, but David's vengeful general kills Abner before the deal can be completed (2 Samuel 3:26–30).

In 2 Samuel 3:26–30, Joab avenges his brother Asahel. Two years prior, as Israel fought with Judah, Abner, Israel's army commander, reluctantly killed the brother of Judah's commander in self-defense (2 Samuel 2:19–23). Abner now wants to convince the tribes of Israel to accept David as their king (2 Samuel 3:12–19). But Joab remembers his brother and murders Abner. David must act quickly to keep the deal alive. He disavows Joab's actions and writes a short psalm of lament for Abner (2 Samuel 3:31–39).

In 2 Samuel 3:31—39, Abner ends the war but loses his life. For two years, David, king of Judah, has been at war with Ish-bosheth, king of the northern and western tribes. David grows stronger while Ish-bosheth declines (2 Samuel 2). General Abner, the power behind the crown, grows tired of Ish-bosheth and convinces Israel to follow David. Although he's killed, his plan works. Once Ish-bosheth is assassinated, all Israel will be subject to David's throne (2 Samuel 4:1—5:5).

Chapter Summary:

In 2 Samuel 3, God arranges for all of Israel to accept David as king. Abner, the former commander of Saul's army, turns against David's rival, Ish-bosheth, after an argument about a woman. Abner persuades the elders of Israel to take David as their king and arrives in Hebron to deliver the news. Joab, the commander of David's army, is furious because Abner killed his brother Asahel. When Abner leaves, Joab murders him. David declares a curse on Joab and his descendants and publicly mourns for Abner, demonstrating to all that he had nothing to do with Abner's death.

Chapter Context:

In 2 Samuel 3, the civil war winds down. Abner, Saul's cousin, made Saul's son Ish-bosheth king. Abner commands the army of Israel. Joab, David's nephew, commands Judah's army. They have been locked in a civil war for two years, not least because Abner killed Joab's brother in self-defense (2 Samuel 2). When Abner realizes he can't take the throne from Ish-bosheth, he arranges for Israel to follow David before he's killed by Joab. Not long after, Ish-bosheth is murdered, and David is made king of all Israel (2 Samuel 4:1—5:4).

Second Samuel continues the story of David, who will become king over Judah. The other tribes of Israel are resistant, eventually sparking a civil war. David wins and makes Jerusalem his capital. Early success is followed by moral failure and controversy in David's house. The book of 1 Kings will begin by detailing David's decline and death.

Accessed 11/6/2025 2:53:41 AM