CHAPTER 3 Jul. 19 
The House of David Grows Stronger
Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: and David grew stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker. 2To David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; 3his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; 4the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; 5the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.
Abner Makes Peace with David
6It happened that while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner made himself strong on behalf of the house of Saul. 7Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ishbosheth said to Abner, Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine? 8Then was Abner very angry for the words of Ishbosheth, and said, Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and yet you charge me this day with a fault concerning this woman! 9God do so to Abner, and more also, if, as Yahweh has sworn to David, I don’t do even so to him; 10to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba. 11He could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him. 12Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf saying, Whose is the land? Make your alliance with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you, to bring all Israel around to you. 13He said, Good; I will make a treaty with you; but one thing I require of you. That is, you shall not see my face, unless you first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face. 14David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I pledged to be married to me for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines. 15Ishbosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Paltiel the son of Laish. 16Her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, Go! Return! And he returned. 17Abner had communication with the elders of Israel saying, In times past, you wished for David to be king over you. 18Now then do it; for Yahweh has spoken of David saying, ‘By the hand of My servant David, I will save My people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies’. 19Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and to the whole house of Benjamin. 20So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. David made Abner and the men who were with him a feast. 21Abner said to David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your soul desires. David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.
Joab Kills Abner
22Behold, the servants of David and Joab came from an engagement, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace. 23When Joab and all the army who was with him had come, they told Joab saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he is gone in peace. 24Then Joab came to the king and said, What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why is it that you have sent him away, and he is quite gone? 25You know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive you, and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you do. 26When Joab had come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David didn’t know it. 27When Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and struck him there in the body, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother. 28Afterwards, when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before Yahweh forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner. 29Let it fall on the head of Joab, and on all his father’s house. Let there not fail from the house of Joab one who has an issue, or who is a leper, or who leans on a staff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread. 30So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle. 31David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, Tear your clothes, and clothe yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. King David followed the bier. 32They buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept. 33The king lamented for Abner and said, Should Abner have died as a fool dies? 34Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put into fetters. As a man falls before the children of iniquity, so you fell. All the people wept again over him. 35All the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day. David swore saying, God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or anything else, until the sun goes down. 36All the people took notice of it, and it pleased them; as whatever the king did pleased all the people. 37So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to kill Abner the son of Ner. 38The king said to his servants, Don’t you know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? 39I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. May Yahweh reward the evildoer according to his wickedness.

Commentary

3:16 David’s breaking of up of this marriage for reasons of personal politics and pride seems totally wrong. This was not only a breach of Mosaic law, but displayed a sad elevation of politics above others’ relationships and marriages. It may be significant that her renewed marriage with David wasn’t blessed with any children (6:23).
3:35 David is at great pains to demonstrate that he is against the pointless shedding of blood. But his earlier life had featured much pointless shedding of blood- e.g. he killed 200 Philistines when only 100 were required (1 Sam. 18:25,27), and thought nothing of killing the man who informed him of Saul’s death (1:15; see too 4:12). He said that he was disallowed from building the temple because of how much blood he had shed (1 Chron. 22:8). His Psalms often call for the death of his enemies. We are left to reflect that perhaps now he was maturing, as we should over the course of our lives, to perceive the value and meaning of the human person. Or it could be that he was simply emphasizing that he really didn’t seek the blood of Saul’s family because he had truly forgiven him; or perhaps as a highly emotional person, he demonstrated both great sensitivity to the death of people and also great insensitivity; a very soft side and a very hard one, all within the same personality. Human nature is capable of very contradictory behaviour.
3:36,37 See on 1:18.