Joab and his men have arrived at Hebron, leaving Abner, commander of Saul's army remnant in the tranjordan region of Gad.
2 Samuel 3: 1, Warfare
The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time. David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.
After the first battle, in the previous chapter, the civil war continues. We are not provided details, but David's side is winning.
2 Samuel 3: 2-5, Sons of David
Sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon the son of Ahinoam of Jezreel; his second, Kileab the son of Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; the third, Absalom the son of Maacah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; and the sixth, Ithream the son of David's wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.
At this point our narrator interrupts the story to catch us up on David's life and genealology. As Alter points out, the guerilla band leader with two wives now is a reigning king with six wives, as is typical of one with power. The wife, Maacah, is daughter of a king of Geshur, a region to the north of Benjamin, along the shore of Galilee. David is slowly gaining power over the northern tribes.
Six wives give David six sons. Maacah will later have a daughter, Tamar. Kileab, the son of Abigail, disappears from history and has no part in the succession battles that follow later. Presumably he died young. In 1 Chronicles 3: 1, he has an alternate name, Daniel.
2 Samuel 3: 6-11, Ish-Bosheth accuses Abner
During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner had been strengthening his own position in the house of Saul. Now Saul had had a concubine named Rizpah daughter of Aiah. And Ish-Bosheth said to Abner, "Why did you sleep with my father's concubine?"
Abner was very angry because of what Ish-Bosheth said and he answered, "Am I a dog's head--on Judah's side? This very day I am loyal to the house of your father Saul and to his family and friends. I haven't handed you over to David. Yet now you accuse me of an offense involving this woman! May God deal with Abner, be it ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the LORD promised him on oath and transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish David's throne over Israel and Judah from Dan to Beersheba."
Ish-Bosheth did not dare to say another word to Abner, because he was afraid of him.
The army general has more power than the putative king and Ish-bosheth is now merely a puppet. He learns this when Abner sleeps with one of the concubines of Saul. (Having sex with one of the king's concubines is a political statement. (David's son, Adonijah, will make a similar statement by asking for Abishag, the Shunammite woman, in 1 Kings 2.)
2 Samuel 3: 12-16, Abner's agreement
Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to say to David, "Whose land is it? Make an agreement with me, and I will help you bring all Israel over to you."
"Good," said David. "I will make an agreement with you. But I demand one thing of you: Do not come into my presence unless you bring Michal daughter of Saul when you come to see me."
Then David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, demanding, "Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for the price of a hundred Philistine foreskins." So Ish-Bosheth gave orders and had her taken away from her husband Paltiel son of Laish. Her husband, however, went with her, weeping behind her all the way to Bahurim.
Then Abner said to him, "Go back home!" So he went back.
David has recaptured his wife, Michal, who had been given away by Saul. David's feelings for Michal are not clear. Does he love her, or merely see her as a sign of his kingship, since she was a daughter of Saul. But Michal's current husband, Paltiel, loves her.
2 Samuel 3: 17-21, Abner supports David
Abner conferred with the elders of Israel and said, "For some time you have wanted to make David your king. Now do it! For the LORD promised David, `By my servant David I will rescue my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.'"
Abner also spoke to the Benjamites in person. Then he went to Hebron to tell David everything that Israel and the whole house of Benjamin wanted to do.
When Abner, who had twenty men with him, came to David at Hebron, David prepared a feast for him and his men. Then Abner said to David, "Let me go at once and assemble all Israel for my lord the king, so that they may make a compact with you, and that you may rule over all that your heart desires." So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.
Abner agrees to turn over the rest of the kingdom to David. Since Judah is in the southern part of the tribes, Abner is apparently bringing over the northern tribes.
2 Samuel 3: 22-25. Joab's anger
Just then David's men and Joab returned from a raid and brought with them a great deal of plunder. But Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, because David had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.
When Joab and all the soldiers with him arrived, he was told that Abner son of Ner had come to the king and that the king had sent him away and that he had gone in peace.
So Joab went to the king and said, "What have you done? Look, Abner came to you. Why did you let him go? Now he is gone! You know Abner son of Ner; he came to deceive you and observe your movements and find out everything you are doing."
Joab is not willing to let Abner get away. Abner is an enemy that Joab intends to kill.
2 Samuel 3: 26-27, Murder of Abner
Joab then left David and sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know it. Now when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the gateway, as though to speak with him privately. And there, to avenge the blood of his brother Asahel, Joab stabbed him in the stomach, and he died.
Joab gets his revenge. Joab's life is one of violence -- intelligent violence -- but violence none the less.
2 Samuel 3: 28-30. David's protest
Later, when David heard about this, he said, "I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the LORD concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner. May his blood fall upon the head of Joab and upon all his father's house! May Joab's house never be without someone who has a running sore or leprosy or who leans on a crutch or who falls by the sword or who lacks food." (Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.)
David blames Joab for the murder of Abner but does nothing to reign him in.
2 Samuel 3: 31-35, Abner mourned
Then David said to Joab and all the people with him, "Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and walk in mourning in front of Abner." King David himself walked behind the bier. They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king wept aloud at Abner's tomb. All the people wept also.
The king sang this lament for Abner: "Should Abner have died as the lawless die? Your hands were not bound, your feet were not fettered. You fell as one falls before wicked men." And all the people wept over him again.
Then they all came and urged David to eat something while it was still day; but David took an oath, saying, "May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets!"
Abner is buried with honor. David publicly grieves Abner and makes it clear that he did not support the killing of Abner.
2 Samuel 3: 36-39, The people are pleased
All the people took note and were pleased; indeed, everything the king did pleased them.
So on that day all the people and all Israel knew that the king had no part in the murder of Abner son of Ner.
Then the king said to his men, "Do you not realize that a prince and a great man has fallen in Israel this day? And today, though I am the anointed king, I am weak, and these sons of Zeruiah are too strong for me. May the LORD repay the evildoer according to his evil deeds!"
The people appreciate a king who does not seem to bear grudges.
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