Abner (1 Samuel 14:47–52; 1 Samuel 17:55–58; 1 Samuel 20:24–25; 1 Samuel 26:1–16; 2 Samuel 2:8–11; 2 Samuel 2:12–32; 2 Samuel 3:6–11; 2 Samuel 3:12–21; 2 Samuel 3:22–39; 2 Samuel 4:1–12; 1 Kings 2:5–6; 1 Kings 2:32; 1 Chronicles 26:28)

Son of Ner, captain of Saul's host

The captain of Saul's host, named with Saul's family in 1 Samuel, who brought David before Saul, lay by Saul in the camp at Ziph, made Ish-bosheth king over Israel, killed Asahel at Gibeon, turned to David at Hebron, and was slain by Joab in the gate.

He first appears in the list of Saul's household: “the name of the captain of his host was Abner the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle” (1 Samuel 14:50). When David went out against the Philistine, Saul asked, “Abner, whose son is this youth?” (1 Samuel 17:55) and Abner answered, “As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell” (1 Samuel 17:55); afterward “Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand” (1 Samuel 17:57). At the new moon feast, “Abner sat by Saul’s side: but David’s place was empty” (1 Samuel 20:25). In the wilderness of Ziph, David and Abishai found Saul sleeping, and David rebuked Abner from the top of the mountain: “Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept watch over thy lord the king?” (1 Samuel 26:15).

After Saul's death, “Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s host, had taken Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim; and he made him king” (2 Samuel 2:8-9), while the house of Judah followed David. At the pool of Gibeon his men were beaten before the servants of David, and Asahel, brother of Joab, pursued him; Abner bade him turn aside, and when Asahel refused, “Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him in the body” (2 Samuel 2:23). Calling to Joab, he asked, “Shall the sword devour for ever?” (2 Samuel 2:26). During the long war, “Abner made himself strong in the house of Saul” (2 Samuel 3:6); when Ish-bosheth asked him about Rizpah, Saul's concubine, Abner was very wroth, and he sent messengers to David, saying, “Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee” (2 Samuel 3:12).

He spoke to the elders of Israel and to Benjamin, came to David at Hebron, and “David sent Abner away; and he went in peace” (2 Samuel 3:21). Joab then brought him back from the well of Sirah and “smote him there in the body, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother” (2 Samuel 3:27). David mourned him: “Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?” (2 Samuel 3:38). When Ish-bosheth heard that Abner was dead, “his hands became feeble” (2 Samuel 4:1), and his head was later buried “in the grave of Abner in Hebron” (2 Samuel 4:12). David's charge to Solomon concerning Joab names Abner among “the two captains of the hosts of Israel” (1 Kings 2:5), and Solomon says Joab “fell upon two men more righteous and better than he” (1 Kings 2:32), Abner the son of Ner and Amasa (1 Kings 2:32). Chronicles lists him among those whose dedicated things were under the hand of Shelomoth (1 Chronicles 26:28).

Strengths

• Pleaded against endless bloodshed
• Warned Asahel to turn aside
• Owned the LORD's word to David
• Called a prince and a great man by David

Weaknesses

• Did not keep watch over the king
• Very wroth at Ish-bosheth

Themes

• Captain of the host
• House of Saul and house of David
• Blood of Asahel
• League at Hebron
• A death David mourned

Captain of Saul's host (1 Samuel 14:47–52)

After Saul fights his enemies on every side, the text names the captain of his host as Abner the son of Ner, Saul's uncle, and gives Ner's father as Abiel.

Brings David before Saul (1 Samuel 17:55–58; 1 Samuel 20:24–25)

Saul asks Abner whose son David is and Abner cannot tell; he brings David before Saul with the head of the Philistine, and later sits by Saul's side at the new moon feast while David's place is empty.

Asleep in Saul's camp (1 Samuel 26:1–16)

David and Abishai come by night to the camp at Ziph, where Saul lies sleeping with Abner and the people round about him, and David calls to Abner from the mountain to ask why he has not kept watch.

Asleep in Saul's camp

Saul went down to the wilderness of Ziph after David, and David “beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay within the place of the wagons, and the people were encamped round about him” (1 Samuel 26:5). “So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the place of the wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people lay round about him” (1 Samuel 26:7).

David took the spear and the cruse of water, and “no man saw it, nor knew it, neither did any awake; for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from Jehovah was fallen upon them” (1 Samuel 26:12). Then David stood on the top of the mountain afar off and “cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king?” (1 Samuel 26:14).

“And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept watch over thy lord the king?” (1 Samuel 26:15). David added, “This thing is not good that thou hast done” (1 Samuel 26:16). The text records no further word of Abner in this scene.

Makes Ish-bosheth king (2 Samuel 2:8–11)

While the men of Judah anoint David at Hebron, Abner takes Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, to Mahanaim and makes him king over Israel.

The pool of Gibeon and Asahel (2 Samuel 2:12–32)

Abner and Joab meet at the pool of Gibeon, Abner is beaten, and when Asahel pursues him Abner warns him twice and then smites him; Abner calls to Joab to stop the pursuit, and Joab blows the trumpet.

The pool of Gibeon and Asahel

“And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men, I pray thee, arise and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise” (2 Samuel 2:14). Twelve for Benjamin and twelve of David's servants fell down together, and “the battle was very sore that day: and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David” (2 Samuel 2:17).

“And Asahel pursued after Abner” (2 Samuel 2:19). Abner said to him, “Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left” (2 Samuel 2:21), and “said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?” (2 Samuel 2:22). “Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him in the body, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place” (2 Samuel 2:23).

Joab and Abishai pursued, and the children of Benjamin gathered after Abner on the top of a hill. “Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren?” (2 Samuel 2:26). “So Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more” (2 Samuel 2:28). Asahel was buried in the sepulchre of his father in Beth-lehem (2 Samuel 2:32).

Quarrel with Ish-bosheth (2 Samuel 3:6–11)

While the war goes on, Abner makes himself strong in the house of Saul; Ish-bosheth asks him about Saul's concubine Rizpah, Abner is very wroth and says what he will do, and Ish-bosheth cannot answer him.

Quarrel with Ish-bosheth

“And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong in the house of Saul. Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father’s concubine?” (2 Samuel 3:6-7).

“Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I a dog’s head that belongeth to Judah? This day do I show kindness unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David; and yet thou chargest me this day with a fault concerning this woman” (2 Samuel 3:8).

Abner went on: “God do so to Abner, and more also, if, as Jehovah hath sworn to David, I do not even so to him; to 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 Beer-sheba” (2 Samuel 3:9-10). “And he could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him” (2 Samuel 3:11). The text does not answer Ish-bosheth's question.

League with David at Hebron (2 Samuel 3:12–21)

Abner sends to David proposing a league, sends Paltiel back when Michal is brought, speaks to the elders of Israel and to Benjamin, and comes to David at Hebron, who sends him away in peace.

League with David at Hebron

“And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying also, Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee” (2 Samuel 3:12). David answered, “Well; I will make a league with thee” (2 Samuel 3:13) and required that Michal, Saul's daughter, be brought first (2 Samuel 3:13). When her husband Paltiel followed her weeping, “Abner unto him, Go, return: and he returned” (2 Samuel 3:16).

“And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, In times past ye sought for David to be king over you: now then do it; for Jehovah hath spoken of David” (2 Samuel 3:17-18). He spoke also in the ears of Benjamin, then “Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men that were with him a feast” (2 Samuel 3:20).

“And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thy soul desireth. And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace” (2 Samuel 3:21). The text does not record that the covenant was made.

Slain by Joab; mourned by David (2 Samuel 3:22–39)

Joab tells David that Abner came to deceive him, brings Abner back from the well of Sirah and smites him in the gate for the blood of Asahel; David declares himself guiltless of Abner's blood, follows the bier, weeps at the grave and fasts.

Slain by Joab; mourned by David

Joab came from a foray, learned that Abner “is gone in peace” (2 Samuel 3:23), and said to David, “Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in” (2 Samuel 3:25). “And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah: but David knew it not” (2 Samuel 3:26).

“And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there in the body, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother” (2 Samuel 3:27). David said, “I and my kingdom are guiltless before Jehovah for ever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner” (2 Samuel 3:28).

“And king David followed the bier. And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner” (2 Samuel 3:31-32). He lamented, “Should Abner die as a fool dieth?” (2 Samuel 3:33), and would not eat until the sun was down. “So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner” (2 Samuel 3:37). David said to his servants, “Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?” (2 Samuel 3:38).

Ish-bosheth's end and Abner's grave (2 Samuel 4:1–12)

When Ish-bosheth hears that Abner is dead his hands become feeble; Rechab and Baanah slay him in his bed, David has them put to death, and Ish-bosheth's head is buried in Abner's grave in Hebron.

Saul (1 Samuel 14:50–51; 1 Samuel 17:55; 1 Samuel 26:5)

The text reads “Abner the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle” (1 Samuel 14:50) and calls him captain of Saul's host.

Ish-bosheth (2 Samuel 2:8–9; 2 Samuel 3:7–11; 2 Samuel 4:1)

Abner took Saul's son to Mahanaim and made him king over Israel; Ish-bosheth later questioned him and feared him, and his hands became feeble at Abner's death.

David (1 Samuel 26:14–16; 2 Samuel 3:12–21; 2 Samuel 3:31–39)

Rebuked Abner in the camp at Ziph; the houses of Saul and David were at war, then Abner proposed a league and was sent away in peace, and David mourned him.

Joab (2 Samuel 2:12–28; 2 Samuel 3:27; 1 Kings 2:5; 1 Kings 2:32)

Met Abner at the pool of Gibeon, pursued him after Asahel fell, and later smote him in the gate at Hebron for the blood of Asahel his brother.

Asahel (2 Samuel 2:18–23; 2 Samuel 3:27)

Joab's brother, who pursued Abner at Gibeon and was smitten by the hinder end of his spear.

Rizpah (2 Samuel 3:7–8)

Ish-bosheth asked Abner why he had gone in unto Saul's concubine Rizpah, and Abner answered that he was charged with a fault concerning this woman.

Major sections

• 1 Samuel 14–26
• 2 Samuel 2–4

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