Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 3:12
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.
12 21. Abner’s negotiations with David
12. on his behalf ] The Sept. rendering immediately is adopted by some commentators, but is unsupported by the use of the word elsewhere.
Whose is the land ] The meaning may be either ( a) “Is not the land thine by virtue of God’s promise?” or ( b) “Is not the land in my power so that I can make whom I please king?” But the latter agrees best with the words which follow: “Make thy covenant with me,” and with Abner’s character and evident desire to lay stress on his own power, in order to secure favourable terms for himself. There is however some doubt about the text, which was corrupt in the copy from which the Sept. version was made, and possibly the words Whose is the land? saying also should be struck out. The Targum has a curious paraphrase, “I swear by Him Who made the earth.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Whose is the land? – Meaning, Is not the land thine by Gods promise?
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Messengers on his behalf; who in his name and stead might treat with David concerning his reconciliation with him. Thus God overrules the lusts and passions of wicked men, to accomplish his own wise and holy purposes. And who then dare contend with that God who makes even his enemies to do his work, and destroy themselves?
Whose is the land? to whom doth this whole land belong, but to thee? Is it not thine by Divine right? Sauls son is but a usurper, thou only art the rightful owner.
Make thy league with me, that thou wilt pardon all past offences to me, and to all Israel, and thou wilt receive me into thy grace and favour.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
12, 13. Abner sent messengers toDavidThough his language implied a secret conviction, that insupporting Ish-bosheth he had been laboring to frustrate the divinepurpose of conferring the sovereignty of the kingdom on David, thisacknowledgment was no justification either of the measure he was nowadopting, or of the motives that prompted it. Nor does it seempossible to uphold the full integrity and honor of David’s conduct inentertaining his secret overtures for undermining Ish-bosheth, exceptwe take into account the divine promise of the kingdom, and hisbelief that the secession of Abner was a means designed by Providencefor accomplishing it. The demand for the restoration of his wifeMichal was perfectly fair; but David’s insisting on it at thatparticular moment, as an indispensable condition of his entering intoany treaty with Abner, seems to have proceeded not so much from alingering attachment as from an expectation that his possession ofher would incline some adherents of the house of Saul to be favorableto his cause.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf,…. On his own account, and not on the account of Ishbosheth, or the people of Israel; but to obtain terms for himself, or in his own name, as representing him and standing in his stead; or secretly, as Kimchi explains it, unknown to Ishbosheth, or the people of Israel. The Targum is,
“out of his place;”
he sent them from the place where he was, from Mahanaim:
saying, whose [is] the land? the land of Israel, is it not thine, David? verily it is; to whom does it belong but unto thee, to whom the Lord has given it? not to any of Saul’s posterity: this he ordered the messengers to say in the first place, in order to ingratiate himself to David, and gain his messengers an audience. The Targum is,
“I swear by him that made the earth;”
so Jarchi says, it is an oath by him whose the earth is, even by the living God, whose is the earth, and the fulness thereof:
saying [also], make thy league with me; he desired to enter into a covenant of friendship with him, that everything that had passed might be forgiven and forgotten:
and, behold, my hand [shall be] with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee: he promises on his part to do his utmost to bring all Israel under his government and to obedience to him.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Abner Contacts David. 2Sa. 3:12-21
12 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.
13 And he said, Well; I will make a league with thee: but one thing I require of thee, that is, Thou shalt not see my face except thou first bring Michal Sauls daughter, when thou comest to see my face.
14 And David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth Sauls son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, which I espoused to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.
15 And Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Phaltiel the son of Laish.
16 And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go, return. And he returned.
17 And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David in times past to be king over you:
18 Now then do it: for the Lord hath 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.
19 And Abner also spake 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 that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin.
20 So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men that were with him a feast.
21 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 league with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thine heart desireth. And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.
9.
Why did Abner negotiate so long with David? 2Sa. 3:12
It was Abner who first sent an ambassage to David. David replied by sending messengers to Ish-bosheth, Sauls son. Ish-bosheth met Davids demands. Abner then counselled with the elders of Israel. Abner further contacted the Benjamites. Thereafter he went to David himself. The elders of Israel had already expressed a desire to anoint David king of all Israel, as well as over all Judah. They had been saying, Jehovah hath 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 (2Sa. 3:18). This prophecy dates back to the time of the anointing of David by Samuel (See 1 Samuel 16).
10.
Why does the author give such a full account of Abners negotiations? 2Sa. 3:12
Some critics view this section as being filled with interpolations as if a little had been added here and there. The account is historically accurate, and it appears to be homogenous but the story may seem to some to be overfull. For this reason, it is suggested that there were various accounts worked into one. There are not two or more separate accounts, however, but a very careful series of negotiations on the part of David. David received Abners first message; David then went directly to Ishbosheth. He was not willing that something be done behind the kings back. After the negotiations proceeded, then he received Abner in person. Abners ill-fated journey climaxed the negotiations.
11.
Why did David want Michal back? 2Sa. 3:13
David was shamed by Sauls giving his wife, Michal, to another man (1Sa. 25:44). The prohibition of a man marrying a woman who had once before been married to him and later given to another man does not prevail in this instance because the marriage was not terminated by mutual consent (Deu. 24:1-4). Saul had simply taken Davids wife and had given her to another man. The second man did not have any right to her, and she was still legitimately and rightfully Davids wife. The fact that he informed both Abner and Ish-bosheth of this, does not indicate that there were two separate traditions of the account but that he informed both parties of the necessary provision.
12.
Who was the man with whom Michal had been living? 2Sa. 3:15
The man to whom Saul had given Michal was named Phaltiel. He is given as the son of Leish. When Michal was given to him, he was introduced as being of Gallim (1Sa. 25:44). The only Gallim mentioned elsewhere is Isa. 10:30, where a reference is evidently to a place in Benjamin.
13.
How far did Phaltiel follow Michal? 2Sa. 3:16
This picture of a pitiable man reveals that he went along weeping behind the woman with whom he had been living until he got as far as Bahurim. This is a spot north of Jerusalem (2Sa. 16:5; cf. 2Sa. 17:18). This was probably the last Benjamite village on the road they were traveling in Judah. He must have felt that it was unsafe for him to enter into Davids territory and therefore turned back at that point. Abner commanded him to return thence; the man complied, although undoubtedly still weeping as he went.
14.
What was the wish of the elders of Israel? 2Sa. 3:17
The elders of the land had already expressed their desire for David to be their king, This is intimated in the statement of Abner who said, You sought for David in times past to be king over you. Abner again makes reference to the promise of the Lord indicating that the anointing of David by Samuel was rather well-known.
15.
How did David receive Abner? 2Sa. 3:20
When Abner and the twenty men who accompanied him arrived in Hebron, David made a feast for them. He was glad that negotiations had proceeded to this point, and wanted to expedite the matter as much as possible. Later events revealed that David had high regard for Abner, probably the outgrowth of their many pleasant associations together when both were in Sauls service.
16.
What was Abners final decision? 2Sa. 3:21
Abner declared that he would arise and go and gather all Israel to make David king over them. This was the same thing that he had said to Ish-bosheth when he broke away from him (2Sa. 3:10). At that time, Abner said he would make David king over Israel and Judah. He intended for him to rule from Dan, the farthest point on the north border, to Beer-sheba, the farthest point on the south of Judah. This was the entire promised land, and Abner said that David would then rule over all that his heart desired.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(12) Whose is the land?These words in themselves may be understood in either of two senses: (1) Is not the land thine by promise? or (2) Who has the power to bring the land into subjection to whom he will except myself? Since the question is put forward as the basis for making a league with Abner, the latter is evidently the sense intended, and it is quite in accordance with the pride and haughtiness of Abners character. He proposes a league, that he may have a definite assurance of consideration for himself, and he makes this the price of exerting his influence on Davids behalf. The repetition of the word saying has occasioned some difficulty to the commentators, but this disappears when it is remembered that the two clauses are separate parts of Abners message. His messengers were charged first to represent the importance of Abners influence, and then afterwards to say that he would exert it for David for a satisfactory consideration.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
12. Whose is the land Who has dominion over the land of Israel? No one, properly, for the nation is divided, a part adhering to the house of Saul, and a part to David. Let us therefore make a covenant and unite the kingdom under one head. Abner doubtless expected a high position and honours in the new kingdom.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
(12) 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.
Who should have thought at the onset of Ishbosheth’s being set up as king against David, that the very man who set him up would become the very instrument to put him down. Reader! do not fail to observe how the Lord can make the minds of bad men minister to the very opposite to what they propose. The wrath of man shall, whether it wishes or not, praise him. Psa 76:10 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2Sa 3:12 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.
Ver. 12. Whose is the land? ] q.d., Whose but thine, by God’s own designation
Make thy league with me,
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
league = covenant.
behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6.
hand. Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6. Hand put for help given by it.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Abner Wins Davids Favor
2Sa 3:12-21
We cannot defend Davids request for Michal to be restored to him. It inflicted bitter pain on an apparently happy pair, and Michals revenge stung him to the quick, 2Sa 6:20. But he may have felt it right to insist on his legal status as son-in-law to the late king. It was, however, a needless precaution, as they who wait on God can dispense with expedients which are esteemed by worldly prudence.
With this exception David maintained a passive policy. The overtures for the transference of the kingdom were made by Abner. It was he who communicated with Israel and Benjamin, and then with David. Thus great events may move around us while we live in the center of Gods will in perfect peace. We must be willing to respond to the stirring bugle-call to action, but we must also have our waiting-times, when the soul is learning to possess itself in patience. The long summer days are needed to prepare for the autumn ingatherings; and the hours spent in Horeb and Carmel prepare for the stirring part that Gods servants must play in the history of their time.
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
Whose: 2Sa 19:6, 2Sa 20:1-13
Make: Psa 62:9, Luk 16:5-8
my hand: 2Sa 3:21, 2Sa 3:27, 2Sa 5:1-3, 2Sa 19:14, 2Sa 19:41-43, 2Sa 20:1, 2Sa 20:2, 1Ch 11:1-3, 1Ch 12:38-40, Mat 21:8-10
Reciprocal: 2Sa 3:38 – a prince 2Sa 8:15 – over all Israel
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Sa 3:12. And Abner sent messengers to David Having thus incensed his master, he judged it not safe to delay the execution of what he had threatened. Yet he thought it neither safe nor prudent to go himself to David till he had tried his inclinations by messengers, whom he sent privately to treat with him about a reconciliation. Thus God overrules the passions of wicked men, and turns and directs their devices and counsels, to accomplish his own wise and holy purposes! And who then dare contend with that God, who makes even his enemies to do his work, and destroy themselves? Saying, Whose is this land? To whom does it belong but to thee? is it not thine by divine right? A question this which required no answer. But Abner plainly meant to insinuate by it that he had power to give the land of Israel to him whose side he should take.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Sa 3:12-21. Abner offers to bring all Israel under the authority of David. As a preliminary Michal is restored to David. Having sounded the elders of the various tribes, Abner visited David to arrange matters.