Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 3:34

Thy hands [were] not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters: as a man falleth before wicked men, [so] fellest thou. And all the people wept again over him.

34. Thy hands, &c.] Two explanations of these words seem possible; either (1) Thou hadst not committed any crime to deserve a malefactor’s punishment, but wast causelessly murdered by treacherous enemies: or (2) How was it that thou wast slain while thy hands were at liberty to defend thyself, thy feet free to escape by flight? It was because thou wast attacked unsuspectingly by treacherous enemies. In the first case “fool” in 2Sa 3:33 is equivalent to “miscreant.” It is a term which frequently in the O.T. implies moral worthlessness, wickedness. Cp. Psa 14:1. The Targum here renders it “the wicked.” In the second case it means “an ignoble churl who cannot defend himself.”

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Thy hands were not bound … – This thought prepares the way for the solution; Abner had been treacherously murdered by wicked men.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

2Sa 3:34

Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters.

The moral of affliction

I. What there is in the text expressive of afflictive scenes.

1. Let us observe, that the text contains the speech, which was made at the grave of a very respectable person.

2. The next thing observable in the text, is the manner of describing a death, that was brought about by the most execrable villany.

3. The text concludes with assuring us, that the concern for such a death, of such a person, was deep and universal.

II. What useful lessons such a scene of affliction hath a more peculiar tendency to inculcate upon us.

1. It should more deeply convince us, that sin is the worst and greatest of all evils.

2. This scene of affliction may lead us to reflect on the vanity, which attends human life, even in its most prosperous state. Let Ira, on this occasion, thankfully acknowledge our obligations to Divine Providence, for the continuance of our lives and comforts. (B. Fawcett, M. A.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters; thou didst not tamely yield up thyself to Joab, as his prisoner, to be bound hand and foot, at his pleasure. Joab did not overcome thee generously and honourably in an equal combat, nor durst he attempt thee in that way, as a general or soldier of any worth would have done.

Before wicked men; or, before, i. e. in the presence or by the hands of froward, or perverse, or crooked men, by hypocrisy and perfidiousness, whereby the vilest coward may kill the most valiant person. Thus he reproached Joab to his very face, before all the people; which was a great evidence of his own innocency herein; because otherwise Joab, being so powerful, and proud, and petulant to his sovereign, would never have taken the shame and blame of it wholly to himself, as he did.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

Thy hands [were] not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters,…. As malefactors are when they are taken up for any crime, and especially when proved upon them, and condemned for it, and brought forth to be executed. This was not his case, and had he been aware of the design against him, as his hands and feet were at liberty, he might have defended himself; or if he found he had too many to deal with, might have made use of his feet and fled:

as a man falleth before wicked men, [so] fellest thou; as a man being before bloodthirsty and deceitful men, falls before them, through treachery and deceit, privately and unawares, so fell Abner before Joab and Abishai; this David said in the presence of Joab, and before all the people, to declare the plain fact how it was, to express his detestation of it, and to show he had no hand in it; and Joab must be an hardened creature to stand at the grave of Abner, and hear all this, and not be affected with it:

and all the people wept again over him; over Abner, being laid in his grave; they had wept before, but hearing this funeral oration delivered by the king in such moving language, and in such a mournful tone, it drew tears afresh from them.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(34) Thy hands were not bound.The people were moved greatly by the sight of Davids sorrow, but still more by this brief elegy over Abner. The whole circumstances are summed up in a few pregnant words: Abner, so valiant in war, with his hands free for defence, with his feet unfettered, unsuspicious of evil, fell by the treacherous act of a wicked man.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

34. Thy hands not bound Thou wast not delivered up to death bound hand and foot, like a convicted malefactor, for thou wast guilty of no crime that called for such penalty. Some think that here is an allusion to a custom of delivering up, bound hand and foot, to the avenger of blood, the person who had fled for safety to one of the cities of refuge.

Num 35:6.

As a man falleth before wicked men The victim of jealous and desperate passions.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

2Sa 3:34 Thy hands [were] not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters: as a man falleth before wicked men, [so] fellest thou. And all the people wept again over him.

Ver. 34. Thy hands were not bound. ] As one either conquered or condemned. Hadst thou not been treacherously surprised and assassinated, manibus pedibusque obnixe omnia fecisses, thou wouldst have made thy party good with the stoutest he, and have stood with Joab in a trial of manhood.

So fellest thou. ] Before this wicked Joab. And this perhaps was the elegy appointed to be sung at Abner’s funeral, to the reproach of Joab, whom David durst not as yet otherwise punish: but that he deferred it so long, when he had power in his hand, was an oversight.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

not bound: i.e. as a malefactor. Compare 1Sa 25:25, 1Sa 25:26.

fetters. Hebrew = brass, put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause) for fetters made of it. App-6.

wicked men = “sons of `avlah”. App-44.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

hands: The hand of malefactors were usually secured with cords, and their feet with fetters; a custom to which David affectingly alludes in his lamentation over the dust of Abner. Thy hands, O Abner, were not bound, as found to be a malefactor, nor thy feet put in fetters; thou was treated with honour by him whose business it was to judge thee, and thy attachment to the house of Saul was esteemed rather generous than culpable: as the best of men may fall, so thou fellest by the sword of treachery, not of justice. Jdg 16:21, Psa 107:10, Psa 107:11

wicked men: Heb. children of iniquity, Job 24:14, Hos 6:9

wept: 2Sa 1:12

Reciprocal: 2Sa 11:21 – Thy servant 2Sa 14:19 – of Joab Eze 32:16 – General

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge