31 39. David’s lamentation for Abner<\/p>\n
31<\/strong>. gird you with sackcloth<\/em> ] The practice of wearing garments of the coarse dark hair-cloth used for making sacks as a sign of mourning was very ancient (Gen 37:34<\/span>). In cases of extreme grief or humiliation they were worn next the skin, but ordinarily outside the usual tunic.<\/p>\n mourn before Abner<\/em> ] Preceding the bier in the funeral procession.<\/p>\n Verse 31<\/span>. David said to Joab<\/B><\/I>] He commanded him to take on him the part of a principal mourner.<\/P> <\/p>\n David said to Joab; <\/B>him he especially obliged to it; partly to bring him to repentance for his sin; partly to expose him to public shame, and to the contempt and hatred of all the people, with whom he had too great an interest, which hereby David designed to diminish. <\/P> Mourn before Abner, <\/B>i.e. attending upon his corpse, and paying him that respect and honour which was due to his quality. <\/P> King David himself followed the bier; <\/B>which was against the usage of kings, and might seem below Davids dignity; but it was now expedient, to vindicate himself from all suspicion and contrivance or concurrence in this action. <\/P> <\/p>\n 31. David said to Joab, and to allthe people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you withsackcloth<\/B>David’s sorrow was sincere and profound, and he tookoccasion to give it public expression by the funeral honors heappointed for Abner. <\/P> King David himself followedthe bier<\/B>a sort of wooden frame, partly resembling a coffin,and partly a hand-barrow.<\/P><\/p>\n And David said to Joab, and to all the people that [were] with him<\/strong>,…. To his whole court, Joab being present: for he did not flee, nor was he laid hold on in order to be brought to justice; which shows how great his power was, and that he was too hard for David, as in 2Sa 3:39<\/span>; however this he did, he enjoined his whole court, and Joab also, to express public mourning on this account:<\/p>\n rend your clothes and gird you with sackcloth<\/strong>; which were expressions of mourning used on various occasions, and on account of the dead, and which with the Heathens were carried to a greater excess, even to the tearing of their flesh,<\/p>\n and mourn before Abner<\/strong>; before his corpse, as carried to the grave, when it was usual to make great lamentations: see Ac 8:2<\/span>;<\/p>\n and King David [himself] followed the bier<\/strong>; or “bed” l on which his body was laid, and carried to the grave. On these the rich and noble among the Greeks and Romans were carried, and those of the meaner sort on biers n; and so with the Jews; [See comments on Lu 7:14]<\/span>; some of which were gilded with gold, and were made of ivory, and had ivory feet o; that of Herod’s was all of gold, inlaid with precious stones, and the body covered with purple, and followed by his sons and kindred, the soldiers going before armed, and their leaders following p; the bier or bed with the Romans was sometimes carried by six persons, sometimes by eight or more q. It was not usual for kings, as the Jews say r, to attend a funeral, to go out of the doors of their palace after their own dead, and much less others; but David did this to satisfy the people, and to root out of their mind all suspicion of his having any hand in Abner’s death; and to show that he was not slain by his will, and with his consent.<\/p>\n l , Sept. “lectum”, Piscator. n Salmuth. ad Pancirol. par. 1. tit. 62. p. 343. Kirchman. de Funer. Roman. l. 2. c. 9. p. 375. o Alstorph. de lect. vet. c. 19. p. 149. p Joseph. de Bello Jud. l. 1. c. 33. sect. 9. q Kirchman. ut supra. (de Funer. Roman. l. 2. c. 9. p. 375.) r Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 2. sect. 3. Maimon in Hilchot Ebel. c. 7. sect. 7. David de Pomis, Lexic. fol. 119. 4.<\/p>\n The Funeral of Abner, vs. 31-39<\/strong><\/p>\n David declared a period of national mourning for Abner, <\/em>wherein the people were to tear their clothing and put on sackcloth and to mourn for the slain captain. The king followed the bier to the burial in Hebron, and wept over Abner’s grave. The people also wept for Abner. In his lamentation David cried, “Did Abner as a fool dieth? Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters: as a man falleth before wicked men so fellest thou.”<\/em><\/p>\n Various interpretations <\/em>have been put on David’s words. It would appear that David raises the question whether Abner did not act foolishly in allowing himself to fall into the hands of Joab and Abishai. Some suggest that Abner, at Hebron, was in the city of refuge and could have claimed its protection, and that Joab’s awareness of this explains why he took Abner out of the city into the gate to take vengeance. There is, of course, uncertainty that the law of the city of refuge would have applied in the case, since Asahel though slain in self defense by Abner, was a victim of war.<\/em><\/p>\n Was the reference to unbound hands and unfettered feet relative to Abner’s failure to seek sanctuary in the city? More likely, it would seem, it simply meant that Abner should have known the mean character of Zeruiah’s sons and have avoided them. But Abner had allowed himself to be enticed back into the city by the conniving Joab.<\/p>\n David humiliated Joab <\/em>by compelling him to join in the mourning for Abner. Then when it was time for them to eat food David refused, fasting throughout the day. The people observed the genuineness of David’s behavior, the word spread, and he won the hearty approval of the people. By it they knew that David did not desire the death of Abner. David reminded his servants that in Abner a great prince of a man had perished out of Israel. He also expressed his impotence in the hands of his nephews, the sons of Zeruiah, whom, he said, were too hard for him. For some reason unclear he was unable to deal with them according to their deserts. So he left them in the hands of the Lord to deal with according to their evil deed.<\/em><\/p>\n Lessons from chapter three: 1) <\/em>Though it may seem long the Lord will eventually give victory to His people; 2) men serving a bad cause cannot trust one another; 3) it is wrong to insist on one’s own way to the hurt of others, even if it seems lawful; 4) deceitful persons cannot be trusted to change for the better; 5) God’s people should always disassociate themselves from those guilty of evil; 6) zeal is good, but only when directed to good purposes; otherwise it is weakening and hurtful.<\/em><\/p>\n David Mourns for Abner. 2Sa. 3:31-39<\/span><\/p>\n 31 And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner, And king David himself followed the bier.<\/p>\n 32 And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept. Died Abner as a fool dieth?<\/p>\n 34 Thy hands were not bound,<\/p>\n nor thy feet put into fetters: so fellest thou.<\/p>\n And all the people wept again over him.<\/p>\n 35 And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, David sware, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or aught else, till the sun be down. 37 For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner. 24.<\/p>\n Did David justifiably mourn over Abners death? 2Sa. 3:31<\/span><\/p>\n People respected Abner. Abners death in such circumstances would cast a cloud of suspicion over David. David did feel real grief at the death of Abner. The deep mourning into which David entered was a token of great sorrow. Rightfully did he grieve over the death of an able captain. Davids own captain, Joab, was a skillful leader, but David was not able to control him. Abner might have made a much better leader for the forces of Israel.<\/p>\n 25.<\/p>\n How would a fool die? 2Sa. 3:33<\/span><\/p>\n The fool brings an early death upon himself by his careless conduct (Pro. 7:22<\/span>). The Septuagint version puts the word napal here for the word foe. A translation of napal would give us a fool or a churlish man. It is doubtful that David asked if Abner died as Nabal died, but the death of Nabal was brought on by his own miserable conduct; Abner had done nothing to deserve death. Abner did not even have the honor of being made a prisoner of war. As David said, Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters (2Sa. 3:34<\/span>). He did not fall honorably on a field of battle, but was treacherously tricked.<\/p>\n 26.<\/p>\n How did the people react to Davids conduct? 2Sa. 3:35<\/span><\/p>\n The people took notice of the kings mourning and they were pleased by it. They knew that David was not putting on a show. David refused to eat anything throughout the day. He fasted until sundown, when a new day began. By this kind of conduct, David demonstrated that he had nothing to do with Abners death. The people understood that David was guiltless and the kings stature increased in their sight.<\/p>\n 27.<\/p>\n What was Davids evaluation of Abners character? 2Sa. 3:38<\/span><\/p>\n David said that Abner was a prince. He was not really eligible to succeed Saul, but he was from the royal family. His tribe was the same as that of Saul, Israels first king. Both were from the tribe of Benjamin. He was also the cousin of Saul, and the son of Ner, brother to Kish, who was Sauls father. More than this, he was a great man. Little more could be said in appreciation of a persons character than to say that he was a great man. True greatness is hard to achieve, but Abner had proved himself to be this kind of person. David said this in spite of the fact that Abner had supported Ish-bosheth as successor to Saul and in spite of any suspicion with regard to Rizpah. Perhaps Davids evaluation was influenced by Abners final offer to support him as king. The estimation seems true and is quite often applied today to spiritual leaders who die untimely deaths.<\/p>\n 28.<\/p>\n Why did David say be was weak? 2Sa. 3:39<\/span><\/p>\n The word in the original text indicates a person who is tender in years, or delicately nurtured (Gen. 33:12<\/span> and Deu. 28:54<\/span>). Neither meaning is appropriate to David. It is, moreover, difficult to connect the word with what follows. He says that he was tender, though anointed king. Some commentators make this clause to apply to Abner, but it is better to leave it as a reference to Davids appraisal of his own strength. He is comparing himself with Joab and Abishai who have proved to be too hard for him. He knows that he can hardly cope with these two vicious men, and so he prays that the Lord will reward the doer of the evil according to his wickedness.<\/p>\n (31) Rend your clothes.<\/strong>David commands a public mourning with the usual signs of rent clothes and sackcloth, and lays this command especially upon Joab, who is thus required, as it were, to do public penance for his act. David himself followed the bier as chief mourner.<\/p>\n David Laments The Death of Abner And Demonstrates His Innocence In The Matter ( 2Sa 3:31-39<\/strong><\/span><\/strong> ). <\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n In this final passage in the chapter David makes clear his grief over the death of Abner, thus establishing his innocence, and emphasises what a great man he had been. He also writes a lament so as the better to express his feelings. He then finishes by making it quite clear that he does not approve of his commander-in chiefs political tactics and attitude. <\/p>\n Analysis. <\/p>\n a <\/strong> And David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, “Rend your clothes, and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner” (2Sa 3:31<\/span> a) <\/p>\n b <\/strong> And king David followed the bier (2Sa 3:31<\/span> b). <\/p>\n c <\/strong> And they buried Abner in Hebron, and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner (2Sa 3:32<\/span> a). <\/p>\n d <\/strong> And all the people wept (2Sa 3:32<\/span> b). <\/p>\n e <\/strong> And the king lamented for Abner, and said, <\/p>\n “Should Abner die as a fool dies? <\/p>\n Your hands were not bound, <\/p>\n Nor your feet put into fetters. <\/p>\n As a man falls before the children of iniquity, <\/p>\n So did you fall” (2Sa 3:33-34<\/span> a). <\/p>\n d <\/strong> And all the people wept again over him (2Sa 3:34<\/span> b). <\/p>\n c <\/strong> And all the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day, but David swore, saying, “God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or anything else, until the sun is down.” And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them, as whatever the king did pleased all the people (2Sa 3:35-36<\/span>). <\/p>\n b <\/strong> So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner (2Sa 3:37<\/span>). <\/p>\n a <\/strong> And the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel? And I am this day weak, though anointed king, and these men the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. YHWH reward the evildoer according to his wickedness” (2Sa 3:38-39<\/span>). <\/p>\n Note that in ‘a’ David calls on Joab to weep for Abner, and declares his own innocence, while in the parallel he declares that Joab is too hard for him which is why as a king he is made weak. In ‘b’ David followed the bier, and in the parallel the people recognised that the death of Abner was not the result of David’s decision. In ‘c’ the king wept at the grave of Abner, and in the parallel he fasted and refused to eat food until the day was done. In ‘d’ all the people wept, and in the parallel they all wept over Abner again. Centrally in ‘e’ we have David’s lament for Abner. <\/p>\n 2Sa 3:31<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> And David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, “Rend your clothes, and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.” And King David followed the bier. <\/p>\n David now called on Joab and all the people who were with him to ritually tear their clothes, put on sackcloth and act as mourners before Abner’s coffin. They were to show outward respect and grief at the great man’s death and so indicate that the death had not been official policy. <\/p>\n This mourning was not excluded for Joab because David was ensuring by it that it was being officially recognised before all the world (whatever might have been true in Joab’s private thoughts), that Joab had slain Abner, not out of malice, but out of loyalty to his own family and its honour. Joab had simply done what most of them would have seen themselves as called upon to do (In that sense it had been true that ‘Abner died as a fool dies’. He knew the custom). For in those days it was seen as incumbent on someone to avenge the violent death of a close relative by slaying the one who had done it. A careful reading of Numbers 35<\/span> brings out that even an ‘unintentional’ manslayer was seen as having, according to the custom of the time, to be sought out and put to death in order to maintain the family honour, without any blame being attached to the ‘avenger of blood’. The City of Refuge was thus provided in order to prevent this from happening to an innocent manslayer. So if such a one was caught outside a City of Refuge (as Abner had allowed himself to be, even if only by the width of a gate) he would have only himself to blame. It was a method of controlling cold-blooded murder, by ensuring that the guilty party would know that he would be brought to justice in a time when there were no police to investigate such matters. Indeed if on examination at the City of Refuge the killing was found to have been murder in cold blood, then the City of Refuge provided no sanctuary. The killer would be expelled and thus become vulnerable to the Avengers of blood. <\/p>\n It is, however, important to recognise that this ‘avenging of blood’ was not a requirement of God’s Law. What God’s Law did was provide a way by which innocent manslayers could avoid being put to death by the relatives of the dead man without their case even being heard. <\/p>\n “And King David followed the bier.”<\/strong> While the majority of the mourners would go ahead of the coffin, David, even though he was the king, followed humbly behind as a mark of respect to the dead man. This is the first reference to ‘King David’ as such. <\/p>\n 2Sa 3:32<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> And they buried Abner in Hebron, and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.’ <\/p>\n Abner was thus buried in Hebron, and the king then wept loudly over his grave. Loud weeping was seen as an essential mark of respect at a funeral, and often professionals would be paid to do it. But here professionals were not needed. ‘All the people wept.’ It was a clear indication that the death had not been officially condoned and was lamented by all. <\/p>\n 2Sa 3:33-34<\/strong><\/span> a <\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n ‘And the king lamented for Abner, and said, <\/p>\n “Should Abner die as a fool dies? <\/p>\n Your hands were not bound, <\/p>\n Nor your feet put into fetters. <\/p>\n As a man falls before the children of iniquity, <\/p>\n So did you fall.” <\/p>\n David then composed and rendered a lamentation over Abner. It was a further indication of his innocence with regard to what had happened. The reference to Abner ‘dying as a fool dies’ may well have had in mind that he should have been more wary of Joab. The suggestion is that he died because he was not alert and ready to defend himself when he should have been. His very greatness may well have made him careless when, knowing Joab, he should have known that Joab would not rest until he was dead. Certainly it indicates that he should have been more aware and not so trusting. The remainder of the lamentation then indicates that he was caught napping. He had not been bound or fettered so that he could not defend himself. Then he might have been excused. Rather he had fallen prey to evil men whom he had unwisely trusted, even when he had had his sword at his side. The suggestion is that he had too easily discounted Joab. David does not specifically call Joab and Abishai ‘workers of iniquity, but he gets very close to it and by it indicates his disapproval of what they had done. <\/p>\n 2Sa 3:34<\/strong><\/span> b <\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n ‘And all the people wept again over him.’ <\/p>\n Then it is stressed that all the people continued to weep over Abner. The mourning was loud and prolonged. Abner was being given a royal send off. <\/p>\n 2Sa 3:35<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> And all the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, “God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or anything else, until the sun is down.” ’ <\/p>\n Once the funeral was over the people became concerned for David because he had not eaten all day. But when they tried to persuade him to eat he refused, and swore that he would eat nothing until after sundown. It was out of respect for Abner. He was determined that all should see the genuineness of his mourning. <\/p>\n 2Sa 3:36<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them, as whatever the king did pleased all the people.’ <\/p>\n As he had hoped ‘all the people’ noted his actions and were pleased because it indicated the integrity of the king and his innocence of all charges of treachery. He had after all little to gain by it. The writer then indicates that indeed all that David did pleased the people. They recognised him as an honourable man and worthy of being a king in Israel. <\/p>\n 2Sa 3:37<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner.’ <\/p>\n For that day all recognised, including the whole people of Israel, that it had not been the intention of David that Abner be slain. Indeed, the truth is that he had nothing at all to gain by it. But what is clear is to us is that by Abner’s death David was saved by YHWH from being part of a coup that might well have caused great bitterness among many in Israel, and was especially saved from the charge that he had displaced the true heir of Saul. <\/p>\n 2Sa 3:38-39<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> And the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel? And I am this day weak, though anointed king, and these men the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. YHWH reward the evildoer according to his wickedness.” ’ <\/p>\n David then made clear his real feelings about the actions of Joab and Abishai. He emphasised what a great and princely man Abner had been, and how great therefore the evil had been in slaying him. He felt that in a sense it had even weakened him as king, because thereby he had lost a valuable and capable ally and an astute general. Furthermore it accentuated the fact that a king in Israel could not just do whatever he wanted. However he felt about things he had to obey the Laws and customs, even though he was the anointed king, and that even though sometimes they could be made use of by harsh men in order to achieve their ambitions within the Law. He was restricted to carrying out what was seen by all as just. And that meant that he could do nothing against Joab and Abishai because they had strictly adhered to the customs of the people even if they had ignored what they knew to be his desire. <\/p>\n The suggestion that Joab and Abishai, his sister’s sons, were ‘too hard’ for him indicated his disapproval of their merciless attitude. In his view they had failed to recognise that sometimes justice must be tempered by mercy. Nevertheless what he also wanted them to recognise was that YHWH, Who knows the hearts of all men, would judge men in terms of the hardness or otherwise of their hearts. There would be no such weakness in Him. Thus he prayed that YHWH would ‘reward the evildoer according to his wickedness’. He committed them to the judgment of YHWH. There is a warning to us all in this that in demanding our rights at all costs we too may well often simply be revealing our own wickedness and the unpleasant truth about ourselves. <\/p>\n DISCOURSE: 310 2Sa 3:31-34<\/span>. And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David himself followed the bier. And they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept. And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner as a fool dieth? 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.<\/em><\/p>\n AFTER the death of Saul, David was anointed king in Hebron: but still he reigned over one tribe only; for Abner had prevailed on the other eleven tribes to adhere still to the house of Saul, and to make Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, their king. From the disinterestedness and forbearance which David manifested during all the persecutions which he experienced from Saul, we can have no doubt but that e would have rested satisfied with the government of one tribe, till God in his providence should open the way for the full possession of the throne of Israel: but Ishbosheth and his adherents accounted David an usurper, and therefore waged incessant war with him for seven years [Note: 2Sa 2:10-11<\/span><\/u> with 2Sa 3:1<\/span>.]. At last however a circumstance occurred, which seemed likely to effect the promised union of all the tribes under David as their head. Ishbosheth had offended Abner by accusing him of illicit intercourse with a concubine of Saul: and Abner, filled with resentment, determined to transfer his allegiance to David, and to carry over all the eleven tribes with him. Ishbosheth, knowing that Abners influence would effect this measure, acquiesced in it, and submitted to the terms prescribed by David as a preliminary to the league which should be made between them: he sent and took Michal, Sauls daughter, from Phaltiel her husband, and gave her up to David, from whom she had been wrongfully withheld. Every thing was now ready to be carried into execution: Abner had succeeded in his conference with David, and nothing remained but to bring over the heads of the eleven tribes to the plan proposed. But behold, the treachery of Joab defeated and destroyed the plan. Joab, just returned from an expedition against the Philistines, heard what Abner had done; and immediately expostulated with David on his credulity, for suffering Abner so to impose upon him: and then, sending privately in Davids name to Abner, as though some further communication with him was wanted, he met Abner on his return, and took him aside, and slew him.<\/p>\n This murderous act of Joabs, together with its attendant circumstances, will furnish us with some very useful, and, at this time, seasonable [Note: Just after the assassination of Mr. Perceval, before the presenting to the Prince Regent the Address from Cambridge.], observations.<\/p>\n We observe then,<\/p>\n I.<\/p>\n That there is no crime so atrocious, but a person under the influence of a vindictive spirit will commit it<\/p>\n [Revenge was the principle from which Joab, in concert with his brother Abishai, acted on this occasion [Note: ver. 27, 30.]: Abner had slain his brother Asahel; and they sought to avenge his death. But if they had candidly considered, they might have found in this matter an occasion for gratitude rather than resentment: for Abner had exercised towards Asahel a forbearance and tenderness that could not reasonably have been expected; nor had lifted up a hand against him till the last extremity [Note: 2Sa 2:20-23<\/span>.]. They were blinded however by their own passion, and overlooked every thing for the gratification of it. Joab never once reflected on the baseness of the action he was about to perpetrate, nor on the loss which David and the whole nation would sustain, nor on the account which he should one day give of it to God; but with horrid treachery, and deliberate cruelty, plunged the dagger into the side of Abner.<\/p>\n Alas! alas! how awfully has this scene been renewed amongst us! It was no political animosity, but revenge alone, that instigated the murderer to the commission of his crime. Under the influence of that infernal passion he proceeded in the most deliberate manner to execute his cruel purpose. Thoughts of mercy and compassion found no place in his bosom. The injury that would be done to a fellow-creature, (who would in one instant be hurried into the presence of his God;) the bereavement that would be felt by all his family, and the loss that would be sustained by the whole nation, (a loss to all appearance irreparable;) seemed to him as nothing, when weighed against the gratifications of revenge: nay, the thought of his own account that he should have to give at the judgment-seat of Christ could interpose no bar to the execution of his design. Yea, after the perpetration of the deed, he justified his act, and, like Joab, continued impenitent to his dying-hour. We all are called upon at this time to mourn on the sad occasion: for it is certain,<\/p>\n II.<\/p>\n That the crimes of individuals will be imputed to us as national, if they be not nationally reprobated and deplored<\/p>\n [Of this David was aware; and therefore he endeavoured to avert the guilt from the nation, by calling on them all to humble themselves before God, and to express in penitential sorrow their abhorrence of the crime [Note: ver. 28, 29, 31.]. On this occasion he himself set them the example: he mourned, he wept, he fasted: he followed the corpse to the grave: he poured out the most pathetic lamentations over it; reflecting with just severity on the atrocity of the crime; and lamenting that he had not power to inflict punishment on the offenders [Note: ver. 33, 34, 35, 39.]: and it was greatly to the honour of his people that they participated so deeply in his affliction. All approbation of the crime was thus formally disavowed; and the guilt of it was made to rest on him who had committed it.<\/p>\n We rejoice that an universal abhorrence of the assassination has been expressed in our land: or, if there have been any so abandoned to all sense of duty both to God and man as to approve the deed, they have made themselves partakers of the crime, and contracted in the sight of God the guilt of murder. We would however remind you all, that this should be a season of deep humiliation amongst us, and of earnest prayer. We must mourn over the deed, and wash our hands in the blood of our great Sacrifice, if we would not have the guilt of blood imputed to us, or visited upon our land [Note: Deu 21:1-9<\/span>.].]<\/p>\n It is some consolation to us however to consider,<\/p>\n III.<\/p>\n That whatever obstructions arise, Gods purposes shall surely be accomplished<\/p>\n [The establishment of David on the throne of Israel was now nearly completed; yet in the very moment of its completion, as it were, was it counteracted by this horrid crime; the influence that was to accomplish the measure was destroyed; and the rival monarch deterred from his purpose. No prospect now remained but that of continued war: and the very counsels of Heaven appear to have been defeated. But Gods counsel shall stand, though the expected instrument of its accomplishment be taken out of the way, and the greatest obstacle to its accomplishment remain. Accordingly in an unlooked-for way the point was effected, and the promise made fifteen years before to David, was fulfilled. But though Gods counsel shall stand, we are not the less accountable to him for our actions; nor can we doubt but,<\/p>\n IV.<\/p>\n That however men may escape punishment in this world, their sins shall be recompensed in the world to come<\/p>\n [To that tribunal David looked forward, when he saw that the sons of Zeruiah were too hard for him; and he found consolation in the thought, that the Lord would reward the doer according to his wickedness [Note: ver. 39.]. It was a misfortune to him to have a subject so powerful, that he could set the laws at defiance. Through the goodness of God, the laws of our land are enforced; and the atrocious act that has been committed has met with its deserved recompence. But there are sins of a less heinous nature, which are committed daily with impunity. Let us not however suppose that they will be unnoticed by the Judge of quick and dead. The vindictive thought will there be noticed, as well as the vindictive act; yea, and the impure desire also, as well as adultery itself: for God will bring into judgment every secret thing, whether it be good or evil. Nor will there be any respect of persons with him. Now<\/em> there is a kind of partiality in favour of the rich and great; evils are allowed in them, which, if committed by persons of the lower class, would be reprobated and abhorred: but the high and the low will hereafter be equally tried by the unerring standard of Gods law, and be judged according to what they have done in the body, whether it be good or evil. Let not the hope of impunity therefore encourage any man to sin; for God has warned us, that though hand join in hand, (yea, though earth and hell should unite for the protection of any,) the wicked shall not pass unpunished.]<\/p>\n<\/p>\n (31) And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David himself followed the bier. (32) And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept. (33) And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner as a fool dieth? (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. (35) And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, David sware, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or ought else, till the sun be down. (36) And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them: as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people. (37) For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Perhaps there was a great propriety in this attention of David, respecting the death of Abner. He did all he could to testify his total disapprobation of the deed of Joab, and at the same time to inculcate an humbling lesson of the frailty and uncertainty of life among his people. But if David lamented over the death of such a man as Abner, judge how suited the pious lamentations of the people are over the deaths of the Lord’s faithful servants and ministers. Whenever a faithful servant of the Lord Jesus is called home, the Church below sustains a loss, because thereby so much grace is withdrawn from the public stock, as the Lord had blessed that servant with. It may be truly said, that in the funeral of such men we bury part of Christ’s body. The Lord then takes back the boon he had lent. Oh! how ought we to improve, and mark down in our mind, the precious truths they teach, that when they themselves cease to be, their labours and gracious words may survive them, that so being dead, they may yet speak. Heb 11:4<\/span> .<\/p>\n 2Sa 3:31 And David said to Joab, and to all the people that [were] with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David [himself] followed the bier.<\/p>\n Ver. 31. And David said to Joab.<\/strong> ] As a part of his punishment. So the Pope forced our Henry II to kneel and pray to Becket’s shrine, yea, to go barefoot a great way in pilgrinmge thereunto for a penance. Joab might hereby be possibly brought to some sight of his foul sin. So could Henry hardly, for one Roger, a Norman doctor, maintained publicly that Becket had justly deserved death, for rebelling against his sovereign: and though the Pope sainted him, yet it was disputed among the doctors of Paris whether he were damned or saved, saith the French chronicler. a<\/em> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n And king David himself followed the bier.<\/strong> ] Heb., The bed. So the grave is called a bed, Isa 57:2 and the burying place, , a sleeping place. It was not usual for princes to attend upon funerals; – there was a veil laid between Tiberius, who counterfeited grief at the funeral of Drusus, and the dead corps, for state’s sake; – but David would do it in honour of Abner, and to clear his own innocency. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n a<\/em> Dan., Hist., <\/em> fol. 99.<\/p>\n bier. Hebrew. mittah, a bed; See 2Sa 4:7, and compare Exo 8:3. The poor man’s couch by day was his bed by night, and sometimes his bier. <\/p>\n Davids Lament over Abner <\/p>\n 2Sa 3:31-39<\/p>\n It was a noble spectacle when David followed the bier of Abner and wept at his grave. He forgot that this man had been his persistent foe, and remembered only his great personal qualities. The chaplet of elegiacs that he wove for Abners grave, was only second to that which he prepared for Sauls. It is not strange that all the people took notice of it and that it pleased them. We should be particularly careful to disavow all complicity in the evil doings of those with whom we happen to be associated, and to stand clear of the wreckage that floats around us. The honor of Gods cause must be dearer to us than life.<\/p>\n The cultivation of a noble and generous spirit, like that which David manifested toward Saul and Abner, is an aim to which we should set ourselves with patient care. It is the outgrowth of years of self-discipline, of prayer, of fellowship with God. Life is too short to allow it to be consumed by evil and vindictive thoughts. Hand over to God all thoughts of retaliation! Certainly you must withstand the wrong-doer, when the weak and defenseless are in jeopardy; but for yourself, love and conquer!<\/p>\n And David: David, intending no doubt to punish Joab, and to lessen his authority with the people, commanded him to take upon him the office of chief mourner; but, as his revenge was gratified, his rival removed, and no heavier punishment inflicted, it is probable his hardened mind would feel but little objection to the ceremony. <\/p>\n Rend: 2Sa 1:2, 2Sa 1:11, Gen 37:29, Gen 37:34, Jos 7:6, Jdg 11:35, 2Ki 19:1 <\/p>\n bier: Heb. bed, Luk 7:14 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Num 14:6 – rent their clothes 2Sa 11:26 – she mourned 2Sa 13:31 – all his servants 1Ki 20:31 – put sackcloth 2Ki 5:8 – rent his clothes Ecc 3:7 – time to rend Isa 15:3 – their streets Act 8:2 – made<\/p>\n 2Sa 3:31. David said to Joab and all the people, &c. The command was especially given to Joab, to bring him to repentance for his sin, and to expose him to public shame. Rend your clothes and gird you with sackcloth, &c. These were all outward expressions of very great sorrow, which Joab himself was forced, however reluctant, to make a show of. And King David himself followed the bier Was the chief mourner, attending upon the corpse, and paying Abner that respect which was due to his quality. Though this was contrary to the usage of kings, and might seem below Davids dignity; yet it was now expedient to vindicate himself from all suspicion of concurrence in this action. The word , hammittah, here rendered the bier, properly means the bed. It was that on which persons of quality were wont to be carried forth to their graves, as ordinary people were upon what we call a bier. <\/p>\n 3:31 And David said to Joab, and to all the people that [were] with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn {m} before Abner. And king David [himself] followed the bier.<\/p>\n (m) Meaning before the corpse.<\/p>\n And David said to Joab, and to all the people that [were] with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David [himself] followed the bier. 31 39. David’s lamentation for Abner 31. gird you with sackcloth ] The practice of wearing garments of the coarse dark hair-cloth … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 3:31”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8124","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8124","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8124"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8124\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8124"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8124"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8124"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
33 And the king lamented over Abner, and said,<\/p>\n
as a man falleth before wicked men,<\/p>\n
36 And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them: as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.<\/p>\n
38 And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?
39 And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the Lord shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.<\/p>\nFuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
THE DEATH OF ABNER<\/strong><\/p>\n
Ah! what an evil is revenge! What need have we to guard against the very thought of it rising in our hearts! Truly, we know not to what an extent the inundation may reach, when once the smallest breach is made in the dam that obstructs this current [Note: Pro 17:14<\/span>.].]<\/p>\n
We did hope, that by the elevation of him, whose loss we deplore, to the government of this country, God had designs of mercy toward us: and we have reason to adore our God for the benefits which through his instrumentality our nation has received. Such a character, all things considered, has rarely been seen at the head of our affairs; for piety is but a rare associate with political power. But, if the channel of Gods mercy is withdrawn, the Fountain still is full; and if we plead with him to pour out his benefits upon us, he will yet find other channels through which to communicate them to our land. True it is, that this is a season of uncommon difficulty, and the political horizon is gloomy in the extreme [Note: No person being found to take the lead in our government; and new difficulties arising, by means of Russia being just about to be again involved in war with France.]: but we hope that our nation shall yet be preserved a blessing to the world; and that all the efforts which are making for the enlarging of our Redeemers kingdom, and which were sanctioned and aided by him whom we have lost, will yet be honoured with success. The wall is to be built in troublous times: the kingdoms of the world shall become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ: and, though darkness should yet increase upon us, we hope and trust that in the evening time it shall be light.]<\/p>\n
<\/strong><\/p>\nFuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"