II Samuel 3:17-21 · Bible study
2 Samuel 3:17-21 Commentary: Abner Shifts Allegiance
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Abner's political maneuvering to bring Israel under David's rule: motives, tribal diplomacy, covenant ratification, and God's hidden hand.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Abner, angry at Ish-bosheth, shifts his allegiance to David, using religious appeal and tribal diplomacy to pave the way for David’s kingship over all Israel.
- Key Words: Elders (H2205), tribal leaders; covenant (H1285), formal treaty; feast (H4960), sacrificial meal ratifying the pact; peace (H7965), diplomatic settlement, not just absence of war.
- Main Debate: Was Abner’s turn sincere repentance, or purely self-interest disguised as piety? The text leaves room for both readings.
- Theological Theme: God’s promise to David advances through human conflict and flawed agents. Providence works in, through, and sometimes in spite of human motive.
- Best Use: A case study in political persuasion, the dangers of mixing personal grievance with divine language, and the complexity of trusting those who once opposed us.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
17Now Abner conferred with the elders of Israel and said, “In the past you sought David as your king.
18Now take action, because the LORD has said to David, ‘Through My servant David I will save My people Israel from the hands of the Philistines and of all their enemies.’”
19Abner also spoke to the Benjamites and went to Hebron to tell David all that seemed good to Israel and to the whole house of Benjamin.
20When Abner and twenty of his men came to David at Hebron, David held a feast for them.
21Then Abner said to David, “Let me go at once, and I will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may rule over all that your heart desires.” So David dismissed Abner, and he went in peace.
WEB World English Bible 2000
17Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, “In times past, you sought for David to be king over you.
18Now then do it! For Yahweh has 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.’”
19Abner also spoke 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 to the whole house of Benjamin.
20So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. David made Abner and the men who were with him a feast.
21Abner said to David, “I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your soul desires.” David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.
KJV King James Version 1769
17And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David in times past to be king over you:
18Now 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.
19And 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.
20So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men that were with him a feast.
21And 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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
17And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, In times past ye sought for David to be king over you:
18now then do it; for 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.
19And 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 to the whole house of Benjamin.
20So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men that were with him a feast.
21And 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.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
17And the word of Abner was with the elders of Israel, saying, `Heretofore ye have been seeking David for king over you,
18and now, do it , for Jehovah hath spoken of David saying, By the hand of David my servant--to save My people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.'
19And Abner speaketh also in the ears of Benjamin, and Abner goeth also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that is good in the eyes of Israel, and in the eyes of all the house of Benjamin,
20and Abner cometh in unto David, to Hebron, and with him twenty men, and David maketh for Abner, and for the men who are with him, a banquet.
21And Abner saith unto David, `I arise, and go, and gather unto my lord the king the whole of Israel, and they make with thee a covenant, and thou hast reigned over all that thy soul desireth;' and David sendeth away Abner, and he goeth in peace.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
17Now Abner had communicated with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David aforetime to be king over you;
18and now do [it], for Jehovah has spoken of David, saying, By my servant David will I save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.
19And Abner also spoke 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.
20So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men that were with him a repast.
21And Abner said to David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thy heart desires. And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
17Abner also spoke to the ancients of Israel, saying: Both yesterday and the day before you sought for David that he might reign over you.
18Now then do it: because the Lord hath spoken to David, saying: By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hands of the Philistines, and of all their enemies.
19And Abner spoke also to Benjamin. And he went to speak to David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and to all Benjamin.
20And he came to David in Hebron with twenty men: and David made a feast for Abner, and his men that came with him.
21And Abner said to David: I will rise, that I may gather all Israel unto thee my lord the king, and may enter into a league with thee, and that thou mayst reign over all as thy soul desireth. Now when David had brought Abner on his way, and he was gone in peace,
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · II Samuel 3:17
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Across the Commentary tradition, a clear picture emerges. Abner, Saul’s cousin and army commander, had been the main obstacle to David’s rule over the northern tribes after Saul’s death (Barnes, Lange). The immediate catalyst for his sudden change of heart is the quarrel with Ish-bosheth over Rizpah (2 Sam 3:6, 11). Jamieson-Fausset-Brown calls Abner’s religious appeal a “base and hypocritical” cover for revenge, while Cambridge Bible and Gill note that Abner’s influence had previously kept the elders from declaring for David. All agree that his reference to Yahweh’s promise (v. 18) echoes the commission once given to Saul (1 Sam 9:16) but now transferred to David, even if no direct oracle to David survives in exactly those words (Clarke). The feast David prepares (v. 20) is understood not as mere hospitality but as a solemn covenantal meal (Barnes, Ellicott). And the phrase “he went in peace” (v. 21) signals David’s good-faith acceptance, a detail the commentators stress as key to the tragedy that follows (Joab’s murder).
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Political/Revenge Motive (dominant view): The immediate context (2 Sam 3:6–11) shows Abner’s anger at Ish-bosheth. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown and many commentators argue his religious language is opportunistic.
- Providential Hand: Despite mixed motives, Abner’s action fulfills God’s sworn promise to David (1 Sam 13:14; Ps 89:3). God uses human scheming to accomplish His purposes.
- Sincere Conversion (minority view): Abner’s words to the elders match what Scripture elsewhere says about David (1 Sam 9:16; 16:1). Some see his journey to Hebron as a genuine act of repentance.
What is clear: Abner switched sides and actively worked to bring the northern tribes under David’s rule, using both political persuasion and appeal to divine promise.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Abner’s Motive | The quarrel with Ish-bosheth over Rizpah triggered Abner’s defection (2 Sam 3:6, 11). | Some see his religious appeal as sincere recognition of God’s will; others (e.g., Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) view it as a hypocritical cover for revenge. The text does not resolve his inner state. |
| The Divine Promise to David | Yahweh had indeed chosen David and promised to save Israel through him (1 Sam 13:14; 16:1; Ps 89:3). | Whether a specific oracle to David saying “by the hand of my servant David I will save” was known to Abner or is his own inference. Clarke says it is “not extant” as a direct quote; Gill holds it was the sense of the promise commonly known. |
| David’s Discernment | David accepted Abner’s offer, made a feast, and let him go in peace. | Was David politically shrewd (securing the north) or dangerously naive (trusting a man who had opposed him)? Joab later accuses David of being fooled (2 Sam 3:24, 25). |
| Covenant Ratification | The feast (v. 20) had a formal, covenantal function, not mere hospitality. | Its religious significance: Ellicott sees it as a sacrificial feast accompanying a treaty, while others (Barnes) focus on the social and political dimension of sharing a table. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The civil war between David’s Judah and Ish-bosheth’s Israel had dragged on for years (2 Sam 2, 3). Abner had been the architect of Ish-bosheth’s kingdom, using his prestige as Saul’s uncle to hold the northern tribes together. But his sleeping with Saul’s concubine Rizpah, an act that in the ancient Near East signaled a claim to the throne, destroyed that relationship. Ish-bosheth accused him; Abner exploded in rage and immediately began betraying his master (2 Sam 3:6, 11).
In these verses, Abner moves fast. First he approaches the elders of Israel, the tribal councils who had originally wanted David as king after Saul’s death (Barnes notes that only Abner’s influence had stopped them). He reminds them of their earlier desire and, crucially, attaches it to a divine decree: Yahweh promised deliverance through “my servant David” (v. 18). Gill and Cambridge Bible point out that this language echoes the original commission to Saul (1 Sam 9:16), transferring it to David.
Then Abner addresses his own tribe, Benjamin, the source of Saul’s dynasty and the most likely to resist. Winning them over was strategic: Benjamin bordered Judah and could become a flashpoint if left hostile (Wesley, Gill). Finally, he goes to Hebron, David’s capital, with twenty men as an official delegation. The feast David throws (v. 20) is more than a meal; in ancient custom, sharing bread sealed a covenant (Ellicott). Abner’s promise to gather “all Israel” (v. 21) refers to a national assembly that would formally recognize David as king. David sends him off beshalom, in peace, trusting the arrangement.
For a reader today, the passage captures a hinge moment in Israel’s history. A bitter personal feud reshapes national politics; human scheming and divine purpose intertwine. God’s promise to David advances, but through deeply flawed hands.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for 2 Samuel 3:17, 21. The Septuagint (LXX) and Masoretic Text (MT) are in substantial agreement. The phrase “all that seemed good to Israel and to the whole house of Benjamin” (v. 19) shows minor variation in the LXX (which omits the second “seemed good”), but this does not affect the meaning. No early manuscript evidence suggests a different narrative structure.
Reception History
In Jewish tradition, this passage is read as part of the Davidic narrative that demonstrates how God’s promise to David advances despite human weakness. The rabbis noted that Abner’s defection fulfilled the divine word spoken through Samuel, even though Abner’s motives were self-serving. In Christian tradition, the feast David prepares has been seen as a type of the Eucharist, a meal that seals a new covenant, though this typology is not developed in the early fathers. Reformation commentators wrestled with the ethics of David accepting a defector who had blood on his hands. Luther and Calvin cautious about political pragmatism that uses God’s name for worldly ends. More recently, the passage has been used to explore theodicy: how God works through flawed human decisions, using Abner’s anger and ambition to bring about His purposes for David. The tragic aftermath (Joab’s murder of Abner) has led many teachers to pair this passage with 2 Samuel 3:22, 39, treating the peace of verse 21 as a fragile moment that human vengeance quickly shatters.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- Abner’s Shift in Allegiance, Anger at Ish-bosheth triggers a strategic defection. Personal grievance is repackaged as divine commission.
- The Art of Persuasion, Abner speaks to the elders of Israel, then to Benjamin, then to David. He uses past desire, religious language, and tribal diplomacy to win each audience.
- David’s Response, David accepts the offer, feeds the delegation, and sends Abner away in peace, a moment of hope that will soon be shattered by Joab’s vengeance.
Five-Point Outline
- The Situation, Civil war between Judah and Israel; Abner is the power behind Ish-bosheth’s throne.
- The Catalyst, A personal quarrel over Rizpah (2 Sam 3:7) turns Abner against his king.
- The Campaign, Abner wins over the elders of Israel, then his own tribe Benjamin, then meets David in Hebron.
- The Covenant Meal, David holds a feast, not just hospitality, but a solemn ratification of their agreement.
- The Outcome, Abner goes in peace, promising to gather all Israel. The stage is set, but tragedy is already closing in.
Illustration Hooks
- A CEO switches sides, The head of a rival company quits after a conflict with the owner, then brings key clients to the competitor. Loyalty shifts when personal respect fractures.
- The family dinner that sealed a deal, Two business partners meet over a meal after months of tension. The shared table becomes the place where trust is rebuilt, or seems to be.
- Playing the “God card”, A politician invokes religious language to justify a policy change that happens to serve his own interests. The text forces us to weigh sincerity and strategy.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- Was Abner’s conversion genuine, or was he just using God-talk to cover his ambition?
- Why did David trust a man who had been his enemy for years? Was he naïve, or politically shrewd?
- How do we distinguish between God’s will being done through flawed leaders and those leaders simply dressing up their own agendas?
Leading a Discussion
This passage captures a moment of political and personal realignment. Abner, the man who kept the northern tribes from backing David, now champions his cause, all because of a private quarrel with King Ish-bosheth. As you read through 2 Samuel 3:17, 21 together, notice how human motives and divine purpose intersect. The questions below will help your group move from what the text says to what it means for following God in a world of mixed motives.
Discussion Questions
- Observation: List every audience Abner addresses in verses 17, 21. What does he say to each group, and what does he leave unsaid?
- Observation: How does Abner frame his appeal? Find the phrase “Yahweh has spoken of David” (v. 18). Where might the elders have heard this before? (Hint: see 1 Samuel 9:16; 13:14; 15:28.)
- Interpretation: The commentators disagree on Abner’s sincerity. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown calls his religious language “base and hypocritical”; Clarke says the promise “is not extant” as a direct quote. What evidence in the text supports each view?
- Interpretation: Why does David throw a feast for Abner and his men? In the ancient world, sharing a meal had covenant significance (Genesis 26:30; 31:54). How does that change our reading of this scene?
- Application: Have you ever seen God’s purposes advance through someone whose motives were mixed? How do you discern whether to trust a person’s change of heart?
- Application: Abner goes “in peace” (v. 21), but the reader knows Joab will kill him in a few verses. How do you live faithfully when you know that even your best efforts at peace can be shattered by others’ choices?
- Application: David’s acceptance of Abner was risky. When is it right to take a risk for unity, and when is it wise to keep your distance?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Samuel 9:16 | “Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man out of the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He will save my people out of the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon my people, because their cry has come to me.” |
| I Samuel 13:14 | But now your kingdom will not continue. Yahweh has sought for himself a man after his own heart, and Yahweh has appointed him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept that which Yahweh commanded you.” |
| I Samuel 15:28 | Samuel said to him, “Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you. |
| I Samuel 16:1 | Yahweh said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided a king for myself among his sons.” |
| I Samuel 16:12 | He sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with a handsome face and good appearance. Yahweh said, “Arise! Anoint him, for this is he.” |
| I Samuel 16:13 | Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the middle of his brothers. Then Yahweh’s Spirit came mightily on David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up and went to Ramah. |
| II Samuel 3:9 | God do so to Abner, and more also, if, as Yahweh has sworn to David, I don’t do even so to him: |
| Psalms 89:3 | “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David, my servant, |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke observes that when the writer says the Lord has spoken of David, no such recorded promise exists; the phrase likely means God determined it in his own purpose. He also notes that David’s dismissal of the man was genuinely peaceful, without hidden ill intent.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights that Abner's political skill had been holding the elders back from supporting David, so Ish-bosheth was helpless under his uncle's direction. The twenty men were Abner's official envoy, but they were secretly in on his plot with David, yet the text says nothing about how David and Michal's reunion went.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that Abner engaged in separate, secret negotiations with Benjamin, the tribe most likely to resist David's kingship. The repeated mention of Abner's name throughout these verses underscores his personal agency as the one orchestrating the transfer of the very kingdom his own efforts had consolidated.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes Abner's strategic role in winning over the tribe of Benjamin, his own tribe still loyal to Saul's house, before approaching David. He sees Abner's actions as fulfilling God's earlier promise to save Israel through David, a purpose behind David's anointing that the people had come to expect.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB argues that Abner acted from malice and revenge, not piety, when he claimed God had chosen David. He used the pretense of restoring Michal to hide his betrayal of Ish-bosheth, while privately courting David. His policy with the Benjamites was calculated, not principled.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry observes that God used Abner’s personal anger at Ishbosheth’s rebuke to bring about His sworn promise to David. What began as a quarrel over a concubine became the means for transferring the kingdom. David’s demand for Michal tested Abner’s sincerity and showed he still valued his first wife.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that Benjamin is singled out because this tribe had the most reason to resist the kingdom passing out of Saul's family. They were loyal, brave, and strategically positioned between Judah and the other tribes, so winning them over was essential for bringing everyone else into line.