II Samuel 3:36 · Bible study
2 Samuel 3:36 Commentary: The People Take Notice
Hebrew · 6 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Commentators agree this verse shows the people's discernment that David was innocent in Abner's murder. Its Hebrew verb means to recognize, not blindly approve.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The people recognized David's genuine grief and concluded he was uninvolved in Abner's murder.
- Key words: hik?iru (they paid regard) and tov (good, pleasing) in the eyes of the people.
- Main debate: Whether this approval was discerning or ironically temporary given later rebellion.
- Theological theme: God's anointed king vindicated by public witness; the importance of innocence and transparency.
- Best use: A model for how communities can evaluate leaders fairly and how leaders can earn trust through visible integrity.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
All the people took note and were pleased. In fact, everything the king did pleased them.
WEB World English Bible 2000
All the people took notice of it, and it pleased them, as whatever the king did pleased all the people.
KJV King James Version 1769
And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them: as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them; as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And all the people have discerned it , and it is good in their eyes, as all that the king hath done is good in the eyes of all the people;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And all the people remarked it, and it pleased them; as whatever the king did pleased all the people.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And all the people heard, and they were pleased, and all that the king did seemed good in the sight of all the people.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Súpolo así todo el pueblo, y plugo en sus ojos; porque todo lo que el rey hacía parecía bien en ojos de todo el pueblo.
Soube-o assim todo aquele povo, e pareceu bem em seus olhos; porque tudo o que o rei fazia parecia bem em olhos de todo aquele povo.
Cela fut connu et approuvé de tout le peuple, qui trouva bon tout ce qu’ avait fait le roi.
Und alles Volk erkannte es, und gefiel ihnen auch wohl, wie alles, was der König tat, dem ganzen Volke wohl gefiel;
Als al het volk dit vernam, zo was het goed in hun ogen, alles, zoals de koning gedaan had, was goed in de ogen van het ganse volk.
E tutto il popolo capì e approvò la cosa; tutto quello che il re fece fu approvato da tutto il popolo.
Co gdy wszystek lud obaczył, podobało się im to; a wszystko cokolwiek czynił król, podobało się w oczach wszystkiego ludu.
И весь народ узнал это, и понравилось ему это, как и все, что делал царь, нравилось всему народу.
眾 民 知道了 就都喜悅。凡 王 所 行的，眾 民無不喜悅。
And all the people took note of it and were pleased: like everything the king did, it was pleasing to the people.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · II Samuel 3:36
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree this verse records the people's recognition of David's innocence in Abner's murder. Adam Clarke notes that the people saw the king's grief was sincere and that he had no part in the murder. John Gill expands: they observed his oath, his sorrow, and his funeral oration, and it pleased them because it was clear he had no hand in it. John Wesley simply says they were satisfied concerning David's integrity. The Hebrew verb hik?iru (they paid regard, they discerned) supports this, it is a strong verb meaning to take note intelligently, not to approve unthinkingly. So the verse describes informed, observant approval, not blind loyalty.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Immediate discernment view: The context (vv.35-37) shows the people recognized David's innocence; the verb 'took notice' implies careful observation.
- Rhetorical hyperbole view: The phrase 'as whatever the king did pleased all the people' sounds sweeping; it may be a narrator's general statement about David's popularity at the time.
- Foreshadowing of fickleness view: Given later popular rebellion (2 Sam 15:6,13), this approval is temporary. The verse highlights how quickly acclaim can turn to rejection.
What is clear: The people at that moment did not blame David for Abner's murder and were pleased by his conduct at the funeral.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| What the people 'took notice' of | All commentators agree they observed David's mourning, oath, and funeral conduct, and were satisfied he was innocent. | Some emphasize this as a general approval of everything David did (Gill's phrase 'an high opinion of him'), while others limit it to the immediate situation. |
| Scope of 'all the people' | The phrase refers to those present at Abner's funeral in Hebron and the wider Israelite community that heard about it. | Some take it as a hyperbolic statement of David's popularity at that moment; others see it as historically accurate that the entire nation was convinced. |
| Foreshadowing of later rebellion | This verse shows David's approval at one point; later chapters (2 Sam 15) show the crowd turned against him. | Some see irony: the same people who approved David later follow Absalom. Others distinguish between the witnesses at the funeral and later political agitators. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This verse sits at the climax of Abner's funeral in Hebron. Abner, Saul's former general, had switched allegiance to David and was negotiating to bring the northern tribes under David's rule. Joab murdered Abner in revenge for the death of his brother Asahel, putting David in a dangerous position: the northern tribes could suspect David ordered the hit. David had to show he was innocent. So he publicly mourned, fasting, weeping, following the bier (v.31-35). The people watched everything. In the ancient Near East, a king's involvement in a murder would destroy his legitimacy. Public grief was expected, but David went beyond ritual: he made an oath to fast until sundown (v.35). The people took notice of this and were pleased. They saw his actions were genuine. This cleared David's name, as v.37 states plainly. The phrase “as whatever the king did pleased all the people” may seem sweeping, but it refers to the whole funeral event. Later chapters show the crowd could turn: Absalom later stole the hearts of Israel (2 Sam 15:13), and the people cried for Barabbas over Christ (Mark 15:11-13). So this approval was real but not permanent, human loyalty is fragile. But at this moment, the people used their eyes and judged rightly.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts.
Reception History
Jewish and Christian readers have historically read this verse as a testimony to David's integrity. Medieval commentators often used it to argue that a leader's public conduct can vindicate him against false accusations. In Reformation preaching, David's mourning was presented as a model of righteous grief and innocence. Some modern interpreters point out the tension with later rebellion, noting that human approval is fickle. The verse has also been cited in discussions of leadership and public trust.
Preaching This Verse
,
Three-point outline
- The people watched carefully: the verb implies active discernment, not passive acceptance.
- The people were satisfied: David's public mourning convinced them of his innocence.
- The people approved everything: at that moment, the king's actions were blameless in their eyes.
Five-point outline
- Recognition: the people paid attention to what the king did.
- Discernment: they judged that David's grief was real and his hands were clean.
- Approval: they were pleased with his conduct, it was good in their eyes.
- Scope: everything the king did in the funeral process met with their favor.
- Result: the next verse says all Israel understood David was not the killer (v.37).
Illustration hooks
- A public figure falsely accused of a crime who is later cleared by a thorough investigation and a transparent display of character.
- A teenager wrongly suspected of breaking something at home: when the parent watches the teen's honest reaction, the real situation becomes clear.
- The way a jury watches a defendant's body language and testimony, not to approve everything, but to discern truth.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How can I tell when a leader is sincere or just performing?
- Does this verse mean we should approve everything a pastor or politician does?
- What do I do when I later discover a leader I trusted was not innocent?
Leading a Discussion
This verse shows the people using their eyes and minds to evaluate David's conduct. They saw his grief and fasting, and concluded he was innocent. As a group, discuss what it means to discern wisely as a community.
Discussion questions
- What exactly did the people “take notice” of? List the actions of David described in the surrounding verses (vv.31-35).
- The verb hik?iru (they paid regard) emphasizes discernment. Why is it important that the people did not just accept David's innocence without evidence?
- Verse 36 says everything the king did pleased all the people. Is this a positive statement, or could it be a warning about uncritical approval? Compare with 2 Samuel 15:6.
- How does the crowd's later support for Absalom (2 Sam 15:13) affect your reading of this verse? Does it mean the approval here was fake, or does it show how quickly public opinion can change?
- What does this passage teach about the relationship between a leader's actions and the trust of the people? Give a modern example.
- How can a church community practice discernment without slipping into gossip or suspicion?
- In what areas of your life do you need to “take notice” more carefully, of your own actions, or of others'?
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)
| II Samuel 15:6 | Absalom did this sort of thing to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. |
| II Samuel 15:13 | A messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.” |
| Psalms 62:9 | Surely men of low degree are just a breath, and men of high degree are a lie. In the balances they will go up. They are together lighter than a breath. |
| Mark 7:37 | They were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes even the deaf hear and the mute speak!” |
| Mark 15:11 | But the chief priests stirred up the multitude, that he should release Barabbas to them instead. |
| Mark 15:13 | They cried out again, “Crucify him!” |
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
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that the people who witnessed David's public grief came away convinced of the king's innocence. His genuine sorrow showed them he had no part in Abner's murder and no secret plot against the general.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note emphasizes the people's complete and unanimous approval of King David. They not only understood his actions but were pleased by them, and this sentiment extended to everything the king did. The comment highlights a season of perfect harmony between David and his subjects.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that the people observed not only David's vow to fast but his entire conduct at Abner's funeral, including his sorrow and his pointed words against the murderer. His behavior convinced them he had no part in the death, and their high regard for him made them approve of everything he did.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that Abner's taking of Saul's concubine was a political claim to royal rights, not an attempt to seize the throne. Ishbosheth's accusation sprang from suspicion, but Abner's angry defection reveals personal pride and wounded ambition, not genuine submission to God's purpose for David.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that David's elaborate curse on Joab's household shows how deeply he abhorred the murder, and that David's public mourning proved his innocence. David could not punish Joab legally but called on God to avenge the bloodshed, making clear his own hands were clean.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Pleased them - They were satisfied concerning David's integrity.