2 SAMUEL LESSON 3
We will begin this lesson in II Samuel 3:1 "Now there was long
war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed
stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker."
This is speaking of a period of several years. There just seemed
as if there was too much revenge to take for past happenings.
II Samuel 3:2 "And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his
firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;"
David was like many of the kings who had several wives. It
seemed that, the prosperity that went with being king, caused them to
marry several times. Sometimes, they were marriages of state to help
their political position. In the case of Ahinoam, this was not true.
She was actually the third wife of David. "Amnon" means faithful.
II Samuel 3:3 "And his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of
Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the
daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;"
The name "Chileab" means protected by the father, or quite like
the father. Abigail had married David after the death of her husband.
In 1 Chronicles chapter 3 verse 1, he is called Daniel. This son,
perhaps, did not live very long, because he is not mentioned as the
eldest son, after the deaths of Amnon and Absalom. Geshur was a small
Armenian town in the northeast of Bashan. Absalom was the only son of
Maacah. It appears, she was from a very prominent family, since her
father was a king. Absalom is best known for killing his brother Amnon
for raping their sister Tamar. In later years, he tried to take over
his father's kingdom.
II Samuel 3:4 "And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and
the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;"
Adonijah becomes the eldest son of David, after the death of the
first three. "Adonijah" means Jehovah is my LORD. Adonijah is
eventually put to death by Solomon. There is nothing more known of
Haggith, except the fact that she was the wife of David, and the
mother of Adonijah. The fifth son of David's, Shephatiah, has a name
that means Jehovah judges. About the only thing we know of Abital, the
wife of David, was that she was born in Hebron, and bore this son to
David.
II Samuel 3:5 "And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David's wife.
These were born to David in Hebron."
David was in Hebron about seven and one-half years. These
children, listed above, all were born during that time. All of these
were born about 1,000 B.C. Nothing else is known of this son, but what
is here. Some believe that Eglah, Ithream's mother, is the same as
Michal.
II Samuel 3:6 "And it came to pass, while there was war between
the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself
strong for the house of Saul."
In the last lesson, it was Abner who tried to call off the war
between him and the followers of David. Perhaps, that was for a
selfish reason, because we read here that they continued to fight off
and on for the entire rule of Ishbosheth.
II Samuel 3:7 "And Saul had a concubine, whose name [was] Rizpah,
the daughter of Aiah: and [Ish-bosheth] said to Abner, Wherefore hast
thou gone in unto my father's concubine?"
Abner was the strength of Saul's army. He really had made Abner
more powerful, than he would have been without him. What makes the
statement above ridiculous, is the fact that Saul is dead. As long as
Saul was alive, she was his, but when he died she is free to marry
anyone she wishes. In the case of a king, sometimes she would be taken
by the next king, when her husband died. This is the only error, we
could, possibly, see in this. The Levitical law does not give the
woman to the next king. This would make this a fleshly custom, and not
a law.
II Samuel 3:8 "Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-
bosheth, and said, [Am] I a dog's head, which against Judah do shew
kindness this day unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren,
and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of
David, that thou chargest me to day with a fault concerning this
woman?"
Abner was very wroth, because Ishbosheth was trying to defame
him. Abner, possibly, thought that the king was going to demote him.
Abner is asking the king, if he had betrayed him to Judah? He does not
understand why the king is trying to make him look bad, before the
people. He is explaining to the king, that he could have turned him
over to the armies of David, if he had not been loyal. He says, that
Ishbosheth is just trying to find some little something wrong, to
demote him.
II Samuel 3:9 "So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as the
LORD hath sworn to David, even so I do to him;" II Samuel 3:10 "To
translate the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne
of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beer-sheba."
We see, from this, that Abner knew all along that the LORD had
anointed David king by Samuel. Suddenly, he is saying, that David will
be king over all the people. It is inevitable, because the LORD
anointed him as king. He is speaking prophetically, that David will be
king of both Israel and Judah. It is not if David will be king of
them all, but when.
II Samuel 3:11 "And he could not answer Abner a word again,
because he feared him."
Ishbosheth was not a strong person in the beginning. Even though
what he said was treason, he did not arrest Abner, for fear Abner
would kill him. Ishbosheth had no idea, whether the men would be
faithful to him or not, if he went against their military leader,
Abner. He just did and said nothing.
II 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."
Abner, it seems, was not afraid of Ishbosheth. He did not even
regard that Ishbosheth was king. He sent word to David, that he could
give him possession of the land, if David would go into an agreement
with him. "Whose is the land" is a sarcastic remark, that he can hand
over the land of Ishbosheth to David.
II Samuel 3:13 "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 Saul's daughter, when thou comest
to see my face."
Saul had given David Michal to wife in his youth. She was David's
first wife. When Saul turned on David, and David had to go in exile to
save his life, Saul gave her to another man. It appears, from this,
that David wanted her back. David not only wants her for his wife, but
wants the recognition of Saul's daughter being his wife. The only way
that David will make an agreement with Abner is, if Abner brings
David's wife back to him.
II Samuel 3:14 "And David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth Saul's
son, saying, Deliver [me] my wife Michal, which I espoused to me for
an hundred foreskins of the Philistines."
David had bought the right to be Michal's husband by killing the
Philistines, and carrying their foreskins to Saul. Saul had no right
to give David's wife to another. She was David's, not Saul's, to do
with such as this.
II Samuel 3:15 "And Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from [her]
husband, [even] from Phaltiel the son of Laish."
"Phaltiel" means deliverance of God. This is first strange, that
it would be Ishbosheth that would do this instead of Abner. It is,
also, very unusual for a woman, who is living with her husband, to be
taken from him for another. This is really what happened in the
beginning with Michal and David, so perhaps, that is why this happens
here.
II Samuel 3:16 "And her husband went with her along weeping
behind her to Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go, return. And he
returned."
They had lived together for a number of years, so it would be
understandable that this would grieve her husband. He must understand,
however, that it grieved David, when she had been taken from him
earlier. Abner refuses to let him go with Michal, and sends him home.
II Samuel 3:17 "And Abner had communication with the elders of
Israel, saying, Ye sought for David in times past [to be] king over
you:"
It seemed that, many of the elders had felt they should have
David for king. They had to go along with Abner taking Michal back to
David, as well. They had wanted David to be king all along.
II Samuel 3:18 "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."
It appears Abner knew all along that David was the choice of the
LORD for king. He knew that the LORD had told David, he would save his
people from the Philistines. The Philistines were their enemies, as
well as David's enemies. Abner had suffered defeat at the hands of the
Philistines. He had, also, suffered defeat at the hands of Joab,
David's military leader. Abner has lost his leadership qualities.
II Samuel 3:19 "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."
It appears that, the house of Benjamin wanted to follow David.
They were in mutual consent, that the agreement with David would be a
very good thing. Abner had extra strength to carry to the bargaining
table, because the house of Benjamin was behind him.
II Samuel 3:20 "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."
Many times, agreements were made over a big feast of celebration.
These 20 men, that came to this feast, were, possibly, the elders
spoken of earlier. They were men of influence who, also, wanted to
make agreement with David. The group, also, brought Michal back to
David. This was their part of the bargain, to get David to sit down
and talk to them. There would be details to work out for David to
become king of all Israel.
II Samuel 3:21 "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."
The tribes would be gathered together and unanimously make David
their king. Abner had been their true leader, and he would tell them
he thought this would be a good thing to do. David allowed Abner to
leave peacefully, to go and tell the others of the plans.
2 Samuel 3 Questions
1. During the wars between the house of Saul and the house of David,
what happened?
2. Who was the firstborn son of David?
3. Who was the mother of the son?
4. Who was David's son by Abigail?
5. Who was Abigail, before she married David?
6. What does "Chileab" mean?
7. What name is Chileab called in the book of 1 Chronicles chapter 3
verse 1?
8. Who was Absalom the son of?
9. What is Absalom best known for?
10. When does Adonijah become the eldest son of David?
11. What does "Adonijah" mean?
12. How many years did David reign from Hebron?
13. Who was strong in the house of Saul?
14. Who ruled at that time?
15. What was the name of Saul's concubine, who Abner went in to?
16. If there is no law about taking a dead man's wife or concubine,
then this is a ___________.
17. In verses 9 and 10, what is Abner saying about David?
18. Why did Ishbosheth not arrest Abner for saying, David would be
king?
19. What sarcastic remark did Abner make in verse 12?
20. How did David answer Abner's offer to an agreement?
21. Why did David want Michal?
22. What was the condition David placed upon the possibility of an
agreement?
23. Who did David send a message to, to release his wife to him?
24. Who was her husband at this time?
25. What is unusual about all of this?
26. How did her husband act at them taking Michal?
27. Who had Abner communicated with?
28. What had Abner known from the beginning?
29. Who came with Abner to Hebron to meet with David?
30. Who will Abner go back to, to get them to agree to the proposal he
and David had made?
31. How did David let Abner leave?
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