How does David respond when Joab kills Abner after David has sent him away in peace?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

David declares himself and his kingdom innocent of Abner’s blood, places the blame on Joab’s house and leads the mourning. All Israel understands that day that Abner’s death was not the king’s doing.

Chapter breakdown

There is a long war between Saul’s house and David’s house. David prospers and grows stronger and stronger, while Saul’s house weakens daily.

Challoner’s separate note describes this as a strife or emulation rather than a war with arms, and says it lasted five years and a half.

Six sons are born to David in Hebron. His firstborn is Amnon, of Achinoam the Jezrahelitess. The second is Cheleab, of Abigail, identified as the wife of Nabal of Carmel. The third is Absalom, son of Maacha, daughter of Tholmai king of Gessur. The fourth is Adonias, son of Haggith; the fifth is Saphathia, son of Abital; and the sixth is Jethraam, of Egla, David’s wife. The passage closes the list by repeating that these sons were born to David in Hebron.

During the war between the houses, Abner, son of Ner, rules Saul’s house. Saul had a concubine named Respha, daughter of Aia. Isboseth asks Abner why he went in to his father’s concubine. Abner becomes exceedingly angry at Isboseth’s words. He asks whether he is a dog’s head against Juda that day, after showing mercy to Saul’s house, Saul’s brothers and friends, and not delivering Isboseth into David’s hands. He challenges Isboseth for charging him that day with a matter concerning a woman. Abner calls on God to punish him, and more also, unless he does for David what he says the Lord has sworn: transfer the kingdom from Saul’s house and set up David’s throne over Israel and Juda, from Dan to Bersabee. Isboseth cannot answer him a word because he fears him.

Abner sends messengers to David on his own behalf. He asks whose the land is and proposes a league, promising his support and that he will bring all Israel to David. David agrees, with one requirement: Abner must bring Michol, Saul’s daughter, before he can see David’s face. David also sends messengers to Saul’s son Isboseth, asking him to restore his wife Michol, whom he married for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines. Isboseth sends for her and takes her from her husband Phaltiel, son of Lais. Phaltiel follows her weeping as far as Bahurim. Abner tells him to go back, and he returns.

Abner tells Israel’s elders that both yesterday and the day before they wanted David to reign over them. He urges them to act now, because the Lord has said that through his servant David he will save Israel from the Philistines and all their enemies. Abner speaks to Benjamin too. He goes to David in Hebron to report what seems good to Israel and all Benjamin. He arrives with twenty men, and David makes a feast for him and the men with him. Abner says he will rise and gather all Israel to David, his lord the king, so that they may make a league with him and he may reign over all as his soul desires. David brings Abner on his way, and Abner leaves in peace.

Immediately afterward, David’s servants and Joab arrive with very great booty after killing the robbers. Abner is no longer with David in Hebron, having been sent away in peace. Joab and all his army are told that Abner, son of Ner, came to the king and left in peace. Joab asks David what he has done and why he sent Abner away. He claims Abner came to deceive David and learn his going out, his coming in and everything he does.

Joab leaves David and sends messengers after Abner. They bring him back from the cistern of Sira, with David knowing nothing about it. When Abner returns to Hebron, Joab takes him aside to the middle of the gate to speak to him treacherously. He stabs him in the groin, and Abner dies. The text states that this is revenge for the blood of Joab’s brother Asael.

David hears of the killing after it has happened. He declares himself and his kingdom innocent before the Lord forever of the blood of Abner, son of Ner. He calls for it to rest on Joab’s head and all his father’s house. He asks that Joab’s house never lack someone with an issue of seed, a leper, one who holds the distaff, one who falls by the sword or one who lacks bread. The account says Joab and his brother Abisai killed Abner because he had killed their brother Asael in the battle at Gabaon.

David tells Joab and all the people with him to tear their clothes, put on sackcloth and mourn before Abner’s funeral. David himself follows the bier. They bury Abner in Hebron. David raises his voice and weeps at Abner’s grave, and all the people weep too. In his lament, David says Abner did not die as cowards die: his hands were not bound and his feet were not loaded with fetters, but he fell as men fall before the children of iniquity. All the people repeat it and weep over Abner.

While it is still broad day, all the people come to take food with David. David swears that God may punish him, and more also, if he tastes bread or anything else before sunset. The people hear and are pleased; everything the king does seems good in their sight. All the people and all Israel understand that day that the killing of Abner, son of Ner, was not the king’s doing. David asks his servants whether they know that a prince and a great man has been killed that day in Israel. He says he is still tender, though anointed king, and that these sons of Sarvia are too hard for him. He calls on the Lord to repay the evildoer according to his wickedness.

The story inside

Abner’s promise to gather all Israel is still pending when David sends him away in peace. Joab returns after that departure, challenges David and accuses Abner of deception. The narrative then marks a clear break between Joab’s action and David’s knowledge: Joab recalls Abner from Sira without David knowing, and kills him at the gate in revenge for Asael. David responds after learning of the deed. He places its blood on Joab’s house, commands mourning, follows the bier and refuses food before sunset. The people come to understand that day that the killing was not David’s doing. The ending also leaves David’s own stated limit in view: although anointed king, he calls himself tender and says the sons of Sarvia are too hard for him. The chapter records this response and limit; it does not report that Abner’s planned league was completed.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Separate a promise from its completion. Abner offers to bring all Israel to David and leaves to gather them. His death intervenes before the chapter records such a gathering, so the proposed league must remain a proposal in the account.
2
Keep an accusation distinct from a narrator’s explanation. Joab says Abner came to deceive David, but the text gives revenge for Asael as the reason for Joab’s fatal stab. Treating the accusation as proven spying or replacing revenge with jealousy changes the passage.
3
David’s response includes both public action and a stated limit. He leads the mourning and refuses food, and all Israel understands that the killing was not his doing. He also says the sons of Sarvia are too hard for him and calls for the Lord to repay evil; both parts belong in the ending.

Test your recall

Why does Joab kill Abner, and how do David’s response and the people’s understanding distinguish the killing from David’s actions?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 31917–31924
2 Kings Chapter 3 David groweth daily stronger. Abner cometh over to him: he is treacherously slain by Joab. 3:1. Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: David prospering and growing always stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul decaying daily.
Lines 31926–31927
There was a long war between the house of Saul, etc.... Rather a strife or emulation than a war with arms; it lasted five years and a half.
Lines 31929–31940
3:2. And sons were born to David in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon of Achinoam the Jezrahelitess: 3:3. And his second Cheleab of Abigail the wife of Nabal of Carmel: and the third Absalom the son of Maacha the daughter of Tholmai king of Gessur: 3:4. And the fourth Adonias, the son of Haggith: and the fifth Saphathia the son of Abital: 3:5. And the sixth Jethraam of Egla the wife of David: these were born to David in Hebron.
Lines 31942–31962
3:6. Now while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner the son of Ner ruled the house of Saul. 3:7. And Saul had a concubine named Respha, the daughter of Aia. And Isboseth said to Abner: 3:8. Why didst thou go in to my father’s concubine? And he was exceedingly angry for the words of Isboseth, and said: Am I a dog’s head against Juda this day, who have shewn mercy to the house of Saul thy father, and to his brethren and friends, and have not delivered thee into the hands of David, and hast thou sought this day against me to charge me with a matter concerning a woman? 3:9. So do God to Abner, and more also, unless as the Lord hath sworn to David, so I do to him, 3:10. That the kingdom be translated from the house of Saul, and the throne of David be set up over Israel, and over Juda from Dan to Bersabee. 3:11. And he could not answer him a word, because he feared him.
Lines 31964–31980
3:12. Abner therefore sent messengers to David for himself, saying: Whose is the land? and that they should say: Make a league with me, and my hand shall be with thee: and I will bring all Israel to thee. 3:13. And he said: Very well: I will make a league with thee: but one thing I require of thee, saying: Thou shalt not see my face before thou bring Michol the daughter of Saul: and so thou shalt come, and see me. 3:14. And David sent messengers to Isboseth the son of Saul, saying: Restore my wife Michol, whom I espoused to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines. 3:15. And Isboseth sent, and took her from her husband Phaltiel, the son of Lais. 3:16. And her husband followed her, weeping as far as Bahurim: and Abner said to him: Go and return. And he returned.
Lines 31982–31999
3:17. Abner also spoke to the ancients of Israel, saying: Both yesterday and the day before you sought for David that he might reign over you. 3:18. Now 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. 3:19. And Abner spoke also to Benjamin. And he went to speak to David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and to all Benjamin. 3:20. And he came to David in Hebron with twenty men: and David made a feast for Abner, and his men that came with him. 3:21. And 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,
Lines 32001–32016
3:22. Immediately, David’s servants and Joab came, after having slain the robbers, with an exceeding great booty. And Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had now sent him away, and he was gone in peace. 3:23. And Joab and all the army that was with him, came afterwards: and it was told Joab, that Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace. 3:24. And Joab went in to the king, and said: What hast thou done? Behold Abner came to thee: Why didst thou send him away, and he is gone and departed? 3:25. Knowest thou not Abner the son of Ner, that to this end he came to thee, that he might deceive thee, and to know thy going out, and thy coming in, and to know all thou dost?
Lines 32018–32024
3:26. Then Joab going out from David, sent messengers after Abner, and brought him back from the cistern of Sira, David knowing nothing of it. 3:27. And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside to the middle of the gate, to speak to him treacherously: and he stabbed him there in the groin, and he died, in revenge of the blood of Asael his brother.
Lines 32026–32036
3:28. And when David heard of it, after the thing was now done, he said: I, and my kingdom are innocent before the Lord for ever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner: 3:29. And may it come upon the head of Joab, and upon all his father’s house: and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue of seed, or that is a leper, or that holdeth the distaff, or that falleth by the sword, or that wanteth bread. 3:30. So Joab and Abisai his brother slew Abner, because he had killed their brother Asael at Gabaon in the battle.
Lines 32038–32051
3:31. And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him: Rend your garments, and gird yourselves with sackcloths, and mourn before the funeral of Abner. And king David himself followed the bier. 3:32. And when they had buried Abner in Hebron, king David lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner: and all the people also wept. 3:33. And the king mourning and lamenting over Abner, said: Not as cowards are wont to die, hath Abner died. 3:34. Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet laden with fetters: but as men fall before the children of iniquity, so didst thou fall. And all the people repeating it wept over him.
Lines 32053–32070
3:35. And when all the people came to take meat with David, while it was yet broad day, David swore, saying: So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread or any thing else before sunset. 3:36. And all the people heard, and they were pleased, and all that the king did seemed good in the sight of all the people. 3:37. And all the people, and all Israel understood that day that it was not the king’s doing, that Abner the son of Ner was slain. 3:38. The king also said to his servants: Do you not know that a prince and a great man is slain this day in Israel? 3:39. But I as yet am tender, though anointed king. And these men the sons of Sarvia are too hard for me: the Lord reward him that doth evil according to his wickedness.