2 Samuel 3:6-7: Abner Accused Of Impropriety With The Royal Concubine
“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. And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ishbosheth said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father's concubine?”
- 2 Samuel 3:6-7 (KJV)
“Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul:” It seems that Abner supported a weak man like Ishbosheth in power so he could be the power behind the throne. As time went on, he increased in strength and influence “for the house of Saul.”
“Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father's concubine?” Ishbosheth accused Abner of a serious crime. Taking a royal concubine was regarded as both sexual immorality and treason.
This might seems strange that there was a controversy over the concubine of Saul, especially because Saul was dead. Yet in their thinking, the king’s bride belonged to him and him alone, even if he was absent. This principle is even more true for Jesus and His bride. The church belongs to no one but Jesus, and it is treason to “take” the bride of Christ as if she were our own possession.
God bless!
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2 Samuel 3:8-11: Abner’s Harsh Reply
“Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ishbosheth, 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? So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as the Lord hath sworn to David, even so I do to him; 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 Beersheba. And he could not answer Abner a word again, because he feared him.”
- 2 Samuel 3:8-11 (KJV)
“Then was Abner very wroth:” We aren’t specifically told, but Abner’s response leads us to believe that the accusation was false. It is possible that as he was strengthening his hold on the house of Saul he took the concubine as an expression of his power and dominance. It is more likely that because of Abner’s increasing power Ishbosheth felt it necessary to invent this accusation as a reason to get rid of Abner.
“As the Lord hath sworn to David, even so I do to him.” Abner told Ishbosheth that he would now support David and help David fulfill what the Lord promised; “to translate the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David.”
If Abner knew that David was God’s choice for king, he had no good reason to fight against him before this. Abner is a good example of those of us who know things to be true but we don’t live as if they were true.
Abner did the right thing in joining David’s side, but he did it for the wrong reason. Instead of joining David because Ishbosheth offended him personally, he should have joined David because he knew that David was God’s choice to be king.
Christian brothers and sisters, have you told a non believer about King Jesus today?
“And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords.
- Revelations 19:16 (KJV)
God bless!
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