8 Then was Abner very angry for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I a dog's head that belongs to Judah? This day do I show kindness to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and yet you charge me this day with a fault concerning this woman.
He did obeisance, and said, "What is your servant, that you should look on such a dead dog as I am?"
Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me go over and take off his head."
Samuel said to him, Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you.
After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom do you pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. Yahweh therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and you, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand.
now 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.
In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel: and Yahweh said to you, You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.
Why do the nations rage, And the peoples plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth take a stand, And the rulers take counsel together, Against Yahweh, and against his anointed,{The word "anointed" is the same as the word for "Messiah" or "Christ"} saying, "Let's break their bonds apart, And cast away their cords from us." He who sits in the heavens will laugh. The Lord will have them in derision.
Surely the wrath of man praises you. The survivors of your wrath are restrained.
For John said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." Herodias set herself against him, and desired to kill him, but she couldn't,
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Samuel 3
Commentary on 2 Samuel 3 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 3
The battle between Joab and Abner did not end the controversy between the two houses of Saul and David, but it is in this chapter working towards a period. Here is,
2Sa 3:1-6
Here is,
Thus was David's house strengthened; but it was Abner that made himself strong for the house of Saul, which is mentioned (v. 6) to show that, if he failed them, they would fall of course.
2Sa 3:7-21
Here,
2Sa 3:22-39
We have here an account of the murder of Abner by Joab, and David's deep resentment of it.