Abner
אֲבִינֵר · av.ner · H0074“father of light” Hitchcock's 186953 mentions in 4 books, most in 2 Samuel (40)
Who he was
Abner was the son of Ner and the cousin of King Saul, Israel's first monarch. He served as the commander of Saul's army (1 Samuel 14:50–51). Abner was a prominent figure during Saul's reign and demonstrated his loyalty to the king, as seen in his interactions with David (1Sa.17.55-57; 20.25; 26.5-15).
After Saul's death, Abner supported Saul's son Ish-bosheth as king over Israel, while David reigned over Judah (2 Samuel 2:8–10). During this time, there was a long war between the houses of Saul and David (2 Samuel 3:1). Abner led Ish-bosheth's forces against David's army, commanded by Joab (2 Samuel 2:12–17). In a battle at Gibeon, Abner killed Joab's brother Asahel, who had pursued him (2 Samuel 2:18–23).
Later, Abner defected to David after a dispute with Ish-bosheth (2 Samuel 3:6–21). He worked to transfer the kingdom to David and made an agreement with him (2 Samuel 3:12–21). However, Joab, seeking revenge for his brother's death, murdered Abner (2 Samuel 3:22–27). David mourned Abner's death and declared his innocence in the matter (2 Samuel 3:28–39).
Abner's defection and death weakened Ish-bosheth's position, and he was eventually assassinated (2 Samuel 4:1–8). This paved the way for David to become king over all Israel (2 Samuel 5:1–5). David later reminded Solomon of Joab's actions against Abner (1Ki.2.5, 32). Abner is also mentioned in connection with the treasures dedicated to the Lord (1 Chronicles 26:28) and as the father of Jaasiel, a leader in David's army (1 Chronicles 27:21).
Article: STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0
Family
Family relations: STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0
Every mention
53 references, counted from STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0 · verse text: World English Bible (public domain)
1 Samuel9 mentions
1 Samuel 14:50The name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the captain of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle.1 Samuel 14:51Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.1 Samuel 17:55When Saul saw David go out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the army, “Abner, whose son is this youth?” Abner said, “As your soul lives, O king, I can’t tell.”1 Samuel 17:57As David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.1 Samuel 20:25The king sat on his seat, as at other times, even on the seat by the wall; and Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, but David’s place was empty.1 Samuel 26:5Then David arose and came to the place where Saul had encamped; and David saw the place where Saul lay, with Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his army. Saul lay within the place of the…1 Samuel 26:7So David and Abishai came to the people by night; and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the place of the wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people…1 Samuel 26:14and David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, “Don’t you answer, Abner?” Then Abner answered, “Who are you who calls to the king?”1 Samuel 26:15David said to Abner, “Aren’t you a man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not kept watch over your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy your lord the king.
2 Samuel40 mentions
2 Samuel 2:8Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s army, had taken Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.2 Samuel 2:12Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.2 Samuel 2:14Abner said to Joab, “Please let the young men arise and compete before us!” Joab said, “Let them arise!”2 Samuel 2:17The battle was very severe that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before David’s servants.2 Samuel 2:19Asahel pursued Abner. He didn’t turn to the right hand or to the left from following Abner.2 Samuel 2:20Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” He answered, “It is.”2 Samuel 2:21Abner said to him, “Turn away to your right hand or to your left, and grab one of the young men, and take his armor.” But Asahel would not turn away from following him.2 Samuel 2:22Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn away from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I look Joab your brother in the face?”2 Samuel 2:23However, he refused to turn away. Therefore Abner with the back end of the spear struck him in the body, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there and died in the same…2 Samuel 2:24But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. The sun went down when they had come to the hill of Ammah, that lies before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.2 Samuel 2:25The children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner and became one band, and stood on the top of a hill.2 Samuel 2:26Then Abner called to Joab, and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Don’t you know that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long will it be then, before you ask the people to…2 Samuel 2:29Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah; and they passed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and came to Mahanaim.2 Samuel 2:30Joab returned from following Abner; and when he had gathered all the people together, nineteen men of David’s and Asahel were missing.2 Samuel 2:31But David’s servants had struck Benjamin and Abner’s men so that three hundred sixty men died.2 Samuel 3:6While there was war between Saul’s house and David’s house, Abner made himself strong in Saul’s house.2 Samuel 3:7Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah; and Ishbosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?”2 Samuel 3:8Then Abner was very angry about Ishbosheth’s words, and said, “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness to your father Saul’s house, to his brothers, and to his…2 Samuel 3:9God do so to Abner, and more also, if, as Yahweh has sworn to David, I don’t do even so to him:2 Samuel 3:11He could not answer Abner another word, because he was afraid of him.2 Samuel 3:12Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, “Whose is the land?” and saying, “Make your alliance with me, and behold, my hand will be with you to bring all Israel around to you.”2 Samuel 3:16Her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go! Return!” and he returned.2 Samuel 3:17Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, “In times past, you sought for David to be king over you.2 Samuel 3:19Abner also spoke 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 to the whole house of Benjamin.2 Samuel 3:20So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. David made Abner and the men who were with him a feast.2 Samuel 3:21Abner said to David, “I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your soul desires.”…2 Samuel 3:22Behold, David’s servants and Joab came from a raid and brought in a great plunder with them; but Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.2 Samuel 3:23When Joab and all the army who was with him had come, they told Joab, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he has gone in peace.”2 Samuel 3:24Then Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why is it that you have sent him away, and he is already gone?2 Samuel 3:25You know Abner the son of Ner. He came to deceive you, and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you do.”2 Samuel 3:26When Joab had come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David didn’t know it.2 Samuel 3:27When Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the middle of the gate to speak with him quietly, and struck him there in the body, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his…2 Samuel 3:28Afterward, when David heard it, he said, “I and my kingdom are guiltless before Yahweh forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner.2 Samuel 3:30So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.2 Samuel 3:31David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, and clothe yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn in front of Abner.” King David followed the bier.2 Samuel 3:32They buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at Abner’s grave; and all the people wept.2 Samuel 3:33The king lamented for Abner, and said, “Should Abner die as a fool dies?2 Samuel 3:37So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to kill Abner the son of Ner.2 Samuel 4:1When Saul’s son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.2 Samuel 4:12David commanded his young men, and they killed them, cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it in…
1 Kings2 mentions
1 Kings 2:5“Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, even what he did to the two captains of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom…1 Kings 2:32Yahweh will return his blood on his own head, because he fell on two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword, and my father David didn’t know it: Abner the…
1 Chronicles2 mentions
1 Chronicles 26:28All that Samuel the seer, Saul the son of Kish, Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah had dedicated, whoever had dedicated anything, it was under the hand of Shelomoth and of…1 Chronicles 27:21of the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo the son of Zechariah; of Benjamin, Jaasiel the son of Abner;
What the dictionary says
Father of light; i.e., “enlightening”, the son of Ner and uncle of Saul.
Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
Read the article →Sources
- STEPBible TIPNR · Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References · CC BY 4.0 · github.com/STEPBible/STEPBible-Data
- Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (1869) · Public domain