2 Samuel 3:1–21 Abner’s Treaty with David

[Study Aired September 28, 2026]

In today’s study, we shall look at the long war between the house of Saul and that of David.  The study also focuses on the quarrel between Abner and Ishbosheth, which resulted in Abner resolve to shift Israel’s allegiance to David, preparing the way for David to be crowned king of Israel.   

Abner Joins David

2Sa 3:1  There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul became weaker and weaker. 

The house of Saul represents our brothers and sisters in the churches of this world, and the house of David signifies the church of the Lord’s elect. What we need to understand is that this war was initiated by Saul because of his fears that David would usurp his kingship. David had no intention of waging any war with Saul, just as we, His elect, do not want to have any conflict with our brothers and sisters in Babylon. With the death of Saul, this war continues with Ishbosheth, his son, also fearing that David will become king of Israel if not checked. This long war between the house of Saul and that of David therefore signifies how in every generation, our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world hate us, His elect, because they feel insecure of their reward because of us. 

As indicated in Revelation, our brothers and sisters in Babylon consider us as spiritually dead, and their hatred against us is demonstrated by their refusal to bury the bodies of the two witnesses who represent the elect.

Rev 11:7  And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them, 
Rev 11:8  and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified. 
Rev 11:9  For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb, 
Rev 11:10  and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth.

It is important to note here in verse 1 that David grew stronger and stronger over time as the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker. This is to tell us that as His elect, represented by David, even as our flesh is wasting away, our inner man is being renewed in Christ day after day. On the other hand, our brothers and sisters in Babylon are becoming worse off as their flesh wastes away over time.  

2Co 4:15  For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. 
2Co 4:16  For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

2Sa 3:2  And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; 
2Sa 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; 
2Sa 3:4  And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; 
2Sa 3:5  And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron. 

The meaning of the names of the children born to David over the years in his stay in Hebron (which means ‘association’), signifies how the Lord has dealt with David or us over the years. The name of the first born son, called Amnon, means ‘faithful.’ It shows how we have come to realize the faithfulness of the Lord to us in our walk with Him. 

1Co 1:9  God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

The name of the second son is Chileab, which means ‘like his father.’ This implies that how we are becoming like our father, Jesus, over the years. 

Rom 8:29  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

The third son was called Absalom which means ‘my father is peace.’ It demonstrates that as we walk with Christ, the peace of God which passes all understanding is keeping our hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. 

Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

The name of the fourth son was called Adonijah which means ‘My Lord is Jehovah.’ The literal translation of the name “Jehovah” means ‘to be’ or ‘to become’ or that ‘He causes to become.’ David naming his fourth son Adonijah is the recognition by the Lord’s elect that it is the Lord who is causing us to become like Him. It is therefore, not by our efforts or wisdom or anything that we have done, but by His grace and mercy. The process of making all things new by the Lord, starts with us, His elect, as He is making us to become like Him in this age. 

Rev 21:5  And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

The name of the fifth son was called Shephatiah, which suggests ‘Jehovah has judged.’ It indicates how the Lord is judging us, His elect, in this age to become like Him. 

Psa 75:7  But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

The Lord putting one down and setting up another through His judgment means destroying the old man or flesh even as He establishes the new man in our hearts and minds. 

The sixth son born to David was named Ithream. It denotes the abundance  or multitude of the people. What this implies is how the Lord is preparing us to bring in the harvest of multitude of the people, in the fulness of time.

Gal 4:27  For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.

2Sa 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. 
2Sa 3:7  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? 

Abner represents the leadership of the church system of this world. The fact that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul implies that the conflict, perpetuated by our brothers and sisters in Babylon against the Lord’s elect, is good for the leaders of Babylon as it makes them entrench their position as leaders. 

Ishbosheth accusing Abner of sleeping with Saul’s concubine in verse 7 demonstrates the sins of the leaders of the church system of this world. The sin that Abner was accused of by Ishbosheth is spiritually the same as the man who slept with his father’s wife in the Corinth church.

1Co 5:1  It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.
1Co 5:2  And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

The question is, “What does it mean spiritually to sleep with the father’s wife or concubine?” Possessing a predecessor’s or father’s wife/ concubine was a symbolic act of claiming his household, authority, and status. There are several examples in the Bible. For example, Reuben sleeping with Bilhah (Genesis 35:22, 49:4) and Absalom sleeping with his father David’s concubines (2 Samuel 16:22). Therefore, Abner being accused of sleeping with Saul’s concubine demonstrates how the leaders of the church system of this world are usurping the Lord’s authority over His church. 

Eze 34:2  Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? 
Eze 34:3  Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. 
Eze 34:4  The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.
Eze 34:5  And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.
Eze 34:6  My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.
Eze 34:7  Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; 
Eze 34:8  As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;

2Sa 3:8  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? 

In his response to the accusation by Ishbosheth, Abner did not deny the allegation but rather became furious for being questioned about the affair. The fact that Abner is comparing himself to a dog’s head signifies that our brothers and sisters in Babylon have the mentality of going back to their vomit, just as we were, when we were entrapped in Babylon.  

2Pe 2:22  What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”

Abner asking why Ishbosheth should charge him with a fault concerning the woman tells us how the leaders of the church system of this world do not want to hear any criticism concerning their dealings with their churches. No wonder they are spiritually poor.  

Pro 13:18 If you refuse criticism, you will end in poverty and disgrace; if you accept criticism, you are on the road to fame. (The Living Bible)

Abner Decides to Support David

2Sa 3:9  So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as the LORD hath sworn to David, even so I do to him; 
2Sa 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 Beersheba. 
2Sa 3:11  And he could not answer Abner a word again, because he feared him. 

Abner deciding to help David to be enthroned as king of both Judah and Israel because of the conflict with Ishbosheth shows how the Lord is working out all things according to the counsel of His own will. We can see from these verses therefore, that everything that had happened between Abner and Ishbosheth was all of the Lord. It demonstrates how the Lord uses both good and evil to accomplish His purpose.

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Psa 139:11  If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. 
Psa 139:12  Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

Abner was still full of the flesh when he decided to help David to be enthroned as king of both Judah and Israel. It shows how the Lord is using people of this world, including our brothers and sisters in Babylon and their resources, as His instrument to accomplish our enthronement as kings in the fullness of time when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ.   

Isa 60:1  Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. 
Isa 60:2  For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 
Isa 60:3  And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
Isa 60:4  Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.
Isa 60:5  Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.
Isa 60:6  The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD. 
Isa 60:7  All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory. 
Isa 60:8  Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows? 
Isa 60:9  Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee. 
Isa 60:10  And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee.

2Sa 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. 
2Sa 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. 

As indicated earlier, the Lord was using Abner to bring Israel under David’s rulership. Abner asking David to make a league with him to guarantee his rulership over Israel is to emphasize how the Lord is working all things after the counsel of His will. It also indicates that the mercy we are receiving to guarantee our rulership in the fullness of time is at the expense of our brothers and sisters in Babylon, signified by Abner’s fall from grace.

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 
Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. 

We need to know that Michal was first married to David but was taken away by Saul to be married to another man. David requesting for the return of Saul’s daughter means that the mercy that we have received by the Lord to rule with Him in the fulness of time (that is, in causing Abner to help David become king of Israel) shall be extended to our brothers and sisters in Babylon, represented by Michal. 

2Sa 3:14  And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth Saul’s son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, which I espoused to me for an hundred foreskins of the Philistines. 
2Sa 3:15  And Ishbosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Phaltiel the son of Laish. 
2Sa 3:16  And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go, return. And he returned.

David reminding Ishbosheth that Michal was espoused to him for an hundred foreskins of the Philistines signifies that the only way we can become the bride of Christ is the destruction of our flesh, represented by the Philistines, and this happens only after we bear witness of how full of the flesh we have become (significance of the number 100 = 10×10. We should note that 100 has two tens which speaks of a witness and the tens represents fullness of the flesh). 

In another perspective, we can say that Michal’s marriage to Phaltiel represents the phase of our walk when we were in Babylon with our father being the devil, even though, the Lord, represented by David, had paid the price for our sins, signified by the hundred foreskins of the Philistines delivered by David to Saul for the hand of Michal. 

1Pe 1:18  Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 
1Pe 1:19  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 

Taking Michal from her husband in Israel and taking her to Judah where David reigns symbolizes our deliverance as the Lord’s elect from Babylon to the church of the firstborn or heavenly Jerusalem. 

Rev 18:4  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 

The fact that both Ishbosheth and Abner were instrumental in bringing Michal to David in Hebron indicates that it was our brothers and sisters in Babylon who pushed us out of Babylon to become part of the church of the Lord’s elect, in the fullness of time. 

2Sa 3:17  And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David in times past to be king over you: 
2Sa 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. 
2Sa 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.

We can see from these verses that Abner was doing all the work for David’s rulership of Israel to be fulfilled as quickly as possible. When the time is right, the Lord fulfills that which He has said concerning us speedily. 

Isa 60:22  The least one shall become a clan, and the smallest one a mighty nation; I am the LORD; in its time I will hasten it. ESV

Psa 138:8  The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. 

Psalm 138:8 assures us that God is actively working on the burdens, dreams, and situations that worry our hearts, like an artist finishing a masterpiece. 

2Sa 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. 
2Sa 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. 

Finally, Abner came to Hebron with twenty men to meet David. As a gesture of goodwill, David made a feast for Abner and his men. David sent Abner away with the promise by Abner that he was going to gather all Israel for David to become their king. These verses therefore show us how the Lord uses both the people of this world and our brothers and sisters in Babylon to accomplish His purpose in our lives of getting us ready as the Lord’s elect, to rule the kingdoms of this world in the fullness of time. 

Rev 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

What the Lord starts, He is able to bring to completion. May His name be magnified in our lives. Amen!!