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 who came down to him as part of the property which he inherited.

Verse 8
Abner was so enraged at Ishbosheth's complaint, that he replied, ''“Am I a dog's head, holding with Judah? To-day (i.e., at present) I show affection to the house of Saul thy father, towards his brethren and his friends, and did not let thee fall into the hand of David, and thou reproachest me to-day with the fault with the woman?” “Dog's head”'' is something thoroughly contemptible. ליהוּדה עשׁר, lit. which (belongs) to Judah, i.e., holds with Judah.

Verses 9-10
2Sa 3:9-10“God do so to Abner, ... as Jehovah hath sworn to David, so will I do to him.” The repetition of כּי serves to introduce the oath, as in 2Sa 2:27. “To take away the kingdom from the house of Saul, and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.” We do not know of any oath with which God had promised the kingdom to David; but the promise of God in itself is equivalent to an oath, as God is the true God, who can neither lie nor deceive (1Sa 15:29; Num 23:19). This promise was generally known in Israel. “From Dan to Beersheba” (as in Jdg 20:1).

Verse 11
Ishbosheth could make no reply to these words of Abner, “because he was afraid of him.”

Verses 12-21
2Sa 3:12-21Abner goes over to David. - 2Sa 3:12. Abner soon carried out his threat to Ishbosheth. He sent messengers to David in his stead (not “on the spot,” or immediately, a rendering adopted by the Chaldee and Symmachus, but for which no support can be found) with this message: “Whose is the land?” i.e., to whom does it belong except to thee? and, “Make a covenant with me; behold, so is my hand with thee (i.e., so will I stand by thee),to turn all Israel to thee.”

Verse 13
David assented to the proposal on this condition: “Only one thing do I require of thee, namely, Thou shalt not see my face, unless thou first of all bringest me Michal, the daughter of Saul, when thou comest to see my face.” הביאך אם־לפני כּי, “except before thy bringing,” i.e., unless when thou hast first of all brought or delivered “Michal to me.” This condition was imposed by David, not only because Michal had been unjustly taken away from him by Saul, after he had rightfully acquired her for his wife by paying the dowry demanded, and in spite of her love to him (1Sa 18:27; 1Sa 19:11-12), and given to another man (1Sa 25:44), so that he could demand her back again with perfect