2 Samuel 3:28

2Sa 3:28 And afterward when David heard [it], he said, I and my kingdom [are] guiltless before the LORD for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner:

Ver. 28. From the blood of Abner.] Heb., Bloods: from every drop of his blood shed when he was slain. David cleareth himself and his kingdom of this crying crime. But what a deal hath France to answer for the Parisian massacre, whereby a hundred thousand, some say more, innocents perished in one year in various parts of the realm! besides the many civil dissensions there, to the effusion of much Christian blood, and six thousand gentlemen slain in private quarrels within the space of ten years! as it appears by the king’s pardons. {a}

{a} See "Les Ombres des Defunts Seiures de Vilemor et de Fountains," p. 46.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Sa 3:28-29. When David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless — Josephus says, he lifted up his hands to God, and, with a loud voice, cried out publicly that God knew he was innocent in this matter; and therefore he trusted God would not let him and his kingdom suffer for it. And on all his father’s house — David’s indignation at the fact transported him much too far in making him wish that all Joab’s family might suffer for it, which was contrary to the law of God. See Deu 24:16. “Methinks,” says Henry, “a resolute punishment of the murderer himself would better have become David than this passionate imprecation of God’s judgments upon his posterity.” But, perhaps, the words are to be considered as a prediction rather than as an imprecation. Accordingly, Houbigant renders them, but it shall or will rest upon the head of Joab, and on all his father’s house, and there will not fail, &c.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3:28 David made it clear that he had nothing to do with Abner’s death, labeling it as a crime. David knew that because his second-in-command had killed Abner, rumors would circulate among those loyal to Saul’s dynasty that David had ordered the killing. • I vow by the Lord: David called on the Lord to hold him accountable if he were lying.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The Lord knoweth that I did not consent to his death.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(28) I and my kingdom are guiltless.—This was true. Joab’s act was entirely without David’s knowledge, and was not only against his will on moral grounds, but was in danger of proving disastrous to him politically; hence he takes the strongest means of showing his abhorrence of the deed.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

28–30. The Curse of Blood-guiltiness

28. I and my kingdom are guiltless] With a strong asseveration David asserts his entire innocence of any complicity in this murder. Neither upon himself personally nor upon “his kingdom,” i.e. the royal house, his descendants and successors, could punishment for shedding this innocent blood justly fall. Cp. 1Ki_2:31-33. For the doctrine of a divine judgment which was certain to fall upon the murderer and his posterity, “visiting the sins of the fathers upon the children,” see Gen_4:11; Deu_21:6-9; Mat_23:35. Compare the Greek belief in the avenging Furies who dogged the murderer’s steps.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And afterward, when David heard it,.... That Joab had sent to fetch Abner back, and that he had stabbed him in the gate of the city, and he was dead; it was some time after it was done that the news of it was brought to David; this circumstance is observed, the more to clear the king from any concern in this affair:

he said; in a public manner, in open court, before all his princes; he called God to witness, and, as Josephus (i) says, stretching out his right hand to God, he cried aloud:

I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner; he was sensible it would be known that Abner had been with him, and that Joab his general had killed him; and therefore it might be suspected that he had an hand in it, and that it was done by his order, with his privy council; and therefore, to purge him and them from it, he made this public declaration, that neither he nor his council knew anything of it; and that it was not done with their knowledge and consent, and by their order, but through the resentment of a single person; and therefore hoped that no man would impute the shedding of this blood unto them, or that God would punish them for it; and he was the rather led to make this public declaration, because he knew that the death of Abner in this way would be resented by the friends of Saul's family, and be an obstruction to the union of the two kingdoms, which it was known Abner was endeavouring to bring about.

(i) Antiqu. l. 7. c. 1. sect. 6.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Innocent. I would not purchase a kingdom at such a price. (Calmet) --- I beg that the crime may not be imputed to us, who are innocent. (Haydock) --- God sometimes punishes a whole kingdom for the sins of the rulers. (Menochius) --- Yet not without some fault of the subjects. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

David said publicly, before his courtiers and people; and seriously, as in God’s presence; I call the Lord to witness, that this was not done by my instigation or authority, or by any public counsel, but only by Joab’s malice; and therefore I trust that God will not punish me nor my kingdom, but Joab only.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

I and my kingdom are guiltless. By this David means, not his royal house, but the people generally, who too often have to pay the penalty for the sins of their rulers. (see 2Sa_21:1) Necessarily this is the case, wherever the crime is a state crime; but David protests that Abner"s murder was a private crime, for which Joab and Abishai alone ought to suffer.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Ner ... Abishai ... Asahel

These are the names of men. (See: How to Translate Names)

the blood of Abner

Here "blood" refers to the death of Abner. See how you translated a similar phrase in 2 Samuel 3:27. AT: "the death of Abner" or "the murder of Abner" (See: Metonymy)

fall on the head of Joab and on all his father's house

This phrase means the results of the guilt will happen to Joab and his family as if something heavy had collapsed on them. AT: "always cause suffering for Joab and for all his father's house" (See: Metaphor)

all his father's house

Here "house" refers to descendants. AT: "all the descendants of Joab's father" (See: Metonymy)

May there never fail to be

This double negative emphasizes that there will always be someone with the problems listed. AT: "May there always be" (See: Metonymy)

is killed by the sword

Here "sword" refers to violent death. AT: "dies violently" (See: Metonymy)

goes without food

"is hungry"

translationWords

David

kingdom

innocent

Yahweh

eternity

blood

Abner

guilt

die

head

Joab

house

staff

sword

Gibeon

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.