2 Samuel 3:6

2 Samuel 3:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner had been strengthening his own position in the house of Saul.
• English Standard Version (ESV)While there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now it was so, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner was strengthening his hold on the house of Saul.

Context of 2 Samuel 3:6

4the fourth was Adonijah son of Haggith; the fifth was Shephatiah son of Abital; 5and the sixth, Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron. During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner strengthened his position in the house of Saul. 7Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah daughter of Aiah; and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, “Why have you slept with my father’s concubine?” 8But Abner became very angry over Ish-bosheth’s words and said, “Am I a dog’s head from Judah? To this day I’ve been loyal to the house of Saul your father, to his kinsmen, and to his friends, and I haven’t handed you over to David—yet today you are accusing me of wrongdoing with this woman.

2 Samuel 3:6 word by word

וַיְהִ֗י בִּֽהְיוֹת֙ הַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה בֵּ֚ין בֵּ֣ית שָׁא֔וּל וּבֵ֖ין בֵּ֣ית דָּוִ֑ד וְאַבְנֵ֛ר הָיָ֥ה מִתְחַזֵּ֖ק בְּבֵ֥ית שָׁאֽוּל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And it came to pass, while there was warמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
• between the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
• of Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
• of Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• that Abnerאֲבִינֵר'abnêr 'ăbîynêr · AbnerH74
• made himself strongחָזַקchâzaq · to strengthen: strengthenH2388

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 3:6

• 2 Samuel 2:8Now Abner son of Ner, Saul’s army commander, had taken Saul’s son Ish-bosheth, and brought him over to Mahanaim.
• 2 Kings 10:23Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rechab went into the temple of Baal, and he said to the worshippers of Baal, “Search and look that there is here with you none of the servants of Adonai—only servants of Baal.”
• 2 Chronicles 25:8For if you go and fight courageously in battle, God will overthrow you before the enemy, for God has power to help and to bring down.”
• Proverbs 21:30There is no wisdom, there is no understanding, there is no counsel— against Adonai.
• Isaiah 8:9Make an uproar, O peoples— but you will be broken in pieces. Give ear, all you of far countries. Arm yourselves—yet be shattered! Arm yourselves—yet be shattered!
• Matthew 12:30He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 3:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Abner made himself strong - This strengthening of himself, and going in to the late king's concubine, were most evident proofs that he wished to seize upon the government. See 1 Kings 2:21, 1 Kings 2:22; 1 Kings 12:8; 1 Kings 16:21.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6Render, “And it came to pass, while the war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted, that Abner assisted the house of Saul.”Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-39The house of David (David’s family line and those loyal to his rule) grew stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker. A key turning point came when Abner, who held the real political power among Saul’s followers, changed his loyalty to David. When Abner did this, many of his relatives from the northern tribes followed him.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 6-116-11. Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul--In the East, the wives and concubines of a king are the property of his successor to this extent, that for a private person to aspire to marry one of them would be considered a virtual advance of pretensions to the crown (see 1Ki 2:17). It is not clear whether the accusation against Abner was well or ill founded. But he resented the charge as an indignity, and, impelled by revenge, determined to…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 3:6

• Abner
• Ish-Bosheth
• Treason

In the dictionaries

• Abner
• David
• Saul
• Paul, Saul
• house of David
• house, household, house of Israel, house of David
• Communication
• Ishbosheth
• Sackcloth
• Translate

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings