2 Samuel 3:31

Contextual Overview

²² And, look, the slaves of David and Joab came from a foray, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner wasn't with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace. ²² But just after David had sent Abner away in safety, Joab and some of David's troops returned from a raid, bringing much plunder with them. ²² And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from a foray, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace. ²² Just then Joab and David's men came from a battle, bringing many valuable things they had taken from the enemy. David had let Abner leave in peace, so he was not with David at Hebron. ²² Now David's soldiers and Joab were coming back from a raid, bringing a great deal of plunder with them. Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, for David had sent him away and he had left in peace. ²² And behold, the servants of David and Joab came from [pursuing] a troop, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner [was] not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. ²² Behold, the servants of David and Joab came from a foray, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace. ²²Then the servants of David came with Joab from a raid and brought a great quantity of spoil with them; but Abner was not with David at Hebron, because David had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. ²² Just then the servants of David arrived with Joab from a raid, bringing much spoil with them. But Abner was not with David at Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. ²² anoon the children of Dauid and Joab camen with a ful grete prey, whanne theues weren slayn; sotheli Abner was not with Dauid, in Ebron, for Dauid hadde left hym, and he yede forth in pees.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

And David: David, intending no doubt to punish Joab, and to lessen his authority with the people, commanded him to take upon him the office of chief mourner; but, as his revenge was gratified, his rival removed, and no heavier punishment inflicted, it is probable his hardened mind would feel but little objection to the ceremony.

Rend: 2 Samuel 1:2, 2 Samuel 1:11, Genesis 37:29, Genesis 37:34, Joshua 7:6, Judges 11:35, 2 Kings 19:1

bier: Heb. bed, Luke 7:14

Reciprocal: Numbers 14:6 - rent their clothes 2 Samuel 11:26 - she mourned 2 Samuel 13:31 - all his servants 1 Kings 20:31 - put sackcloth 2 Kings 5:8 - rent his clothes Ecclesiastes 3:7 - time to rend Isaiah 15:3 - their streets Acts 8:2 - made

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And David said to Joab, and to all the people that [were] with him,.... To his whole court, Joab being present: for he did not flee, nor was he laid hold on in order to be brought to justice; which shows how great his power was, and that he was too hard for David, as in 2 Samuel 3:39; however this he did, he enjoined his whole court, and Joab also, to express public mourning on this account:

rend your clothes and gird you with sackcloth; which were expressions of mourning used on various occasions, and on account of the dead, and which with the Heathens were carried to a greater excess, even to the tearing of their flesh,

and mourn before Abner; before his corpse, as carried to the grave, when it was usual to make great lamentations: see Acts 8:2;

and King David [himself] followed the bier; or "bed" l on which his body was laid, and carried to the grave. On these the rich and noble among the Greeks and Romans were carried, and those of the meaner sort on biers n; and so with the Jews; Acts 8:2- :; some of which were gilded with gold, and were made of ivory, and had ivory feet o; that of Herod's was all of gold, inlaid with precious stones, and the body covered with purple, and followed by his sons and kindred, the soldiers going before armed, and their leaders following p; the bier or bed with the Romans was sometimes carried by six persons, sometimes by eight or more q. It was not usual for kings, as the Jews say r, to attend a funeral, to go out of the doors of their palace after their own dead, and much less others; but David did this to satisfy the people, and to root out of their mind all suspicion of his having any hand in Abner's death; and to show that he was not slain by his will, and with his consent.

l המטה της κλινης, Sept. "lectum", Piscator. n Salmuth. ad Pancirol. par. 1. tit. 62. p. 343. Kirchman. de Funer. Roman. l. 2. c. 9. p. 375. o Alstorph. de lect. vet. c. 19. p. 149. p Joseph. de Bello Jud. l. 1. c. 33. sect. 9. q Kirchman. ut supra. (de Funer. Roman. l. 2. c. 9. p. 375.) r Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 2. sect. 3. Maimon in Hilchot Ebel. c. 7. sect. 7. David de Pomis, Lexic. fol. 119. 4.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 3:31. David said to Joab — He commanded him to take on him the part of a principal mourner.