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Bible Dictionaries
Abner
People's Dictionary of the Bible
or Abner (ăb'ner), father of light. 1. Son of Ner, who was the brother of Kish, 1 Chronicles 9:36, the father of Saul. (b.c. 1063.) Abner, therefore, was Saul's first cousin, and was made by him commander-in-chief of his army. 1 Samuel 14:51; 1 Samuel 17:57; 1 Samuel 26:5-14.
After the death of Saul David was proclaimed king of Judah; and some time subsequently Abner proclaimed Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, king of Israel. War soon broke out between the two rival kings, and a "very sore battle" was fought at Gibeon between the men of Israel under Abner and the men of Judah under Joab. 1 Samuel 2:15-32. In this engagement he killed, in self-defence, Asahel, the brother of Joab and Abishai. Perhaps he now had some idea of seizing the Israelitish throne for himself; for he appropriated a woman of Saul's harem, which Ish-bosheth interpreted as an overt act of rebellion. Abner, incensed at his ingratitude, opened negotiations with David, by whom he was most favorably received at Hebron. He then undertook to procure David's recognition throughout Israel; but after leaving his presence for the purpose was enticed back by Joab, and treacherously murdered by him and his brother Abishai, at the gate of the city, ostensibly in retaliation for the death of Asahel; really, we may suppose, through jealousy, as he would have at least rivalled Joab in position. David, though unable to punish the powerful brothers, solemnized Abner's funeral with great respect and general mourning, and poured forth a simple dirge over the slain hero. 2 Samuel 3:33-34. 2. The father of Jaasiel, chief of the Benjamites in David's reign, 1 Chronicles 27:21; probably the same as the preceding.
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Rice, Edwin Wilbur, DD. Entry for 'Abner'. People's Dictionary of the Bible. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/rpd/a/abner.html. 1893.
