Dictionaries :: Abner

Abner:

(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). He was the person who conducted David into Saul's presence after the death of Goliath (17:57); and afterwards accompanied his master when he sought David's life at Hachilah (26:5-14). From this time we hear no more of him till after the death of Saul, when he rises into importance as the main stay of his family. It would seem that, immediately after the disastrous battle of Mount Gilboa, David was proclaimed king of Judah in Hebron, the old capital of that tribe, but that the rest of the country was altogether in the hands of the Philistines, and that five years passed before any native prince ventured to oppose his claims to their power. During that time the Israelites were gradually recovering their territory, and at length Abner proclaimed the weak and unfortunate Ishbosheth, Saul's son, as king of Israel, at Mahanaim beyond Jordan. 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 men of Judah under Joab, son of Zeruiah, David's sister (1 Chronicles 2:16). When the army of Ishbosheth was defeated, Joab's youngest brother Asahel, who is said to be "as light of foot as a wild roe," pursued Abner, and in spite of warning refused to leave him, so that Abner in self‐defence was forced to kill him. After this the war continued, success inclining more and more to the side of David, till at last the imprudence of Ishbosheth deprived him of the counsels and generalship of the hero, who was in truth the only support of his tottering throne. Abner had married Rizpah, Saul's concubine, and this, according to the views of Oriental courts, might be so interpreted as to imply a design upon the throne. Rightly or wrongly, Ishbosheth so understood it, and he even ventured to reproach Abner with it. Abner, incensed at his ingratitude, after an indignant reply, opened negotiations with David, by whom he was most favorably received at Hebron. He then undertook to procure his recognition throughout Israel; but after leaving his court for the purpose was enticed back by Joab, and treacherously murdered by him and his brother Abishai, at the gate of the city, partly no doubt, as Joab showed afterwards in the case of AMASA, from fear lest so distinguished a convert to their cause should gain too high a place in David's favor, but ostensibly in retaliation for the death of Asahel. This murder caused the greatest sorrow and indignation to David; but, as the assassins were too powerful to be punished, he contented himself with showing every public token of respect to Abner's memory, by following the bier and pouring forth a simple dirge over the slain (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 (No. 1).