2 Samuel 3:2-21

3:2-5 | David had taken four more wives in addition to Abigail and Ahinoam. Additionally, he married Maacah to form an alliance with a foreign nation. In the ancient world, a large harem signified a king’s power and status. There may be a subtle criticism here in light of Deut. 17:17, which prohibited Israel’s kings from acquiring many wives, and Deut. 7:1-3, which prohibited the Israelites from marrying foreigners. This passage may therefore foreshadow how disastrous David’s family life would become – his many wayward children would cause problems for him and for Israel.

3:6-7 | Taking a former king’s concubine was considered a power move for the throne. Abner usurped Ishbosheth’s authority (strengthening his hold), so Ishbosheth made a false accusation against him.

3:8-21 | Fueled by his anger at being unjustly accused by Ishbosheth, Abner admitted that David had been chosen by God to be Saul’s successor, and from that point on, he worked toward that aim. What motivated him to accept David’s leadership after he had fought against it is unknown. Perhaps he realized that David was a much better leader than Ishbosheth, or perhaps Abner wanted to secure a position with the conquering king.