Abner son of Ner אבנר בן נר
Saul's commander, who put his son on the throne — and was killed at the gate of Hebron
Abner was Saul's cousin and the commander of his army. After the king fell at Gilboa he took Ish-bosheth, the surviving son, across to Mahanaim and made him king there. Judah followed David; a long war began between the two houses.
In a skirmish at Gibeon, Asahel, Joab's brother, swift as a gazelle, pursued him. Abner shouted three times for him to turn aside — "how then could I lift up my face to Joab your brother?" — he would not, and Abner struck him with the butt of his spear.
Later he quarrelled with Ish-bosheth and settled the matter in one move: he sent to David — let us make a covenant, and I will bring all Israel over to you. He came to Hebron, was received with a feast, and left in peace.
Joab, returning from a raid, shouted at the king: he came to spy you out. And without telling David he sent after Abner; the man came back, Joab drew him aside at the gate as if to speak privately, and struck him in the belly — "for the blood of Asahel his brother."
David declared himself innocent of it, walked behind the bier, wept at the grave and fasted until evening. His words over the tomb stayed in the language: "should Abner die as a scoundrel dies?" And straight after, a line about his own weakness: "I am today weak, though anointed king, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too hard for me."
On the timeline
Sources
Tanakh
- Shmuel II 2:18–23 — Asael's pursuit and the blow with the butt of the spear
- Shmuel II 3:12–21 — the negotiations with David at Chevron
- Shmuel II 3:27–39 — the killing at the gate and David's lament
Basis: stated in the Tanakh.