2 Samuel 3 31

2 Samuel 3:31 kjv

And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David himself followed the bier.

2 Samuel 3:31 nkjv

Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, "Tear your clothes, gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn for Abner." And King David followed the coffin.

2 Samuel 3:31 niv

Then David said to Joab and all the people with him, "Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and walk in mourning in front of Abner." King David himself walked behind the bier.

2 Samuel 3:31 esv

Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, "Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and mourn before Abner." And King David followed the bier.

2 Samuel 3:31 nlt

Then David said to Joab and all those who were with him, "Tear your clothes and put on burlap. Mourn for Abner." And King David himself walked behind the procession to the grave.

2 Samuel 3 verses

2 Samuel 3 31 Meaning

This verse describes King David's directive and personal participation in the public mourning for Abner, who was treacherously killed by Joab. It signifies a profound demonstration of grief and sorrow, undertaken both as a public mandate to his people and a deeply personal act of lament by the king himself. This public display served to dissociate David from the murder, convey his genuine sorrow, and consolidate his position as a leader committed to justice and mourning for a fallen, albeit formerly opposing, leader of Israel.

2 Samuel 3 31 Context

The verse occurs immediately after Joab, David's military commander, treacherously murders Abner, the commander of Saul's army and key figure in supporting Ish-bosheth's claim to the throne. Abner had recently come to David with an offer to bring all Israel under David's rule. Joab, seeking revenge for his brother Asahel's death by Abner and likely viewing Abner as a political rival, seized the opportunity. This murder threatened to derail David's nascent reign over all Israel, as it could be perceived that David orchestrated the assassination of a high-ranking official who was negotiating terms of peace and unity. David’s strong and public reaction of mourning and distancing himself from Joab’s deed (2 Sam 3:28-29) was critical to maintain legitimacy and trust among the northern tribes who revered Abner. David’s participation in the mourning procession demonstrates humility and genuine grief, contrasting with Joab’s violence.

2 Samuel 3 31 Word analysis

• Then David said: Implies David's immediate and decisive action and pronouncement following Abner's death. This is an official royal decree, underscoring the king's authority and judgment.
• to Joab: Explicitly named, as Joab was the murderer. This directs the command to him directly, publicly involving him in the mourning despite his guilt. This act ensures that Joab's position and complicity are acknowledged within the royal household.
• and to all the people who were with him: Broadening the scope beyond David's inner circle, signaling a general, communal, and public response to a tragic event affecting the entire burgeoning kingdom. This creates a collective sense of sorrow and ensures widespread participation, publicly dissociating the royal administration from the murder.
• "Tear your clothes": Hebrew: קִרְע֛וּ (qir'u), meaning to rip or tear apart. A deeply symbolic and culturally entrenched act of extreme grief, sorrow, or horror in ancient Israel. It expressed acute emotional distress and disfigurement of outward appearance as a reflection of inner turmoil. It was a public sign of brokenness.
• "and put on sackcloth": Hebrew: חִגְר֤וּ שַׂקִּים֙ (ḥiḡrū śaqqîm), meaning "gird yourselves with sacks." Sackcloth (Hebrew: שַׂק / saq) was a coarse, rough garment, usually made of dark goat hair or camel hair. Worn as a sign of mourning, humility, repentance, or lamentation. It signifies deep distress and often a rejection of comfort and worldly status.
• "and mourn before Abner": Hebrew: סִפְד֥וּ לְאַבְנֵֽר (sip̄dū lə’aḇnēr), meaning to lament aloud, wail, or beat the breast in sorrow. The phrase "before Abner" means "on account of Abner" or "in Abner's presence" (his bier). It emphasizes that the lament is for the deceased and is a public showing of respect for his memory and status, even from those who were his adversaries. This validates his importance as a national figure.
• "And King David walked behind the bier": Hebrew: וְהַמֶּ֣לֶךְ דָּוִ֗ד הֹלֵךְ֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י הַמִּטָּ֔ה (wəhammeleḵ Dāwîḏ hōlēḵ ’aḥărê hammittah). This is a profoundly significant personal act by David. "Bier" (Hebrew: מִטָּה / miṭṭāh) refers to the funeral litter or coffin. By walking behind it, David identifies himself not as the commander leading a procession, but as a mourner. He takes a humble, subordinate position in the funerary procession, demonstrating deep personal respect, empathy, and solidarity with the deceased and those who grieved for him. This gesture powerfully distanced him from Joab's treachery and affirmed his own sorrow for Abner.

2 Samuel 3 31 Bonus section

David’s actions in this verse also served to counteract potential bloodguilt, a significant theological concept in the Old Testament. While Joab committed the murder, David, as king, held responsibility for justice within his realm. By publicly lamenting, taking swift action to dissociate himself from the deed, and vowing future judgment on Joab's house (as seen in 1 Kgs 2:5-6), David actively sought to prevent divine wrath from falling upon him or his kingdom due to the shedding of innocent blood (Deut 21:1-9). This comprehensive and visible expression of grief, even for an erstwhile adversary, underscores David's understanding of kingship as carrying both political and moral responsibilities before God and the people. It affirmed the sanctity of life and due process, implicitly condemning arbitrary violence.

2 Samuel 3 31 Commentary

2 Samuel 3:31 reveals David’s nuanced leadership in a politically charged crisis. The instruction to tear clothes and don sackcloth was a public, non-verbal communication of severe distress and communal sorrow, common in ancient Near Eastern mourning rituals. By commanding Joab, the perpetrator, to participate, David not only asserts his authority but also subtly forces public acknowledgment of the gravity of the murder and its associated lament. David’s personal act of walking behind the bier is pivotal; it signifies humility and personal grief rather than mere ceremonial leadership. This act was essential for David to publicly distance himself from Joab's treachery, preserve his moral standing, and reassure the northern tribes, preventing a political catastrophe and paving the way for Israel's unification under his rule. It reflects his character as a leader who leads not only through command but also through genuine emotion and solidarity, reflecting a man who seeks God's approval even in complex political situations.