2 Samuel 3 32

2 Samuel 3:32 kjv

And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.

2 Samuel 3:32 nkjv

So they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept.

2 Samuel 3:32 niv

They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king wept aloud at Abner's tomb. All the people wept also.

2 Samuel 3:32 esv

They buried Abner at Hebron. And the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept.

2 Samuel 3:32 nlt

They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king and all the people wept at his graveside.

2 Samuel 3 verses

2 Samuel 3 32 Meaning

2 Samuel 3:32 vividly describes the solemn burial of Abner in Hebron and the profound, public outpouring of grief from King David and all the people. It underscores David's deep sorrow and his sincere detachment from the treachery that led to Abner's death, emphasizing his commitment to justice and his moral integrity as king. This collective mourning was essential in demonstrating David's innocence and solidifying his legitimacy in the eyes of the nation.

2 Samuel 3 32 Context

The events of 2 Samuel 3 unfold against the backdrop of an ongoing civil war between the house of David (representing Judah) and the house of Saul (representing the remaining tribes of Israel under Ish-bosheth, Saul's son). Abner, Saul's former army commander, was a pivotal figure in sustaining Ish-bosheth's fragile reign. Recognizing the inevitable, Abner began negotiating a covenant with David to bring all Israel under his unified kingship. However, Abner was treacherously murdered by Joab, David's commander, who sought to avenge the death of his brother Asahel, whom Abner had legitimately killed in battle.

This murder posed a significant challenge to David's legitimacy. He needed to clearly dissociate himself from this act of blood revenge, lest he be perceived as complicit, undermining the trust of the northern tribes. Chapters 3:28-31 describe David's public denouncement of the murder, his imprecation against Joab and his house, and his command for everyone, including himself, to mourn Abner by wearing sackcloth and weeping. Verse 32 is the climax of this public display of innocence and grief, ensuring that the people would see Abner's death as a tragedy outside of David's will, paving the way for the eventual peaceful unification of the kingdom. The burial in Hebron, David's capital in Judah, further signifies the importance of the event and David's respect for Abner.

2 Samuel 3 32 Word analysis

• And they buried Abner: This plural pronoun "they" indicates a communal, probably official, act of burial. It was not a private, hastily conducted affair, but a public one involving the king's servants or the community, acknowledging Abner's status despite his contentious past. The Hebrew word for "buried" (qabar, קָבַר) consistently implies placing a body in the ground with proper respect according to Israelite custom, underscoring the formal nature of the occasion.
• in Hebron: This detail is crucial. Hebron was not merely the site of the murder, but David's capital at the time (2 Sam 2:11), a Levitical city, and one of the designated Cities of Refuge (Josh 20:7). Burying Abner here legitimized him, even posthumously, and brought him under the protection of David's own domain. It prevented any perception of his body being desecrated or cast away, further proving David's honor.
• and the king lifted up his voice: This is a powerful descriptor. The Hebrew phrase nasa' qol (נָשָׂא קוֹל) means to raise or lift up the voice. It's often associated with a loud cry, shout, or lamentation, signifying a public, uncontrollable outburst of emotion rather than quiet tears. This was not a reserved sorrow, but an audible, visceral expression for all to witness, reinforcing its sincerity and public nature.
• and wept: The Hebrew word bakah (בָּכָה) denotes deep, genuine sorrow expressed through crying and shedding tears. Coupled with "lifted up his voice," it paints a picture of intense, heart-wrenching lamentation.
• at the grave of Abner: Pinpointing the exact location of David's lament signifies that his mourning was specifically for Abner and his tragic demise, solidifying the narrative of his own innocence. It brings a physical dimension to his emotional expression, confirming his presence at the final rites.
• and all the people wept: This phrase, kol ha'am (כָּל־הָעָם), emphasizes the collective and universal nature of the grief within the city or potentially within Judah. Their participation validated David's mourning as appropriate and authentic. It signifies a public consensus, diffusing any potential suspicion against David regarding Abner's death. This unified public response served to absorb and ritualize the profound shock and anger of Abner's assassination, making it a shared national sorrow rather than a lingering point of contention against the nascent unified monarchy.
• And they buried Abner in Hebron: This opening phrase is efficient and establishes the completion of the necessary funerary rites for Abner, positioning him respectably within the community.
• the king lifted up his voice, and wept: This pairing underscores the depth of David's public grief. The act of "lifting up his voice" makes his sorrow audibly known, while "wept" denotes the physical manifestation of that deep sadness, creating a vivid image of intense mourning.
• and all the people wept: This collective action reinforces David's solitary yet very public mourning. The unanimity of sorrow demonstrates popular support for David's actions and signifies a collective distancing from the murder itself, cleansing the community.

2 Samuel 3 32 Bonus section

The choice of Hebron as the burial site for Abner carries additional weight. Hebron was the ancient city where Abraham purchased the Cave of Machpelah as a burial ground (Gen 23:19), signifying it as a revered resting place for patriarchal figures. It was also the city where David had been anointed king over Judah (2 Sam 2:4). Burying Abner there, rather than his family plot, further linked his fate with David and his kingdom, almost elevating Abner's status posthumously as a significant figure in the unfolding national narrative. This act contributed to ritual purity within the kingdom, as proper burial was vital for avoiding ritual defilement, especially after an act of bloodshed (cf. Num 35:33). David's active participation in and visible leadership of this profound mourning ceremony was thus a powerful socio-political ritual that helped restore order and clear the path for a consolidated kingship, fulfilling the principle that God's chosen king governs with integrity and cares for all his people, even a former adversary.

2 Samuel 3 32 Commentary

2 Samuel 3:32 serves as the culminating act in David's carefully orchestrated response to Abner's treacherous assassination. His personal, profound, and public weeping at Abner's grave was far more than a private expression of grief; it was a potent political and spiritual act. By leading the nation in mourning for a man unjustly slain, David publicly denounced the violence and cleared himself of any complicity in the eyes of his own people and the northern tribes he sought to unify. His actions were a counter-narrative to Joab's blood feud, emphasizing righteous leadership that mourned injustice rather than tolerated it.

The people's collective weeping confirmed the widespread acceptance of David's genuine sorrow and moral uprightness. This unified public grief symbolically washed away the stain of Abner's murder from David's hand, demonstrating to all that his reign was founded on justice and compassion, not deceit or bloodshed. This critical demonstration of David's character was instrumental in earning the trust necessary for the subsequent peaceful unification of Israel under his rule. It affirmed David's identity as a leader "after God's own heart" who prioritizes moral integrity and righteous judgment even in moments of political expediency.