2 Samuel 3 9

2 Samuel 3:9 kjv

So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as the LORD hath sworn to David, even so I do to him;

2 Samuel 3:9 nkjv

May God do so to Abner, and more also, if I do not do for David as the LORD has sworn to him?

2 Samuel 3:9 niv

May God deal with Abner, be it ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the LORD promised him on oath

2 Samuel 3:9 esv

God do so to Abner and more also, if I do not accomplish for David what the LORD has sworn to him,

2 Samuel 3:9 nlt

May God strike me and even kill me if I don't do everything I can to help David get what the LORD has promised him!

2 Samuel 3 verses

2 Samuel 3 9 Meaning

David makes a profound and solemn oath, calling upon God's judgment if he fails to accomplish what the LORD has definitively sworn to David. This oath is to fulfill God's divine decree to transfer the kingship completely from the house of Saul and firmly establish David's throne over all of unified Israel and Judah, extending from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south. It signifies David's unshakeable commitment to God's sovereign plan for the monarchy, transcending his own personal ambition.

2 Samuel 3 9 Context

Following the death of Saul, Israel was divided, with David reigning over Judah from Hebron and Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, reigning over the rest of Israel under the military command of Abner. A prolonged war ensued between the house of David and the house of Saul. In 2 Samuel chapter 3, Abner, angered by Ish-bosheth's accusation concerning Rizpah, decides to switch his allegiance and bring all Israel under David's rule. Abner communicates this intention to the elders of Israel and then personally approaches David. Verse 9 is David's solemn and emphatic response to Abner's overtures, a declaration of his divine mandate to reign over all of Israel, not merely Judah. It sets the stage for the unification of the kingdom, establishing David as the sole legitimate king according to God's sworn purpose. This verse emphasizes that David's pursuit of the kingdom is not opportunistic ambition, but a fulfillment of divine prophecy and a sacred oath by the LORD.

2 Samuel 3 9 Word analysis

• So may God do to Abner, and more also, if I do not do for him (כֹּה יַעֲשֶׂה-לִּי אֱלֹהִים וְכֹה יֹסִיף / koh ya'aseh-li Elohim v'koh yosif... though text reads "לְאַבְנֵר / l'Avner - to Abner").
  • This is a common biblical oath formula, typically expressing a self-imprecation: "So may God do to me (or to X if I fail in my oath), and more also, if I do not perform a stated action."
  • The unusual phrasing "to Abner" (לְאַבְנֵר / l'Avner) instead of "to me" (לִי / li) is notable. It highlights the severity and divine backing of David's oath.
  • Significance: David's commitment to the divine plan is absolute. If he were to fail in establishing God's will for the kingdom, then even someone who previously opposed him (like Abner), or indeed anyone involved, would face dire divine consequences. It effectively emphasizes that everyone connected to the kingdom's establishment is subject to God's sovereign judgment should the divine plan not unfold as sworn. It also serves as a poignant foreshadowing, given Abner's imminent violent death.
• as the LORD has sworn to David (אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע יְהוָה לְדָוִד / asher nishba' Yahweh l'David)
  • "LORD" (יְהוָה / Yahweh): The personal, covenantal name of God, indicating His active involvement and faithfulness to His promises.
  • "sworn" (נִשְׁבַּע / nishba'): Signifies an unbreakable divine oath or covenant. This points directly to the Davidic Covenant, formally given in 2 Sam 7, which establishes an eternal dynasty for David. Though not explicitly recounted until 2 Sam 7, the promise was likely communicated through prophecy (perhaps via Samuel) much earlier (1 Sam 16), confirming God's prior selection and divine intent.
  • Significance: David anchors his actions and the kingdom transfer not in his own ambition, but in God's prior, immutable decree. This polemicizes against human selection of a king (as with Saul) and champions divine election.
• to transfer the kingdom (לְהַעֲבִיר הַמַּמְלָכָה / l'ha'avir hammamlakhah)
  • "transfer" (לְהַעֲבִיר / l'ha'avir): To cause to pass over or move. Denotes a decisive shift in authority and ownership.
  • "kingdom" (הַמַּמְלָכָה / hammamlakhah): The realm of kingly rule, sovereignty, and territory.
  • Significance: This is an act decreed by God, not simply a political maneuver by men. It underscores divine sovereignty over political power.
• from the house of Saul (מִבֵּית שָׁאוּל / mibbeit Sha'ul)
  • "house of Saul" (בֵּית שָׁאוּל / beit Sha'ul): Refers to the royal dynasty or lineage of Saul.
  • Significance: Saul's failure in obedience led to the revocation of his dynasty (1 Sam 15). This phrase underscores God's judgment and the ending of one dynastic line as foretold.
• and establish the throne of David (וּלְהָקִים אֵת כִּסֵּא דָוִד / u'l'hakim et kisse' David)
  • "establish" (וּלְהָקִים / u'l'hakim): To raise up, set up, confirm, make firm. Connotes permanence and divine establishment.
  • "throne of David" (כִּסֵּא דָוִד / kisse' David): Symbol of David's kingly authority, reign, and the continuity of his royal line.
  • Significance: This speaks to the divinely ordained nature and stability of David's future kingship, contrasting with the instability and eventual end of Saul's house. It highlights God's choice and commitment to David's dynasty.
• over Israel and over Judah (עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַל יְהוּדָה / al Yisra'el v'al Yehudah)
  • "Israel" and "Judah": Represent the northern (tribes primarily recognizing Ish-bosheth) and southern (David's kingdom in Hebron) divisions of the nation.
  • Significance: The verse declares a united kingdom under David, dissolving the present division. It emphasizes national unity under God's chosen king.
• from Dan to Beersheba (מִדָּן וְעַד בְּאֵר שָׁבַע / miDan v'ad Be'er Sheva')
  • "Dan" and "Beersheba": Represent the northernmost and southernmost geographical limits of the Israelite territory.
  • Significance: This idiomatic phrase denotes the entire, complete extent of the land, signifying David's full and undisputed dominion over all the Twelve Tribes. It ensures there is no remaining claim for the house of Saul. This also points to God's promised land being fully possessed under the Davidic covenant.

2 Samuel 3 9 Bonus section

The strong oath in this verse is one of David's clearest public statements articulating his understanding of his own role as fulfilling God's long-standing promise, distinct from any personal gain. The phrasing "to Abner" in the oath, while textually unusual, could rhetorically bind not only David but also figures like Abner (who had previously resisted God's appointed king) to the divine will. Abner’s later demise in the same chapter (2 Sam 3:27), unrelated to this oath's direct performance, adds a layer of tragic irony, almost as if God's judgment (as invoked in David's oath in some indirect sense) was indeed about to be unleashed on someone significant in the previous opposing camp. This deep commitment sets a benchmark for the Davidic kingship and foreshadows its divine endorsement, leading ultimately to the eternal kingdom of Christ.

2 Samuel 3 9 Commentary

2 Samuel 3:9 encapsulates the divine agenda for Israel's monarchy as perceived and declared by David. It is not David's personal ambition, but God's sworn oath, that drives the unification of the kingdom under his rule. David's intense oath ("So may God do to Abner, and more also, if I do not...") highlights the absolute seriousness and divine imperative of this mission. The "transfer the kingdom" from Saul's failed dynasty and "establish the throne of David" across all Israel, "from Dan to Beersheba," solidifies the theological truth that God's plan cannot be thwarted. This verse therefore affirms God's sovereignty over earthly rulers and kingdoms, and positions David's ascent not as a political coup but as a faithful execution of God's perfect will for His people.