صموئيل الثاني ٣:٢

Growth of the House of David. - Proof of the advance of the house of David is furnished by the multiplication of his family at Hebron. The account of the sons who were born to David at Hebron does not break the thread, as Clericus, Thenius, and others suppose, but is very appropriately introduced here, as a practical proof of the strengthening of the house of David, in harmony with the custom of beginning the history of the reign of every king with certain notices concerning his family (vid., Sa2 5:13.; Kg1 3:1; Kg1 14:21; Kg1 15:2, Kg1 15:9, etc.). We have a similar list of the sons of David in Ch1 3:1-4. The first two sons were born to him from the two wives whom he had brought with him to Hebron (Sa1 25:42-43). The Chethibh וילדו is probably only a copyist's error for ויּוּלדוּ, which is the reading in many Codices. From Ahinoam - the first-born, Amnon (called Aminon in Sa2 13:20); from Abigail - the second, Chileab. The latter is also called Daniel in Ch1 3:1, and therefore had probably two names. The lamed before Ahinoam and the following names serves as a periphrasis for the genitive, like the German von, in consequence of the word son being omitted (vid., Ewald, 292, a.). The other four were by wives whom he had married in Hebron: Absalom by Maachah, the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur, a small kingdom in the north-east of Bashan (see at Deu 3:14); Adonijah by Haggith; Shephatiah by Abital; and Ithream by Eglah. The origin of the last three wives is unknown. The clause appended to Eglah's name, viz., "David's wife," merely serves as a fitting conclusion to the whole list (Bertheau on Ch1 3:3), and is not added to show that Eglah was David's principal wife, which would necessitate the conclusion drawn by the Rabbins, that Michal was the wife intended.

The battle between Joab and Abner did not end the controversy between the two houses of Saul and David, but it is in this chapter working towards a period. Here is, I. The gradual advance of David's interest (Sa2 3:1). II. The building up of his family (Sa2 3:2-5). III. Abner's quarrel with Ish-bosheth, and his treaty with David (Sa2 3:6-12). IV. The preliminaries settled (Sa2 3:13-16). V. Abner's undertaking and attempt to bring Israel over to David (Sa2 3:17-21). VI. The treacherous murder of Abner by Joab, when he was carrying on this matter (Sa2 3:22-27). VII. David's great concern and trouble for the death of Abner (Sa2 3:28-39).

3:2-5 One way David “became stronger and stronger” (3:1) was by taking more wives and having a son through each. Three of David’s Hebron-born sons died violent deaths, two during David’s reign (Amnon, Absalom), and one shortly after his death (Adonijah).