Person

Abner

Gender:: Male
Verse mentions:: 53

Father of light; i.e., “enlightening”, the son of Ner and uncle of Saul. He was commander-in-chief of Saul’s army (1 Sam. 14:50; 17:55; 20:25). He first introduced David to the court of Saul after the victory over Goliath (1 Sam. 17:57). After the death of Saul, David was made king over Judah, and reigned in Hebron. Among the other tribes there was a feeling of hostility to Judah; and Abner, at the head of Ephraim, fostered this hostility in the interest of the house of Saul, whose son Ish-bosheth he caused to be proclaimed king (2 Sam. 2:8). A state of war existed between these two kings. A battle fatal to Abner, who was the leader of Ish-boseth’s army, was fought with David’s army under Joab at Gibeon (2 Sam. 2:12). Abner, escaping from the field, was overtaken by Asahel, who was “light of foot as a wild roe,” the brother of Joab and Abishai, whom he thrust through with a back stroke of his spear (2 Sam. 2: 18-32).

Being rebuked by Ish-bosheth for the impropriety of taking to wife Rizpah, who had been a concubine of King Saul, he found an excuse for going over to the side of David, whom he now professed to regard as anointed by the Lord to reign over all Israel. David received him favourably, and promised that he would have command of the armies. At this time Joab was absent from Hebron, but on his return he found what had happened. Abner had just left the city; but Joab by a stratagem recalled him, and meeting him at the gate of the city on his return, thrust him through with his sword (2 Sam. 3:27, 31-39; 4:12. Comp. 1 Kings 2:5, 32). David lamented in pathetic words the death of Abner, “Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?” (2 Sam. 3:33-38.)

Family tree

Trace Abner's family through the generations, from their ancestors and relatives to the people connected to their life. Follow each branch as far back and forward as Scripture records it.

Relationship graph

Abner's place in the wider story of Scripture, connecting the people, places, families, and events tied to their life. See how these relationships overlap and form a single picture instead of separate lists.

Parents 1

Ner· father

Children 1

Jaasiel

Appears in 53

Reference	Verse
1 Samuel 14:50	And the name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz: and the name of the captain of his host was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle.
1 Samuel 14:51	And Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.
1 Samuel 17:55	And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.
1 Samuel 17:57	And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.
1 Samuel 20:25	And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, and David’s place was empty.
1 Samuel 26:5	And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him.
1 Samuel 26:7	So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him.
1 Samuel 26:14	And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king?
1 Samuel 26:15	And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord.
2 Samuel 2:8	But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s host, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;
2 Samuel 2:12	And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
2 Samuel 2:14	And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.
2 Samuel 2:17	And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.
2 Samuel 2:19	And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.
2 Samuel 2:20	Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he answered, I am.
2 Samuel 2:21	And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him.
2 Samuel 2:22	And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?
2 Samuel 2:23	Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.
2 Samuel 2:24	Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.
2 Samuel 2:25	And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of an hill.

1–20 of 53 verses

Page 1 of 3