Surely you realize that Abner son of Ner came to deceive you and to track your movements and all that you are doing.”
Parallel translations
- WEB You know Abner the son of Ner. He came to deceive you, and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you do.”
- KJV Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest.
- NKJV Surely you realize that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you, to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing.”
- NASB You know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to gain your confidence, and to learn of your going out and coming in and to find out everything that you are doing.”
- NLT You know perfectly well that he came to spy on you and find out everything you’re doing!”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Joab accuses Abner of coming as a spy to deceive David. He paints Abner's peace overture as a ruse to justify what he is about to do.
Overview
Joab insists Abner came only to deceive and gather intelligence against David. Whether sincere suspicion or convenient pretext, the charge served to justify the murder Joab had already resolved upon. The accusation is never substantiated, and the narrative's sympathies lie with Abner's peaceful intent and David's innocence.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Isa 37:28But I know your sitting down, your going out and coming in, and your raging against Me.
- Num 27:17who will go out and come in before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”
- Deut 28:6You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.
- 2 Sam 10:3the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “Just because David has sent you comforters, do you really believe he is showing respect for your father? Has not David instead sent his servants to explore the city, spy it out, and overthrow it?”
- 1 Sam 29:4–6But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with Achish and told him, “Send that man back and let him return to the place you assigned him. He must not go down with us into battle only to become our adversary during the war. What better way for him to regain the favor of his master than with the heads of our men?
- John 7:12Many in the crowds were whispering about Him. Some said, “He is a good man.” But others replied, “No, He deceives the people.”
- Rom 2:1You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on another. For on whatever grounds you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.
- Gen 42:16Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be confined so that the truth of your words may be tested. If they are untrue, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!”
- 2 Kgs 18:32until I come and take you away to a land like your own—a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and honey—so that you may live and not die. But do not listen to Hezekiah, for he misleads you when he says, ‘The LORD will deliver us.’
- 2 Sam 3:27When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died on account of the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel.
- John 7:47“Have you also been deceived?” replied the Pharisees.
- Gen 42:9Joseph remembered his dreams about them and said, “You are spies! You have come to see if our land is vulnerable.”
- Ps 121:8The LORD will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore.
- Gen 42:12“No,” he told them. “You have come to see if our land is vulnerable.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
God's covenant with David — a son whose throne and kingdom would last forever (7:12–16) — finds its yes in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns without end.
How 2 Samuel 3:25 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.