{"id":59505,"date":"2018-07-09T17:43:44","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T14:43:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-266\/"},"modified":"2023-02-12T18:02:08","modified_gmt":"2023-02-12T16:02:08","slug":"wall-266","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-266\/","title":{"rendered":"chapter-Prophets-II Samuel-3"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"chapter","wall_id":"266","date":"20260906","book":"II Samuel","chapter":"3","chapter_main_number":"266","books_group":"Prophets","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"59712","color":"#f8ebe3","size":"1","name":"JPS Audio Bible - II Samuel Chapter 3 ","post_title":"JPS Audio Bible - II Samuel Chapter 3","slug":"jps-audio-bible-ii-samuel-chapter-3","old_id":"59712","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34686,"post_title":"Soundcloud","slug":"soundcloud","old_id":"34686","first_name":"","last_name":"","description":"","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34656,"alt":"","title":"491","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","width":300,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","medium_large-width":300,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","large-width":300,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","1536x1536-width":300,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","2048x2048-width":300,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","post_full_size-width":300,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","home_baner-width":300,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"266","type_929":"4","show_author_image":true,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"JPS Audio Bible","tile_main_caption":"II Samuel 3","tile_main_caption_size":"2","tile_sub_caption":"Hear the daily chapter","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/929-bible\/JPS_Audio_Bible_II_Samuel_Chapter_3","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"II Samuel","chapter":"3","chapter_main_number":"266","date":"20260906","wall_id":"266"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":2,"id":"112513","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"Ish Boshet, Abner And The King\u2019s Concubine ","post_title":"Ish Boshet, Abner And The King\u2019s Concubine","slug":"ish-boshet-abner-and-the-kings-concubine","old_id":"112513","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":78133,"post_title":"Josh Blechner","slug":"josh-blechner","old_id":"78133","first_name":"Josh ","last_name":"Blechner ","description":"Josh first finished the Tanach during Yeshiva in Mevaseret Zion. He and his daughter studied the Tanach again for her bat mitzvah. Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group. When not studying for 929, Josh works as an in-house lawyer in New Jersey.","short_description":"Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group, and is an in-house attorney in New Jersey. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":78134,"alt":"","title":"josh blechner","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","width":276,"height":351,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-236x300.jpg","medium-width":236,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","medium_large-width":276,"medium_large-height":351,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","large-width":276,"large-height":351,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","1536x1536-width":276,"1536x1536-height":351,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","2048x2048-width":276,"2048x2048-height":351,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","post_full_size-width":276,"post_full_size-height":351,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","home_baner-width":276,"home_baner-height":351}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"266","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Did he, or did he not?\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Abner returns to Ish Boshet following the debacle at the pool in chapter 2. Ish Boshet greets his general with a very serious accusation. He accuses Abner of sleeping with Saul\u2019s concubine, unfortunately named Ritzpah (lit. \u201cfloor\u201d). Did Abner sleep with her or not?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Metzudat Tzion believes that Abner did sleep with her. The law was that a commoner was not allowed to sleep with the king\u2019s concubines. Abner had gotten too high on himself for installing Ish Boshet as king, that he acted as if he was a king himself. Abner's reaction was therefore one of resentment at Ish Boshet for not being grateful for all Abner did for him. So what if he slept with the king's concubine! Abner then defected to David because Ish Boshet dared to cross him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

On the other hand, Abner may have reacted thus because he did <\/span>not <\/span><\/i>sleep with her. The house of Saul came from the tribe of Benjamin. The near massacre of the tribe was a result of the concubine of Gibeah story. Therefore, Abner was incredulous that Ish Boshet would accuse him of something that resulted in so much pain for their tribe.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But if Abner did not sleep with her, why would Ish Boshet falsely accuse him? Perhaps after the debacle in chapter 2, Ish Boshet saw an opening. He figured that Abner looked weak in the eyes of the people, and floating a rumor about him now would be an easy way to get this powerful general out of the way. Ish Boshet miscalculates and Abner defects to David.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Ish Boshet\u2019s reaction to Abner\u2019s speech in verse 11 shows that Ish Boshet was really afraid of Abner. In the first reading, Ish Boshet is fearful of Abner\u2019s reaction to Ish Boshet\u2019s truthful accusation. The fear comes from the understanding that his top general will now be working against him. In the second reading, verse 11 describes Ish Boshet\u2019s general fear of Abner. Ish Boshet was fearful of Abner, so he tried to get rid of him at a perceived moment of weakness. When that failed, Ish Boshet could no longer muster the courage to go after his general, even when faced with high treason to his face.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":94216,"alt":"","title":"job14-hmm mystery wonder","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job14-hmm-mystery-wonder.png","width":1920,"height":1440,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job14-hmm-mystery-wonder-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job14-hmm-mystery-wonder-300x225.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":225,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job14-hmm-mystery-wonder-768x576.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":576,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job14-hmm-mystery-wonder-1024x768.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":768,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job14-hmm-mystery-wonder.png","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1152,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job14-hmm-mystery-wonder.png","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1440,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job14-hmm-mystery-wonder-1200x900.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":900,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job14-hmm-mystery-wonder-560x420.png","home_baner-width":560,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Ish Boshet, Abner And The King\u2019s Concubine","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Did he, or did he not?","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":94216,"alt":"","title":"job14-hmm mystery wonder","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job14-hmm-mystery-wonder.png","width":1920,"height":1440,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job14-hmm-mystery-wonder-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job14-hmm-mystery-wonder-300x225.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":225,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job14-hmm-mystery-wonder-768x576.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":576,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job14-hmm-mystery-wonder-1024x768.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":768,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job14-hmm-mystery-wonder.png","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1152,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job14-hmm-mystery-wonder.png","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1440,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job14-hmm-mystery-wonder-1200x900.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":900,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/job14-hmm-mystery-wonder-560x420.png","home_baner-width":560,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"II Samuel","chapter":"3","chapter_main_number":"266","date":"20260906","wall_id":"266"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"423","name":"Politics","old_id":"823"},{"term_id":"813","name":"Rebellion","old_id":"1213"}]},{"order":3,"id":"112515","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"Abner\u2019s Delusions Of Grandeur ","post_title":"Abner\u2019s Delusions Of Grandeur","slug":"abners-delusions-of-grandeur","old_id":"112515","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":62571,"post_title":"Yaakov Bieler","slug":"yaakov-bieler","old_id":"62571","first_name":"Yaakov ","last_name":"Bieler ","description":"Rabbi Yaakov Bieler has been involved in Jewish education and the synagogue Rabbinate in New York, NY and Silver Spring, MD since being ordained by Yeshiva University in 1974. 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Ish-bosheth\u2019s accusation against Abner, that he slept with King Saul\u2019s concubine, Ritzpah, clearly infuriates the latter:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Abner was very upset by what Ish-bosheth said, and he replied, \u201cAm I a dog\u2019s head<\/span> from Judah? Here I have been loyally serving the House of your father Saul and his kinsfolk and friends, and I have not betrayed you into the hands of David; yet this day you reproach me over a woman! (verse 8).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This leads directly to Abner becoming allied with David:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Abner immediately<\/span> sent messengers to David, saying,<\/span>.<\/span><\/i>\u201cTo whom shall the land belong?\u201d and to say (<\/span>further<\/span><\/i>),<\/span> \u00a0\u201cMake a pact with me, and I will help you and bring all Israel over to your side\u201d (verse 12).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

And eventually, to his death at the hands of Joab:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside within the gate to talk to him privately;<\/span> \u00a0there he struck him in the belly (verse 27).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But Abner never actually denied Ish-bosheth\u2019s claim.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Abravanel (Iberian peninsula; 1437-1508), commented that the powerful Abner was reacting to Ish-bosheth\u2019s weakness:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u2026But he said: \u201c\u2026you reproach me over a woman!\u201d, demonstrating that it was true, and Ish-bosheth was justified in rebuking him\u2026<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>\u2026He (<\/span>Abner<\/span><\/i>) didn\u2019t deny or make excuses that he was not guilty, but felt that Ish-bosheth should have remained silent, and should not have said anything about his (<\/span>Abner\u2019s<\/span><\/i>) conduct\u2026 since he was the reason why (<\/span>Ish-bosheth<\/span><\/i>) was king in the first place, and why his wars were being fought, and he had the power to remove him from the kingship whenever he desired (on II Samuel 3:7).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Ho\u2019il Moshe <\/span><\/i>(R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi; Italian; 1821-98) understands that Abner was specifically responding to Ish-Bosheth\u2019s timing, and the implication that a plot was afoot to replace the general:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u2026Had you warned me immediately re your father\u2019s concubine, perhaps I would have distanced myself from her. But now, after considerable time has passed since I \u201ctook\u201d her, why are you rebuking me about this today? Apparently, you only wish to seek an excuse to remove me from my position.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Whenever a powerful military personality represents a ruler who himself is considered less-than-able, and is even fearful of him, delusions of grandeur inevitably result, with terrible consequences for all.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":112516,"alt":"","title":"-63e8d0b83bfc5--63e8d0b83bfc62sam3-king knight 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","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":42747,"alt":"","title":"michal kohane","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","width":214,"height":226,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","medium-width":214,"medium-height":226,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","medium_large-width":214,"medium_large-height":226,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","large-width":214,"large-height":226,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","1536x1536-width":214,"1536x1536-height":226,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","2048x2048-width":214,"2048x2048-height":226,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","post_full_size-width":214,"post_full_size-height":226,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","home_baner-width":214,"home_baner-height":226}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"266","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"

Who is David\u2019s wife Egla (meaning: heifer)?? In chapter 3, verses 2-5, we find a list of David\u2019s sons with their respective mothers. Egla is the mother of Yitre\u2019am, the 6<\/span>th<\/span> in this list of those born in Hebron. The Talmud (Sanhedrin 21:a) responds to questions we might have on this list, first and foremost, where is Michal, who so loved David? Rashi says that Egla is Michal, \u201cwho was cherished by him\u201d, learning it from Samson who refers to his beautiful, beloved wife, Delila, as \u201cmy heifer\u201d (Judges 14:18).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

However, if that is the case, and we know that Michal did not have a child (Samuel II, 6:23), then how can she be referred to here as the mother or Yitre\u2019am? She didn\u2019t have a child from that day forward, explains Rashi based on the Talmud, but prior to \u201cthat day\u201d (the day she mocked David, dancing in the streets, coming up in chapter 6), she did. Others notice that Egla is the only one here who\u2019s called \u201cDavid\u2019s wife\u201d even though all of the six mentioned here were known as his wives. This is because she\u2019s the only princess and therefore suitable for him (Malbim) and because she was his first wife (Radak).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The relationship between David and Michal continues to be complicated throughout their lives, which is perhaps not only about the two of them, as man and woman, husband and wife, but as a mirror to the relationship between Judah and Benjamin, the tribes they respectively come from. When facing Joseph, Judah fights bravely for Benjamin, as if it\u2019s known that whoever has Benjamin on his side, will be the uncontested leader of the Children of Israel.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This is played out throughout our history, but, what is each one\u2019s role in this partnership? In the original story (Genesis 43-45), quite surprisingly, Benjamin doesn\u2019t say anything. Is that the right way for the joint leadership to work? David accepts Michal\u2019s help, support and presence, so much so that he sends to bring her back. He needs her desperately by his side, but he doesn\u2019t accept her sarcastic comments regarding his behavior, even if she might be right. They represent two different styles of leadership and kingship, which when not aligned well, will ultimately lead to the detriment of their joint future and eventually, the demise of the kingdom. There will be other efforts by Benjaminites later on, such as Mordechai and Esther, but those will be short-lived as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The question of how to lead our people in unity, where each \u201ctribe\u201d has their suitable unique role, is still awaiting resolution.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":59741,"alt":"","title":"2sam3-unity","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-unity.jpg","width":1920,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-unity-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-unity-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-unity-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-unity-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-unity.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-unity.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-unity-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-unity-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Michal and David, Unity and Disunity","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The question of how to lead our people in unity, where each \u201ctribe\u201d has their suitable unique role, is still awaiting resolution \u00a0","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":59741,"alt":"","title":"2sam3-unity","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-unity.jpg","width":1920,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-unity-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-unity-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-unity-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-unity-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-unity.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-unity.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-unity-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-unity-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"II Samuel","chapter":"3","chapter_main_number":"266","date":"20260906","wall_id":"266"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"526","name":"Husband\/Wife","old_id":"926"},{"term_id":"568","name":"Judah","old_id":"968"},{"term_id":"594","name":"Unity","old_id":"994"},{"term_id":"792","name":"Tribes","old_id":"1192"},{"term_id":"834","name":"David","old_id":"1234"},{"term_id":"894","name":"Michal","old_id":"1294"}]},{"order":5,"id":"59752","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Doth The King Protest Too Much? ","post_title":"Doth The King Protest Too Much?","slug":"doth-the-king-protest-too-much","old_id":"59752","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34250,"post_title":"Sarah Rudolph","slug":"sarah-rudolph","old_id":"34250","first_name":"Sarah ","last_name":"Rudolph","description":"Sarah Rudolph is a freelance Jewish educator, writer, and editor. She has been sharing her passion for Jewish texts of all kinds for over 15 years, with students of all ages. Sarah\u2019s essays have been published in a variety of internet and print media, including Times of Israel, Kveller, Jewish Action, OU Life, The Lehrhaus, TorahMusings, and more. 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Previously a beloved member of Saul\u2019s household, David found himself running from Saul through much of the time they overlapped. It is hard to imagine that he didn\u2019t feel any relief when it was over \u2013 yet he did not hesitate to express mourning and exact justice from Saul\u2019s killer (1:11 and on).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Similarly, it is hard not to wonder whether he might have been just a little bit relieved when Abner, who represented the last real threat to David\u2019s reign from Saul\u2019s supporters (at least before switching to David\u2019s side, if his move was to be trusted), was killed (3:27). True, it was against David\u2019s orders, but didn\u2019t Abner\u2019s death leave David sleeping just a little bit more easily, just a little more confident in his own path towards the throne?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

And yet here too, his outward reactions are swift and extreme:\u00a0 He immediately distances himself and his government from Abner\u2019s killing and condemns Joab for the personally- motivated action; he instructs Joab himself, along with the rest of the people, to tear their garments and mourn the fallen warrior; \u201cand King David himself walked behind the bier\u201d (v. 31). He cries at the burial and offers a poetic lament, moving others to further tears, and he fasts the rest of the day.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

All this for a man who had only recently joined David\u2019s side: Doth the king protest too much?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Perhaps the key to understanding David\u2019s reaction is not in what he did, but in how it influenced the people.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Verse 36 tells us that David\u2019s people \u201capproved everything the king did\u201d; Malbim infers that they would not have criticized him even if he <\/span>had<\/span><\/i> given the order to kill Abner. Yet, David went to almost exaggerated lengths of mourning, making it abundantly clear he had not \u2013 perhaps because he knew that his reaction would set the tone for the entire people.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

He cried, and so they all cried (v. 32).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

A leader \u2013 especially one who enjoys a high approval rating \u2013 has tremendous power, and responsibility, to direct the character of the nation. Even if David would have found support no matter what he did, he knew these killings were wrong and he wanted to show his people that they were wrong. He could not allow any subjective positive reaction to color the model he provided for the people, even if he did feel any.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Perhaps especially <\/span>because<\/span><\/em> he would have found support no matter what he did, the king who would be known for righteousness and justice (8:15) had to be abundantly careful with what he chose to do.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":59753,"alt":"","title":"2sam3-memorial","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-memorial.jpg","width":1920,"height":1436,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-memorial-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-memorial-300x224.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":224,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-memorial-768x574.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":574,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-memorial-1024x766.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":766,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-memorial.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1149,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-memorial.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1436,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-memorial-1200x898.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":898,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-memorial-562x420.jpg","home_baner-width":562,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Doth The King Protest Too Much?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"He knew that his reaction would set the tone for the entire people","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":59753,"alt":"","title":"2sam3-memorial","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-memorial.jpg","width":1920,"height":1436,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-memorial-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-memorial-300x224.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":224,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-memorial-768x574.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":574,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-memorial-1024x766.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":766,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-memorial.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1149,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-memorial.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1436,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-memorial-1200x898.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":898,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-memorial-562x420.jpg","home_baner-width":562,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"II Samuel","chapter":"3","chapter_main_number":"266","date":"20260906","wall_id":"266"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"402","name":"Leadership","old_id":"802"},{"term_id":"684","name":"Authority","old_id":"1084"},{"term_id":"834","name":"David","old_id":"1234"},{"term_id":"885","name":"Saul","old_id":"1285"}]},{"order":6,"id":"59746","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"When The Personal is Political: Joab Kills Abner ","post_title":"When The Personal Is Political: Joab Kills Abner","slug":"when-the-personal-is-political-joab-kills-abner","old_id":"59746","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34891,"post_title":"Miriam Gedwiser","slug":"miriam-gedwiser","old_id":"34891","first_name":"Miriam","last_name":"Gedwiser ","description":"Miriam Gedwiser teaches Talmud and Tanakh at Ramaz Upper Upper school and is a core faculty member at Drisha. She has a BA from the University of Chicago in the History and Philosophy of Science and a JD from NYU School of Law. She studied in the Drisha Scholars Circle as well as at other programs in Israel and Boston, and has taught at a variety of synagogues and Hillels. She previously practiced commercial litigation at a large law firm, and completed a judicial clerkship in the Southern District of New York","short_description":"Miriam Gedwiser teaches Talmud and Tanakh at Ramaz and at Drisha.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":60045,"alt":"","title":"Miriam Gedwiser 2 cropped","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Miriam-Gedwiser-2-cropped-1.jpg","width":453,"height":522,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Miriam-Gedwiser-2-cropped-1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Miriam-Gedwiser-2-cropped-1-260x300.jpg","medium-width":260,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Miriam-Gedwiser-2-cropped-1.jpg","medium_large-width":453,"medium_large-height":522,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Miriam-Gedwiser-2-cropped-1.jpg","large-width":453,"large-height":522,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Miriam-Gedwiser-2-cropped-1.jpg","1536x1536-width":453,"1536x1536-height":522,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Miriam-Gedwiser-2-cropped-1.jpg","2048x2048-width":453,"2048x2048-height":522,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Miriam-Gedwiser-2-cropped-1.jpg","post_full_size-width":453,"post_full_size-height":522,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Miriam-Gedwiser-2-cropped-1-364x420.jpg","home_baner-width":364,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"266","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"And creates a PR nightmare for the new king","post_main_content_content":"

We left Abner and Joab in an uneasy truce: Joab gave up pursuit of Abner to prevent heavy loss of life, but Abner has not backed off, and Israelites continue to die.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

As the battles heat up between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner\u2019s self-importance grows even as his military success wanes. But when he asserts sexual dominion over Saul\u2019s concubine, Ish-boshet protests. This leads Abner to switches sides, promising to bring his erstwhile followers into David\u2019s camp. David agrees on condition that Abner return his wife, Michal daughter of Saul, proving that not only Abner can use the women of Saul\u2019s house to demonstrate political power. This happens while Joab is away doing his job of raiding David\u2019s enemies.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In verse 22, \u201cDavid\u2019s soldiers and Joab returned from a raid.\u201d The phrase \u201cDavid\u2019s soldiers\u201d appeared five times in the previous chapter and seems to underscore Joab and his troops' loyalty. But in verse 23, \u201cJoab and the whole force with him arrived.\u201d Here lies a hint that Joab is coming into his own as a subject independent of his service to the king, just as his own interests and David\u2019s are about to diverge for the first time.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Abner's arrival troubles Joab on three levels: personally, Abner killed Joab's brother; professionally, Abner is a rival for the position of head general; and politically, who is to say that Abner can be trusted to do as he says, rather than to double-cross David as he crossed Ish-boshet?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

When Abner returns, Joab takes advantage of the pretense of collegiality that Abner always sought in their relationship to get close, then kills Abner.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But Joab was not motivated by David\u2019s best interests, as the text makes clear, that it was the personal motive that ruled the day: \u201cThus [Abner] died for shedding the blood of Asahel, Joab\u2019s brother\u201d (verses 27, 30). As we could have known from our first<\/span> introduction to him<\/span><\/a>, Joab\u2019s identity was too wrapped up with his brothers to let this one go.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Joab\u2019s insubordination creates a public relations nightmare for David, for the people of Israel will assume that loyal Joab was once again working at David\u2019s direction, and that David had intended to double-cross Abner all along.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

David\u2019s solution to the P.R. predicament, and perhaps also to a sense of personal betrayal, is to curse Joab and his house in perpetuity. In a display of self-preservation mixed with enduring loyalty, right after absorbing the curse, Joab complies with David\u2019s orders to publicly mourn Abner.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

David and Joab, the king and the general he cursed, remain intertwined for the rest of the book of Samuel.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

At the same time, the fault lines that began to come out in this chapter - between Joab\u2019s interests and David\u2019s; and between Joab\u2019s control of the troops that keep David in power and David\u2019s own choices as to what to do with that power - will continue to simmer beneath the surface of Joab's next appearance in Chapter 11.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: \u201cJoab and Abner Kissing before Joab Murders Him,\u201d<\/span> Constantin Karl Falkenstein, from his \"The History Of The Art Of Printing, Its Origin And Development,\" Germany, 1804.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":59747,"alt":"","title":"2sam3-joab and 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The Personal Is Political: Joab Kills Abner","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"And creates a PR nightmare for the new king","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":59747,"alt":"","title":"2sam3-joab and 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Samuel","chapter":"3","chapter_main_number":"266","date":"20260906","wall_id":"266"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"503","name":"Power","old_id":"903"},{"term_id":"834","name":"David","old_id":"1234"},{"term_id":"900","name":"Joab","old_id":"1300"}]},{"order":7,"id":"59743","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"2","name":"What Can Be Gleaned From A Simple List\u00a0 ","post_title":"What Can Be Gleaned From A Simple List\u00a0","slug":"what-can-be-gleaned-from-a-simple-list","old_id":"59743","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":56118,"post_title":"Tzvi Sinensky","slug":"tzvi-sinensky","old_id":"56118","first_name":"Tzvi ","last_name":"Sinensky ","description":"Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky is the Director of Interdisciplinary Learning and Educational Outreach at the Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School in Livingston, NJ. He holds a graduate certificate degree in Gender Studies from Utah State University, and is pursuing a PhD on the intersection between Jewish thought and gender studies at the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies. ","short_description":"Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky is the Director of Interdisciplinary Learning and Educational Outreach at the Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School in Livingston, NJ.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":56119,"alt":"","title":"tzvi_sinensky","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/tzvi_sinensky.jpg","width":240,"height":280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/tzvi_sinensky-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/tzvi_sinensky.jpg","medium-width":240,"medium-height":280,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/tzvi_sinensky.jpg","medium_large-width":240,"medium_large-height":280,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/tzvi_sinensky.jpg","large-width":240,"large-height":280,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/tzvi_sinensky.jpg","1536x1536-width":240,"1536x1536-height":280,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/tzvi_sinensky.jpg","2048x2048-width":240,"2048x2048-height":280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/tzvi_sinensky.jpg","post_full_size-width":240,"post_full_size-height":280,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/tzvi_sinensky.jpg","home_baner-width":240,"home_baner-height":280}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"266","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"David\u2019s lack of self-discipline in his relationships with women sow the seeds of future challenges","post_main_content_content":"

Taken at first glance, the opening verses of the chapter, which list the six sons born to David in Hebron, seem fairly innocuous:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Sons were born to David in Hebron: His first-born was Amnon, by Ahinoam of Jezreel;<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>his second was Chileab, by Abigail wife of Nabal the Carmelite; the third was Absalom son of Maacah, daughter of King Talmai of Geshur;<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>the fourth was Adonijah son of Haggith; the fifth was Shephatiah son of Abital;<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>and the sixth was Ithream, by David\u2019s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron. (v. 2-5)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Yet a closer look tells a far more complex story. First, we may note that David bore one son each to six different wives. The potential for future rivalry among his children - which is precisely what would later develop - looms large.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

What is more, a close examination of the six sons demonstrates that the first four were negative forces, and the latter two effectively irrelevant. Amnon was involved in an abusive relationship with his half-sister Tamar. Kilav, according to the Midrash, was claimed by many to be not the son of David but that of Naval, Avigayil\u2019s initial husband. Thus, though his birth-name was Daniel (see I <\/span>Divrei ha-Yamim<\/span><\/i> 3:1), he was called Kilav, meaning <\/span>kulo av<\/span><\/i> or entirely a father, to suggest that his facial features uncannily resembled those of David, quashing the rumors. That questions were raised regarding Kilav\u2019s lineage suggests that questions were raised about David\u2019s marital affairs. Avshalom, the third son, later foments an outright rebellion against his father. And, toward the end of David\u2019s life, Adoniyah Ben Hazit, the fourth son listed, claims the kingdom over Shlomo, David\u2019s chosen successor. Shefatiah and Yitream, the fifth and sixth children, are essentially unheard from after the conclusion of this chapter.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The seemingly <\/span>pareve<\/span><\/i> opening to our chapter, then, in fact contains an implicit warning concerning David and his multiple wives. True, right now David seems to be settling nicely into his rule, utilizing political savvy to bring the house of Saul on board with his own. Yet, due to his lack of self-discipline in his relationships with women, the seeds of future challenges - born of his children to various wives, some of whom he desires for their physical beauty, and others whom he marries for political expediency - have already been sown.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":59744,"alt":"","title":"2sam3-harem","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-harem.jpg","width":373,"height":322,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-harem-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-harem-300x259.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":259,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-harem.jpg","medium_large-width":373,"medium_large-height":322,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-harem.jpg","large-width":373,"large-height":322,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-harem.jpg","1536x1536-width":373,"1536x1536-height":322,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-harem.jpg","2048x2048-width":373,"2048x2048-height":322,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-harem.jpg","post_full_size-width":373,"post_full_size-height":322,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-harem.jpg","home_baner-width":373,"home_baner-height":322}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"What Can Be Gleaned From A Simple List\u00a0","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"David\u2019s lack of self-discipline in his relationships with women sow the seeds of future challenges","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":59744,"alt":"","title":"2sam3-harem","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-harem.jpg","width":373,"height":322,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-harem-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-harem-300x259.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":259,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-harem.jpg","medium_large-width":373,"medium_large-height":322,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-harem.jpg","large-width":373,"large-height":322,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-harem.jpg","1536x1536-width":373,"1536x1536-height":322,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-harem.jpg","2048x2048-width":373,"2048x2048-height":322,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-harem.jpg","post_full_size-width":373,"post_full_size-height":322,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-harem.jpg","home_baner-width":373,"home_baner-height":322}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"II Samuel","chapter":"3","chapter_main_number":"266","date":"20260906","wall_id":"266"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"503","name":"Power","old_id":"903"},{"term_id":"526","name":"Husband\/Wife","old_id":"926"},{"term_id":"834","name":"David","old_id":"1234"}]},{"order":8,"id":"59737","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Revenge Is A Dish Best Served Cold ","post_title":"Revenge Is A Dish Best Served Cold","slug":"revenge-is-a-dish-best-served-cold","old_id":"59737","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34243,"post_title":"Moshe Sokolow","slug":"moshe-sokolow","old_id":"34243","first_name":"Moshe","last_name":"Sokolow","description":"Dr. Moshe Sokolow is Associate Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Yeshiva University, and teaches a weekly class in parashat hashavu`a at Lincoln Square Synagogue. He is the author of TANAKH: An Owner\u2019s Manual (Jerusalem: Urim\/Ktav, 2015).\r\n\r\n","short_description":"Dr. Moshe Sokolow is Associate Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Yeshiva University","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34244,"alt":"","title":"sokolow","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","width":302,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow-300x298.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":298,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","medium_large-width":302,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","large-width":302,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","1536x1536-width":302,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","2048x2048-width":302,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","post_full_size-width":302,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","home_baner-width":302,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"266","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Abner is murdered, and David is devastated","post_main_content_content":"

Our chapter opens with a list of David\u2019s progeny. Implicit in this list is that in a relatively short amount of time, the number of David\u2019s wives had increased dramatically from the two who accompanied him to Hebron in the previous chapter (2:2) to a total of six.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

After falling out with his liege lord, Ish-Boshet, Abner decided to go over to David, but David imposes an unanticipated condition: He wants Michal, daughter of Saul, restored as his wife. We may recall that after Michal assisted David to escape his clutches, Saul took her away and gave her over to one Palti ben Layish (1 Samuel 25:44), with whom she had been living in the interim. As much as we might anticipate the newly reunited couple living the proverbial \u201chappily ever after,\u201d David and Michal will quarrel and the upshot will be that \u201cMichal, daughter of Saul, did not bear a child until the day she died\u201d (6:23).*<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Abner went on to play a significant personal role in reconciling Israel\u2014and Benjamin in particular\u2014with David\u2019s reign. Joab, however, had not gotten over Abner\u2019s killing of Asahel (chapter 2) and when he learned that David had hosted Abner in Hebron and released him peacefully (23), he insinuated that Abner was actually on a spying mission. Using David\u2019s authority, he summoned Abner back and stealthily contrived to kill him\u2014striking him \u201cin the fifth [rib]\u201d just as Asahel was struck (2:23).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

David was devastated; he loudly proclaimed his innocence in the plot and composed a dirge that lauded Abner for his service to the Jewish people and bemoaned the craven manner in which he was slain. He was particularly sensitive to the fact that as a newly installed monarch his every act was subject to intense scrutiny, and that \u201cthe sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me\u201d (39).**<\/span><\/p>\r\n

*A later reference to \u201cthe five children that Michal, daughter of Saul, bore to Adriel ben Barzilay of Meholah\u201d (21:8) is explained (by Rashi, there) as Michal raising the children of her sister Meirav.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

**Whether the killing of Abner\u00a0 was murder or a justifiable act of revenge will be the subject of an inquiry we will undertake apropos of David\u2019s parting instructions to Solomon in 1 Kings 2:5<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":59738,"alt":"","title":"2sam3-revenge","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-revenge.png","width":1920,"height":1711,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-revenge-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-revenge-300x267.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":267,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-revenge-768x684.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":684,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-revenge-1024x913.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":913,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-revenge.png","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1369,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-revenge.png","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1711,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-revenge-1200x1069.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1069,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-revenge-471x420.png","home_baner-width":471,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Revenge Is A Dish Best Served Cold","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Abner is murdered, and David is devastated","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":59738,"alt":"","title":"2sam3-revenge","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-revenge.png","width":1920,"height":1711,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-revenge-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-revenge-300x267.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":267,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-revenge-768x684.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":684,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-revenge-1024x913.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":913,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-revenge.png","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1369,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-revenge.png","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1711,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-revenge-1200x1069.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1069,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-revenge-471x420.png","home_baner-width":471,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"II Samuel","chapter":"3","chapter_main_number":"266","date":"20260906","wall_id":"266"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"834","name":"David","old_id":"1234"}]},{"order":9,"id":"59758","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Abner ","post_title":"Abner","slug":"abner","old_id":"59758","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33877,"post_title":"Marc Bregman","slug":"marc-bregman","old_id":"33877","first_name":"Marc","last_name":"Bregman","description":"Marc Bregman received his Ph.D. from The Hebrew University in Jerusalem in 1991. He taught at the Hebrew Union College (Jerusalem), The Hebrew University in Jerusalem, the Schechter Institute for Judaic Studies in Jerusalem, and at the Ben-Gurion University in Beer Sheba, Israel. During 1993 he was Visiting Associate Professor at Yale University, and during 1996 he was the Stroum Professor of Jewish Studies and Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Washington in Seattle. During 2005, Bregman served as the Harry Starr Fellow in Judaica at Harvard University and was awarded a Teaching Fellowship at the Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. He also has served as Forchheimer Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Humanities at The Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He is the author of The Tanhuma-Yelammedenu Literature: Studies in the Evolution of the Versions (Gorgias Press, 2003). In 2006, Bregman was appointed the Herman and Zelda Bernard Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro, where he also headed the program in Jewish Studies, until 2013. Bregman retired from UNCG as of July 31, 2017. He has now returned to Jerusalem where he is continuing his research and teaching activities.","credit":"","image_url":"","short_description":"Marc Bregman is the Herman and Zelda Bernard Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies emeritus, at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro.","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":33878,"alt":"Marc Bregman","title":"Marc Bregman","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","width":361,"height":488,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman-222x300.jpg","medium-width":222,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","medium_large-width":361,"medium_large-height":488,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","large-width":361,"large-height":488,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","1536x1536-width":361,"1536x1536-height":488,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","2048x2048-width":361,"2048x2048-height":488,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","post_full_size-width":361,"post_full_size-height":488,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman-311x420.jpg","home_baner-width":311,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"266","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Saint or sinner?","post_main_content_content":"

Our chapter is largely concerned with Abner. We have learned previously that he was the cousin of King Saul and the commander-in-chief of his army (14:50, 20:25). Abner first supports the House of Saul, now led by Saul\u2019s son, Ish-Boshet. But Ish-Boshet accuses Abner of having intimate relations with Rizpah, one of Saul\u2019s concubines, suggesting that Abner was seeking to succeed Saul also to his throne.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Abner denies that this is his intention, saying: \u201cAm I a dog\u2019s head from Judah? Here I have been loyally serving the House of your father Saul...yet this day you reproach me over a woman! May God do thus and more to Abner if I do not do for David as the Lord swore to him \u2014 to transfer the kingship from the House of Saul, and to establish the throne of David over Israel and Judah...\u201d (3:8-10). Abner then sends messengers to David, indicating that he is now willing to come over to David\u2019s side. David replies: \u201cDo not appear before me unless you bring Michal daughter of Saul when you come before me.\u201d David also sent messengers to Ish-Boshet, son of Saul, to say, \u201cGive me my wife Michal, for whom I paid the bride-price of one hundred Philistine foreskins.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

So Ish-Boshet sent and had her taken away from [her] husband, Paltiel son of Laish. Her husband walked with her, weeping as he followed her. When, later, Abner is murdered at the Gate of Hebron by Joab, David\u2019s commander-in-chief, David walks behind Abner\u2019s bier in his funeral procession and intones a lament beginning \u201cShould Abner have died the death of a churl?\u201d (verse 33).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Rabbis regard Abner as a learned saint, even referring to him as a \u201clion in the Torah\u201d (see Bereshit Rabbah 82:4, Rashi to Psalms 57:5). For this reason, the Sages feel obliged to explain why Abner should have been killed in such a brutal way: Because Abner put his own name before David\u2019s (2 Samuel 3:12). Because he made a plaything of the young men's blood (2 Samuel 2:14). Because he did not wait for Saul to be reconciled with David (I Samuel 26:14). And finally, because he did not protest Saul\u2019s slaughter of the priests of Nob (I Samuel 22:17).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

As stated in our chapter (verse 32), Abner was buried where he was murdered in Hebron. His burial site later becomes a saint\u2019s grave, according to medieval Jewish tradition, near the Cave of Machpela, the tomb of the Patriarchs. This saint\u2019s grave continues to be visited by the faithful from medieval times until today.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image:\u00a0Illustration from the\u00a0Morgan Bible\u00a0of Abner (in green) taking\u00a0Michal\u00a0away from\u00a0Paltiel \/\u00a0Maciejowski Bible Leaf 37 3 \/ wikimedia<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":59760,"alt":"","title":"2sam3-abner","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-abner.jpg","width":391,"height":469,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-abner-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-abner-250x300.jpg","medium-width":250,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-abner.jpg","medium_large-width":391,"medium_large-height":469,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-abner.jpg","large-width":391,"large-height":469,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-abner.jpg","1536x1536-width":391,"1536x1536-height":469,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-abner.jpg","2048x2048-width":391,"2048x2048-height":469,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-abner.jpg","post_full_size-width":391,"post_full_size-height":469,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-abner-350x420.jpg","home_baner-width":350,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Abner","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Saint or sinner?","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":59760,"alt":"","title":"2sam3-abner","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-abner.jpg","width":391,"height":469,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-abner-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-abner-250x300.jpg","medium-width":250,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-abner.jpg","medium_large-width":391,"medium_large-height":469,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-abner.jpg","large-width":391,"large-height":469,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-abner.jpg","1536x1536-width":391,"1536x1536-height":469,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-abner.jpg","2048x2048-width":391,"2048x2048-height":469,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-abner.jpg","post_full_size-width":391,"post_full_size-height":469,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-abner-350x420.jpg","home_baner-width":350,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"II Samuel","chapter":"3","chapter_main_number":"266","date":"20260906","wall_id":"266"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"363","name":"Midrash","old_id":"763"},{"term_id":"466","name":"Goodness","old_id":"866"},{"term_id":"904","name":"Abner","old_id":"1304"}]},{"order":10,"id":"59749","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"The Dream Of A United Kingdom\u00a0 ","post_title":"The Dream Of A United Kingdom\u00a0","slug":"the-dream-of-a-united-kingdom","old_id":"59749","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34245,"post_title":"Rachel Sharansky Danziger","slug":"rachel-sharansky-danziger","old_id":"34245","first_name":"Rachel Sharansky","last_name":"Danziger","description":"Rachel Sharansky Danziger is a Jerusalem-born writer and speaker who blogs about Judaism, parenting, and life in Israel. She currently lives in Boston, where she teaches about storytelling in the bible and the subversive depths of Hebrew words.\r\n","short_description":"Rachel Sharansky Danziger is a Jerusalem-born Boston-based writer and speaker about Judaism, parenting, and life in Israel. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34246,"alt":"","title":"RSDanziger","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/RSDanziger.jpg","width":1171,"height":1769,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/RSDanziger-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/RSDanziger-199x300.jpg","medium-width":199,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/RSDanziger-678x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":678,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/RSDanziger-678x1024.jpg","large-width":678,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/RSDanziger.jpg","1536x1536-width":1017,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/RSDanziger.jpg","2048x2048-width":1171,"2048x2048-height":1769,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/RSDanziger-794x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":794,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/RSDanziger-278x420.jpg","home_baner-width":278,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"266","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"But David\u2019s project is full of fault lines","post_main_content_content":"

Michal is traveling to David, and the dream of a united kingdom seems, for one moment, within reach. Saul\u2019s daughter, and Saul\u2019s general, are on their way to join David\u2019s court in Hebron, where they intend to bring all of Israel over to his side. Ishboshet\u2019s court in Mahanaim (\u2018two camps\u2019 in Hebrew, named after Jacob\u2019s decision to divide his wives and children into camps before his confrontation with Esau,) seems destined to dissolve and sink into oblivion, along with the division between competing kings and camps. The united House of Israel, like Michal\u2019s union with David, appear to be on their way to be restored.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But this optimistic moment is doomed to pass and crumble. And if we step back and look at it in its entirety, the seeds of its destruction are there for us to see.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Michal is traveling to David, but her travels don\u2019t merely restore. David is using Michal to establish his House \u201cover Israel and Judah from Dan to Beer-sheba\u201d. But he can\u2019t build his House without destroying others. Michal is traveling, and there is a man in tears behind her. And he reminds us: the cost of unity is the destruction of Paltiel\u2019s home, and Saul\u2019s house.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This destruction scars and creates latent divisions. And one day, when David\u2019s son Absalom will rebel against him, these divisions will gape open and undermine David\u2019s reign. On that day, many Israelites will join the rebellion, and force David to escape to Mahanaim, fearing, like Ishboshet, a man who\u2019ll muster in Hebron. David\u2019s concubines will be taken by his rival, much as David took Michal to cement his own reign. And as David will run for his life from Jerusalem, Paltiel\u2019s tragedy will come back to haunt him: a man will walk and curse him where Paltiel walked and wept. \u201cThe LORD is paying you back for all your crimes against the family of Saul, whose throne you seized,\u201d the man will tell him. (2 Samuel 16:8) And David will go on running with these words upon his heels.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Absalom will fail, but David will face other rebellions. And within two generations, the unity he seeks will be undone.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Michal is traveling to David, and Paltiel is following in tears. The dissolution of their union foreshadows the brittleness of David\u2019s project. It underscores the fault lines of the unity he builds.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":59750,"alt":"","title":"2sam3-fault","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-fault.jpg","width":1920,"height":1080,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-fault-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-fault-300x169.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":169,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-fault-768x432.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-fault-1024x576.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":576,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-fault.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":864,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-fault.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1080,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-fault-1200x675.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":675,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-fault-747x420.jpg","home_baner-width":747,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"The Dream Of A United Kingdom\u00a0","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"But David\u2019s project is full of fault lines","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":59750,"alt":"","title":"2sam3-fault","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-fault.jpg","width":1920,"height":1080,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-fault-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-fault-300x169.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":169,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-fault-768x432.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-fault-1024x576.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":576,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-fault.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":864,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-fault.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1080,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-fault-1200x675.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":675,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-fault-747x420.jpg","home_baner-width":747,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"II Samuel","chapter":"3","chapter_main_number":"266","date":"20260906","wall_id":"266"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"594","name":"Unity","old_id":"994"},{"term_id":"834","name":"David","old_id":"1234"},{"term_id":"894","name":"Michal","old_id":"1294"}]},{"order":11,"id":"67511","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Saul v. David\u00a0 ","post_title":"Saul v. David\u00a0","slug":"saul-v-david","old_id":"67511","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":56950,"post_title":"Alisa Zilbershtein","slug":"alisa-zilbershtein","old_id":"56950","first_name":"Alisa ","last_name":"Zilbershtein ","description":"Alisa Zilbershtein is a rabbinical student at the Jewish Theological Seminary. Alisa was born in Russia and now living in Kyiv, Ukraine. Alisa is dedicated to serving Jews of the Former Soviet Union and to the revival of Judaism in Eastern Europe. Alisa is hoping to bring the light of Torah and Mitzvot to all the lost children of Israel.","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":56951,"alt":"","title":"alisa zilberstein","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/alisa-zilberstein.jpg","width":1280,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/alisa-zilberstein-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/alisa-zilberstein-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/alisa-zilberstein-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/alisa-zilberstein-1024x1024.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/alisa-zilberstein.jpg","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":1280,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/alisa-zilberstein.jpg","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/alisa-zilberstein-1200x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/alisa-zilberstein-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"266","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"In comparison to Saul, David is successful, but he too fails\u00a0\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

\u201c<\/span><\/i>David kept growing stronger, while the House of Saul grew weaker<\/span><\/em>\u201d <\/span><\/i>(v.1)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

One simple line that raises a serious theological question: If God\u2019s will is meant to serve as guidance for humanity, how did God appoint such an unsuccessful leader as Saul to be the first king of Israel? One possible answer is suggested if we compare the stories of the kingship of Saul and that of David. Perhaps the juxtaposition of the two narratives is to teach readers an important lesson.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Saul from the outset is portrayed as a character with a complex personality; he is not an adventurer who gets sucked into escapades. He is a realist, not a mystic. David, in contrast, is the boy who stands against Goliath unarmed. Charisma is the force that drives David throughout his life. He is also smart and calculating, but in critical situations he entrusts himself to a higher power and thus represents a perfect king personality\u2014trusting God more than anyone or anything else.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

We tend to sympathize with David more than Saul, but we should not forget that though in comparison to Saul, David is successful, he too fails. A human being gifted with charismatic power eventually loses control and starts to abuse this gift. The evil deeds of David recorded in the story of Bathsheba (2 Sam. 11) serve as a reminder of how dangerous it can be when a human being cannot differentiate between their own will and the will of God.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Despite the temporary success of David, his kingdom does not stand forever and his dynasty is eventually lost. But the wisdom of Torah stays with us through the generations and demands an interpretation. It demands that we learn the lesson and presents us with both stories of Saul and David\u2014the one story of failing kings.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: Anonymous Netherlands 1599, after Maerten de Vos, \"Saul, David, and Solomon,\" Harvard Art Museums\/Fogg Museum, Gift of Belinda L. Randall from the collection of John Witt Randall (section)<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":67546,"alt":"","title":"2sam3-saul-david","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/2sam3-saul-david.jpg","width":612,"height":784,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/2sam3-saul-david-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/2sam3-saul-david-234x300.jpg","medium-width":234,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/2sam3-saul-david.jpg","medium_large-width":612,"medium_large-height":784,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/2sam3-saul-david.jpg","large-width":612,"large-height":784,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/2sam3-saul-david.jpg","1536x1536-width":612,"1536x1536-height":784,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/2sam3-saul-david.jpg","2048x2048-width":612,"2048x2048-height":784,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/2sam3-saul-david.jpg","post_full_size-width":612,"post_full_size-height":784,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/2sam3-saul-david-328x420.jpg","home_baner-width":328,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Saul v. 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Okay, I must admit I\u2019m somewhat slow,<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>I don\u2019t know how to read and write, I mean,<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>It\u2019s really hard \u2014 even if you\u2019re a queen \u2014 <\/span>
\r\n<\/span>To get the hang of it, the letters flow<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>Like drops of rain all over the page, they go<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>Both up and down, across, and in between;<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>Then funny empty spaces intervene,<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>Like roots that drink the rain, to make plants grow.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

So like I said, I\u2019m really not that smart,<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>And David\u2019s other wives think I\u2019m a calf.<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>But I don\u2019t care that much.\u00a0 Let others boast<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>They read the Torah scrolls; I know the art<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>Of telling jokes and making David laugh.<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>So maybe I do God\u2019s work more than most.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":106302,"alt":"","title":"-62cad5344de06--62cad5344de07lev22-cow calf mother 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Norton & Co., 2019.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":54357,"alt":"","title":"robert alter","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","width":184,"height":275,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","medium-width":184,"medium-height":275,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","medium_large-width":184,"medium_large-height":275,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","large-width":184,"large-height":275,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","1536x1536-width":184,"1536x1536-height":275,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","2048x2048-width":184,"2048x2048-height":275,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","post_full_size-width":184,"post_full_size-height":275,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","home_baner-width":184,"home_baner-height":275}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"266","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Or just an expression of his immense popularity from early on?","post_main_content_content":"

3:17 \u201cAnd Abner parlayed with the elders of Israel, saying \u2018Time and again in the past you sought to have David become king over you.\u201d\u2019<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Commentary: The idiom for \u201ctimes gone by,\u201d <\/span>temol<\/span> shilshom<\/span><\/em> (literally, \u201cyesterday and the day before\u201d) is reinforced by the emphatic adverb <\/span>gam<\/span><\/em>, repeated before each of the two components of the idiom, probably as an indication of repeated acts in times past. Most commentators refer the idea of Israel\u2019s wanting David as king to his immense popularity during his early military successes (1 Samuel 18). But there was no intimation then that the people wanted to replace Saul with David on the throne. The suggestion of repeated popular support for David\u2019s claims might well point to an otherwise unreported undercurrent of dissatisfaction with the house of Saul and an interest in going over to David as a result of the losing civil war, if it is not Abner\u2019s own diplomatic invention.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

From: Robert Alter, The Hebrew Bible<\/em>, vol. 2: Prophets, W. W. Norton & Co., 2019, ad loc. By permission of the author.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":54890,"alt":"","title":"Alter-Cover","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","width":1200,"height":693,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-300x173.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":173,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-768x444.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":444,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1024x591.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":591,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":693,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":693,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1200x693.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":693,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-727x420.jpg","home_baner-width":727,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"From Robert Alter's Bible Translation and Commentary","tile_main_caption":"Ongoing Support For David - Abner\u2019s Invention?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Or just an expression of his immense popularity from early on?","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":54890,"alt":"","title":"Alter-Cover","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","width":1200,"height":693,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-300x173.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":173,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-768x444.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":444,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1024x591.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":591,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":693,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":693,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1200x693.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":693,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-727x420.jpg","home_baner-width":727,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"II Samuel","chapter":"3","chapter_main_number":"266","date":"20260906","wall_id":"266"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":16,"id":"59709","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Sefaria Source Sheets - II Samuel 3 ","post_title":"Sefaria Source Sheets - II Samuel 3","slug":"sefaria-source-sheets-ii-samuel-3","old_id":"59709","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":42228,"post_title":"Sefaria","slug":"sefaria","old_id":"42228","first_name":"","last_name":"Sefaria","description":"Sefaria is a non-profit organization dedicated to building the future of Jewish learning in an open and participatory way. 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\u201cTwo wives...too many! Polygamy in Judaism and the Ban of Rabbeinu Gershom\u201d<\/a><\/u> by Benjamin Kurtzer: Sources on marriage and its development within Judaism.<\/p>\r\n

\u201cMichal - a princess; a daughter; a wife; alone\u201d<\/a><\/u> by Michal Kohane: Explore who this Biblical woman was.<\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"Go deeper into the chapter....","tile_main_caption":"Source Sheets - II Samuel 3","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Links to learning resources","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":42232,"alt":"","title":"sefaria-words-sunburst","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","width":608,"height":395,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst-300x195.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":195,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","medium_large-width":608,"medium_large-height":395,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","large-width":608,"large-height":395,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","1536x1536-width":608,"1536x1536-height":395,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","2048x2048-width":608,"2048x2048-height":395,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","post_full_size-width":608,"post_full_size-height":395,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","home_baner-width":608,"home_baner-height":395}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"Sefaria word sunburst visualization","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"II Samuel","chapter":"3","chapter_main_number":"266","date":"20260906","wall_id":"266"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":17,"id":"59710","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"A Lesson on the Daily Chapter- II Samuel 3 ","post_title":"A Lesson on the Daily Chapter- II Samuel 3","slug":"a-lesson-on-the-daily-chapter-ii-samuel-3","old_id":"59710","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":40936,"post_title":"David Silber","slug":"david-silber-2","old_id":"40936","first_name":"David ","last_name":"Silber ","description":"Rabbi David Silber is the Founder and Dean of Drisha Institute for Jewish Education. 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    \r\n\t
  1. Bruised ego<\/em>. To have relations with the royal concubine is to express a desire for kingship: only the king can sleep with the women of the king. But Ishboshet\u2019s response to Abner insults him, who responds: \u201cAm I a dog\u2019s head from Judah? Here I have been loyally serving the House of your father Saul and his kinsfolk and friends, and I have not betrayed you into the hands of David; yet this day you reproach me over a woman!\u201d (verse 8).<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  2. Painful parting.<\/em> Saul\u2019s daughter Michal was at this point already married to another man, and the parting was painfully difficult for him: \"Her husband walked with her as far as Bahurim, weeping as he followed her\" (verse 16). The whole situation is exacerbated by the complete lack of feelings shown Michal by David.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  3. Vengeance<\/em>. Yoav murders Abner as revenge for killing his brother Asahel in the last chapter. Even the nature of the blow is reminiscent of the death of Asahel: both were stabbed in the belly (verse 27).<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  4. Rule by right, not by force<\/em>. David is consistent. During his wanderings he refused to kill Saul and take the kingship by force. Here, too, he strategically rejects political assassination. This is the message of his dirge \u201cShould Abner have died the death of a churl? Your hands were not bound, Your feet were not put in fetters; But you fell as one falls Before treacherous men!\u201d (verses 33-34).<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>","post_main_content_image":{"id":86314,"alt":"","title":"Points to ponder","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":1000,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":1000,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":1000,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","post_full_size-width":1000,"post_full_size-height":1000,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"II Samuel 3","tile_main_caption":"Points to Ponder","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Insights and questions for personal reflection and group discussion","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":86314,"alt":"","title":"Points to ponder","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":1000,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":1000,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":1000,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","post_full_size-width":1000,"post_full_size-height":1000,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"II Samuel","chapter":"3","chapter_main_number":"266","date":"20260906","wall_id":"266"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false}],"hide_acf":true,"home_image":false,"home_posts":false,"home_posts_title":"","posts_home":[],"static_cube_title":"","static_cube_brief":"","static_cube_color":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall\/59505"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/wall"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=59505"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}