2 Samuel 3 · Verse 6

2 Samuel 3:6

And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul.
2 Samuel 3:6, King James Version

2 Samuel 3:6 in other translations

BSBDuring the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner had continued to strengthen his position in the house of Saul.
WEBWhile there was war between Saul’s house and David’s house, Abner made himself strong in Saul’s house.
ASVAnd it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong in the house of Saul.
YLTAnd it cometh to pass, in the war being between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner hath been strengthening himself in the house of Saul,
DARBYAnd it came to pass while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul.
BBENow while there was war between Saul's people and David's people, Abner was making himself strong among the supporters of Saul.
WebsterAnd it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul.

What does 2 Samuel 3:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Samuel 3:6-11
6-11. Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul--In the East, the wives and concubines of a king are the property of his successor to this extent, that for a private person to aspire to marry one of them would be considered a virtual advance of pretensions to the crown (see 1Ki 2:17). It is not clear whether the accusation against Abner was well or ill founded. But he resented the charge as an indignity, and, impelled by revenge, determined to transfer all the weight of his influence to the opposite party. He evidently set a full value on his services, and seems to have lorded it over his weak nephew in a haughty, overbearing manner.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 6 Abner made himself strong - This strengthening of himself, and going in to the late king's concubine, were most evident proofs that he wished to seize upon the government. See 1Kgs 2:21, 1Kgs 2:22; 1Kgs 12:8; 1Kgs 16:21.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 3:1-6

The length of this war tried the faith and patience of David, and made his settlement at last the more welcome. The contest between grace and corruption in the hearts of believers, may fitly be compared to this warfare. There is a long war between them, the flesh lusting against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh; but as the work of holiness is carried on, corruption, like the house of Saul, grows weaker…

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 3:1-6 →

2 Samuel 3:6 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיְהִ֗יvay.Hiand it wasH1961
בִּֽהְיוֹת֙bih.yOtwhen wasH1961
הַמִּלְחָמָ֔הha.mil.cha.Mah<the> warH4421
בֵּ֚יןbeinbetweenH996
בֵּ֣יתbeit[the] house ofH1004
שָׁא֔וּלsha.'UlSaulH7586
וּבֵ֖יןu.Veinand betweenH996
בֵּ֣יתbeit[the] house ofH1004
דָּוִ֑דda.VidDavidH1732
וְאַבְנֵ֛רve.'av.Nerand AbnerH74
הָיָ֥הha.Yahhe wasH1961
מִתְחַזֵּ֖קmit.cha.Zekstrengthening himselfH2388
בְּבֵ֥יתbe.Veitin [the] house ofH1004
שָׁאֽוּל\׃sha.'UlSaulH7586

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Samuel 3:6

  • 2 Samuel 2:8-9

    But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s host, took Ish–bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim; And made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.

  • Isaiah 8:9-10

    Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.

  • Matthew 12:30

    He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

  • 2 Chronicles 25:8

    But if thou wilt go, do it, be strong for the battle: God shall make thee fall before the enemy: for God hath power to help, and to cast down.

  • Joel 3:9-13

    Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord. Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. …

  • 2 Kings 10:23

    And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal, and said unto the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the Lord, but the worshippers of Baal only.

  • Proverbs 21:30

    There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Abner.
2:8,9; 2Ki 10:23; 2Ch 25:8; Pr 21:30; Isa 8:9,10; Joe 3:9-13
Mt 12:30

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Samuel 3:5

    And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.

  • 2 Samuel 3:6

    And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul.

  • 2 Samuel 3:7

    And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ish–bosheth said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father’s concubine?

Read all of 2 Samuel 3

2 Samuel 3:6 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y como había guerra entre la casa de Saúl y la de David, aconteció que Abner se esforzaba por la casa de Saúl.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il arriva que, pendant qu’il y eut guerre entre la maison de Saül et la maison de David, Abner tint ferme pour la maison de Saül.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und es geschah, während der Streit war zwischen dem Hause Sauls und dem Hause Davids, da stand Abner dem Hause Sauls mutig bei.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Cum ergo esset prælium inter domum Saul et domum David, Abner filius Ner regebat domum Saul.