Bible Strands
2 Samuel 3:9
May God punish Abner, and ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the LORD has sworn to him:
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — David speaks this conditional oath to Abner during a political negotiation to secure the northern tribes for his own rule. The declaration follows Abner’s angry departure from Ish-bosheth, marking the moment Abner formally aligns with David.
The words — The Hebrew יֹסִיף (yo.Sif) means "may he add" and אֱלֹהִים (E.lo.Him) means "God," anchoring the curse formula. Paired with כִּי (Ki) "if" and כֹּה (koh) "thus," the phrasing constructs a binding conditional oath structure.
The thread — This exact oath pattern appears in 1 Samuel 15:28, 1 Kings 19:2, and Ruth 1:17, where speakers invoke divine retribution to guarantee a promise. Each reference uses the "may God/Gods punish me severely if..." formula to mark a speech as irrevocable.
Why it lands — The text states that David will fulfill what the LORD swore to him, using a divine curse to guarantee his political commitment. It asks the reader to observe how ancient covenant loyalty operated through sworn oaths rather than informal alliances.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as the Lord hath sworn to David, even so I do to him;
Cross-references
- 1 Samuel 15:28 So Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.
- 1 Kings 19:2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I have not made your life like the lives of those you killed!”
- Ruth 1:17 Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me, and ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”
- 1 Samuel 28:17 He has done exactly what He spoke through me: The LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor David.
- 1 Chronicles 12:23 Now these are the numbers of men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul’s kingdom over to him, in accordance with the word of the LORD:
- 1 Samuel 3:17 “What was the message He gave you?” Eli asked. “Do not hide it from me. May God punish you, and ever so severely, if you hide from me anything He said to you.”
- 1 Samuel 14:44 And Saul declared, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if you, Jonathan, do not surely die!”
- 1 Samuel 16:1 Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have selected from his sons a king for Myself.”
- 1 Samuel 25:22 May God punish David, and ever so severely, if I let one male belonging to Nabal survive until morning.”
- 2 Samuel 3:35 Then all the people came and urged David to eat something while it was still day, but David took an oath, saying, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets!”