Case File: Abner

Kingdom Archives // Covenant Records Archive Node 05-AN · Sheet 1 of 1

KINGDOM
ARCHIVES
DIVISION

Covenant Records Office
Mahanaim District

ARCHIVE NODE 05-AN / MONARCHY RECORDS

Subject Erac. 1005 BC

From the Desk OfTHE CHIEF ARCHIVIST
[ OFFICE OF COVENANT RECORDS ]

Case FileSAM-0003-A

ClearanceCOVENANT VII

COVENANT CLASSIFIEDSEALED UNDER OATH

DECLASSIFIED

Name	ABNER
Aliases	SON OF NER / COMMANDER OF SAUL'S ARMY / KINGMAKER OF ISH-BOSHETH
Status	DECEASED / MURDERED BY JOAB AT HEBRON / MOURNED BY DAVID

Birth	UNRECORDED	Marks & Identifiers	THE GENERAL WHO HELD A KINGDOM TOGETHER
Place of Birth	BENJAMIN	Hair	UNRECORDED
Tribe	BENJAMIN	Eyes	UNRECORDED
Parentage	SON OF NER, KINSMAN OF SAUL	People	THE HOUSE OF SAUL
Occupation	COMMANDER OF THE ARMY	Species	HUMAN
Affiliation	THE HOUSE OF SAUL, THEN DAVID	Calling	THE CAPTAIN WHO CROWNED AND THEN ABANDONED ISH-BOSHETH
Primary Mission	LEAD THE ARMIES OF SAUL'S HOUSE	Known Signs	THE WAR AT GIBEON / HIS DEFECTION TO DAVID
Covenant Role	KINGMAKER WHOSE DEATH GRIEVED THE KING	Divine Access	INDIRECT / UNDER THE HOUSE OF SAUL

// Field Assessment

Divine Encounter Level	INDIRECT	Military Classification	THE ARMY COMMANDER
Covenant Status	SHIFTING LOYALTY	Known Miracles	NONE RECORDED
Divine Commission	CONFIRMED	Threat Assessment	JOAB'S VENGEANCE FOR ASAHEL
Mission Status	MURDERED / DAVID MOURNED HIM	Archive Category	MONARCHY / THE DIVIDED HOUSE

// Administrative Notes

Whom he set up as king after Saul: ISH-BOSHETH, SAUL'S SURVIVING SON

David's lament over his death: SHOULD ABNER DIE AS A FOOL DIES?

Remarks:

The subject was the son of Ner and commander of Saul's army, a kinsman of the king who stood at his side through his reign and his wars.

After Saul and Jonathan fell, the subject took Ish-bosheth, Saul's surviving son, made him king over Israel at Mahanaim, and led the war against the house of David. In a fight at Gibeon he reluctantly killed Asahel, Joab's brother, who would not turn from pursuing him.

When Ish-bosheth accused him wrongly, the subject was angry and resolved to bring all Israel over to David, and he went to Hebron to make a covenant with the king, who received him in peace.

But Joab, unwilling to forgive the death of his brother and wary of a rival, called the subject back and, under a show of speaking privately, struck him in the belly, and he died.

David declared himself and his kingdom guiltless of the blood, mourned at the tomb, and lamented that a prince and a great man had fallen in Israel, dying as a fool dies, at the hand of treachery.

Primary Sources:

1 SAMUEL 14 / 2 SAMUEL 2-3

Secondary References:

2 SAMUEL 3:33-34

COVENANT
EYES ONLYRestricted // Sacred Record

// Lessons Learned

Loyalty that shifts with advantage leaves a man exposed to betrayal.
Old vengeance nursed in the heart poisons even times of peace.
The powerful still fall by treachery, and God takes note of innocent blood.

Kingdom Archives // Covenant Records

Authorized Scriptural Record

Hebron Archival Office // Collection: Monarchy