Lectionary Calendar
Sunday, July 20th, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Read the Bible

Contemporary English Version

2 Samuel 3:17

Abner talked with the leaders of the tribes of Israel and told them, "You've wanted to make David your king for a long time now.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Abner;   Conspiracy;   Government;   Treason;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Michal;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Abner;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Elder;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Israel;   Rizpah;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Ishbosheth;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Elder;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Abner;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - David;   Dwelling;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Government of the Hebrews;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Alliance;   Benjamin;   Joab;   Number;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Abner;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Covenant;   Elder;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Abner conferred with the elders of Israel: “In the past you wanted David to be king over you.
Hebrew Names Version
Aviner had communication with the Zakenim of Yisra'el, saying, In times past you sought for David to be king over you:
King James Version
And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David in times past to be king over you:
Lexham English Bible
The word of Abner came to the elders of Israel, saying, "For quite some time you were seeking David as king over you.
English Standard Version
And Abner conferred with the elders of Israel, saying, "For some time past you have been seeking David as king over you.
New Century Version
Abner sent this message to the elders of Israel: "You have been wanting to make David your king.
New English Translation
Abner advised the elders of Israel, "Previously you were wanting David to be your king.
Amplified Bible
Abner talked with the elders (tribal leaders) of Israel, saying, "In times past you were seeking for David to be king over you.
New American Standard Bible
Now Abner had a consultation with the elders of Israel, saying, "In times past you were seeking for David to be king over you.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Abner had communication with the Elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for Dauid in times past, that he might be your King.
Legacy Standard Bible
Now Abner had consultation with the elders of Israel, saying, "In times past you were seeking for David to be king over you.
Complete Jewish Bible
Then Avner conferred with the leaders of Isra'el. He said, "In the past, you wanted David to be king over you.
Darby Translation
Now Abner had communicated with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David aforetime to be king over you;
Easy-to-Read Version
Abner sent this message to the leaders of Israel. He said, "For a long time you have wanted to make David your king.
George Lamsa Translation
And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying. You have sought for David in times past to be king over you;
Good News Translation
Abner went to the leaders of Israel and said to them, "For a long time you have wanted David to be your king.
Literal Translation
And the word of Abner was with the elders of Israel, saying, Before now you have been seeking David for king over you.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And Abner talked with the Elders in Israel, and sayde: Youre myndes haue bene set afore tyme and longe a goo vpon Dauid, that he mighte be kynge ouer you,
American Standard Version
And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, In times past ye sought for David to be king over you:
Bible in Basic English
Then Abner had a talk with the chief men of Israel, saying, In the past it was your desire to make David your king: so now, do it:
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying: Ye sought for Dauid in times past, that he might be your king:
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying: 'In times past ye sought for David to be king over you;
King James Version (1611)
And Abner had communication with the Elders of Israel, saying, Yee sought for Dauid in times past, to be king ouer you.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Abenner spoke to the elders of Israel, saying, In former days ye sought David to reign over you;
English Revised Version
And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, In times past ye sought for David to be king over you:
Berean Standard Bible
Now Abner conferred with the elders of Israel and said, "In the past you sought David as your king.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Also Abner brouyte in a word to the eldere men of Israel, and seide, Bothe yistirdai and the thridde dai ago ye souyten Dauid, that he schulde regne on you.
Young's Literal Translation
And the word of Abner was with the elders of Israel, saying, `Heretofore ye have been seeking David for king over you,
Update Bible Version
And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, In times past you sought for David to be king over you:
Webster's Bible Translation
And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David in times past [to be] king over you:
World English Bible
Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, In times past you sought for David to be king over you:
New King James Version
Now Abner had communicated with the elders of Israel, saying, "In time past you were seeking for David to be king over you.
New Living Translation
Meanwhile, Abner had consulted with the elders of Israel. "For some time now," he told them, "you have wanted to make David your king.
New Life Bible
Now Abner spoke with the leaders of Israel, saying, "In times past you wanted David to be your king.
New Revised Standard
Abner sent word to the elders of Israel, saying, "For some time past you have been seeking David as king over you.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then had Abner, speech, with the elders of Israel, saying, - In times past, ye were seeking David, to be king over you.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Abner also spoke to the ancients of Israel, saying: Both yesterday and the day before you sought for David that he might reign over you.
Revised Standard Version
And Abner conferred with the elders of Israel, saying, "For some time past you have been seeking David as king over you.
THE MESSAGE
Abner got the elders of Israel together and said, "Only yesterday, it seems, you were looking for a way to make David your king. So do it—now! For God has given the go-ahead on David: ‘By my servant David's hand, I'll save my people Israel from the oppression of the Philistines and all their other enemies.'"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now Abner had consultation with the elders of Israel, saying, "In times past you were seeking for David to be king over you.

Contextual Overview

7 He had even slept with a wife of Saul by the name of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah. But Saul's son Ishbosheth told Abner, "You shouldn't have slept with one of my father's wives!" 8 Abner was very angry at what Ishbosheth had said, and he told Ishbosheth: Am I some kind of worthless dog from Judah? I've always been loyal to your father's family and to his relatives and friends. I haven't turned you over to David. And yet you talk to me as if I've committed a crime with this woman. 9 I ask God to punish me if I don't help David get what the Lord promised him! 10 God said that he wouldn't let anyone in Saul's family ever be king again and that David would be king instead. He also said that David would rule both Israel and Judah, all the way from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south. 11 Ishbosheth was so afraid of Abner that he could not even answer. 12 Abner sent some of his men to David with this message: "You should be the ruler of the whole nation. If you make an agreement with me, I will persuade everyone in Israel to make you their king." 13 David sent this message back: "Good! I'll make an agreement with you. But before I will even talk with you about it, you must get Saul's daughter Michal back for me." 14 David sent a few of his officials to Ishbosheth to give him this message: "Give me back my wife Michal! I killed a hundred Philistines so I could marry her." 15 Ishbosheth sent some of his men to take Michal away from her new husband, Paltiel the son of Laish. 16 Paltiel followed Michal and the men all the way to Bahurim, crying as he walked. But he went back home after Abner ordered him to leave.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

in times past: Heb. both yesterday and the third day, 2 Samuel 3:17

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 24:20 - I know well 1 Chronicles 11:10 - to make Psalms 75:7 - he putteth

Cross-References

Genesis 3:2
The woman answered, "God said we could eat fruit from any tree in the garden,
Genesis 3:3
except the one in the middle. He told us not to eat fruit from that tree or even to touch it. If we do, we will die."
Genesis 3:5
"God understands what will happen on the day you eat fruit from that tree. You will see what you have done, and you will know the difference between right and wrong, just as God does."
Genesis 3:6
The woman stared at the fruit. It looked beautiful and tasty. She wanted the wisdom that it would give her, and she ate some of the fruit. Her husband was there with her, so she gave some to him, and he ate it too.
Genesis 3:7
Right away they saw what they had done, and they realized they were naked. Then they sewed fig leaves together to make something to cover themselves.
Genesis 3:9
The Lord called out to the man and asked, "Where are you?"
Genesis 3:11
"How did you know you were naked?" God asked. "Did you eat any fruit from that tree in the middle of the garden?"
Genesis 3:13
The Lord God then asked the woman, "What have you done?" "The snake tricked me," she answered. "And I ate some of that fruit."
Genesis 3:14
So the Lord God said to the snake: "Because of what you have done, you will be the only animal to suffer this curse— For as long as you live, you will crawl on your stomach and eat dirt.
Genesis 3:16
Then the Lord said to the woman, "You will suffer terribly when you give birth. But you will still desire your husband, and he will rule over you."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel,.... Had a conference with the chiefs of the several tribes about the affairs of the kingdom:

saying, ye sought for David in time past [to be] king over you; that is, at the death of Saul, and not before; for it was pretty generally known throughout the kingdom that David was anointed by Samuel and Saul himself had declared that he knew the kingdom would come to him; so that upon his death it was the general expectation and desire of the people that the government would devolve upon him, as it doubtless would, if Abner had not set up one of Saul's house, and persuaded the Israelites to own him their king.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Ye sought for David ... - Compare 1 Samuel 18:5. It was only by Abner’s great influence that the elders of Israel had been restrained hitherto from declaring for David, and this accounts for Ish-bosheth’s helpless submission to his uncle’s dictation.


 
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