2 Samuel 3:12

WEB

Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, "Whose is the land?" and saying, "Make your alliance with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you, to bring all Israel around to you."

KJV

And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying also, Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee.

Commentary

And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf,.... On his own account, and not on the account of Ishbosheth, or the people of Israel; but to obtain terms for himself, or in his own name, as representing him and standing in his stead; or secretly, a s Kimchi explains it, unknown to Ishbosheth, or the people of Israel. The Targum is,"out of his place;''he sent them from the place where he was, from Mahanaim: saying, whose is the land? the land of Israel, is it not thine, David? verily it is; to whom does it belong but unto thee, to whom the Lord has given it? not to any of Saul's posterity: this he ordered the messengers to say in the first place, in order to ingratiate himself to David, and gain his messengers an audience. The Targum is,"I swear by him that made the earth;''so Jarchi says, it is an oath by him whose the earth is, even by the living God, whose is the earth, and the fulness thereof: saying also, make thy league with me; he desired to enter into a covenant of friendship with him, that everything that had passed might be forgiven and forgotten: and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee: he promises on his part to do his utmost to bring all Israel under his government and to obedience to him.