“‘May God bring terrible curses on Avner and worse ones yet if I don’t accomplish what Adonai swore to David — to transfer the kingdom from the house of Sha’ul and set up the throne of David over Isra’el and Y’hudah, from Dan all the way to Be’er-Sheva!’ Ish-Boshet couldn’t answer Avner a word, because […]

“Sha’ul had had a concubine named Ritzpah, the daughter of Ayah; and [Ish-Boshet] challenged Avner: ‘Why did you go and sleep with my father’s concubine?’  These words of Ish-Boshet’s enraged Avner. ‘What am I,’ he shouted, [that you treat me with such contempt]?  A dog’s head in Y’hudah? Till this moment I have shown only […]

“During the war that was going on between the house of Sha’ul and the house of David, Avner strengthened his position in the house of Sha’ul.  Sha’ul had had a concubine named Ritzpah, the daughter of Ayah; and [Ish-Boshet] challenged Avner: ‘Why did you go and sleep with my father’s concubine?’“-2 Samuel 3:6-7 In verse […]

“…the fourth, Adoniyah the son of Haggit; the fifth, Sh’fatyah the son of Avital; and the sixth, Yitre‘am, whose mother was ‘Eglah David’s wife. These were born to David in Hevron.”-2 Samuel 3:4-5 Let’s continue going over how David built up his royal house. So Adoniyah was the next-born son, and his name means “Yehovah […]

“Sons were born to David in Hevron. His firstborn was Amnon, whose mother was Achino‘am from Yizre‘el; his second, Kil’av, whose mother was Avigayil the widow of Naval from Karmel; the third, Avshalom, whose mother was Ma‘akhah the daughter of Talmai king of G’shur…”-2 Samuel 3:2-5 Verse 2 explains how David began to establish his […]