The Meaning of 2 Samuel 3:12 Explained

2 Samuel 3:12

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.

YLT: And Abner sendeth messengers unto David for himself, saying, 'Whose is the land?' saying, 'Make thy covenant with me, and lo, my hand is with thee, to bring round unto thee all Israel.'

Darby: And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying also, Make thy covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with thee, to turn all Israel to thee.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 2 Samuel 3:12 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 3:12-21 - Abner Wins David's Favor
We cannot defend David's request for Michal to be restored to him. It inflicted bitter pain on an apparently happy pair, and Michal's revenge stung him to the quick, 2 Samuel 6:20. But he may have felt it right to insist on his legal status as son-in-law to the late king. It was, however, a needless precaution, as they who wait on God can dispense with expedients which are esteemed by worldly prudence.
With this exception David maintained a passive policy. The overtures for the transference of the kingdom were made by Abner. It was he who communicated with Israel and Benjamin, and then with David. Thus great events may move around us while we live in the center of God's will in perfect peace. We must be willing to respond to the stirring bugle-call to action, but we must also have our waiting-times, when the soul is learning to possess itself in patience. The long summer days are needed to prepare for the autumn ingatherings; and the hours spent in Horeb and Carmel prepare for the stirring part that God's servants must play in the history of their time. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 3

1  During the war David becomes stronger
2  Six sons are born to him in Hebron
6  Abner, displeased with Ishbosheth
7  revolts to David
13  David requires as a condition to bring him his wife Michal
17  Abner confers with the Israelites, feasted by David, and dismissed
22  Joab returning from battle, is displeased with the king, and kills Abner
28  David curses Joab
31  and mourns for Abner

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 3:12 mean?

And sent Abner messengers to David - on his behalf saying to whom [is] the land saying [also] Make your covenant with me and indeed my hand [shall be] with you to bring to you - all Israel
וַיִּשְׁלַח֩ אַבְנֵ֨ר מַלְאָכִ֧ים ׀ אֶל־ דָּוִ֛ד [תחתו] (תַּחְתָּ֥יו) לֵאמֹ֖ר לְמִי־ ؟ אָ֑רֶץ לֵאמֹ֗ר כָּרְתָ֤ה בְרִֽיתְךָ֙ אִתִּ֔י וְהִנֵּה֙ יָדִ֣י עִמָּ֔ךְ לְהָסֵ֥ב אֵלֶ֖יךָ אֶת־ כָּל־ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

וַיִּשְׁלַח֩  And  sent 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
אַבְנֵ֨ר  Abner 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִינֵר 
Sense: Saul’s cousin and army captain, treacherously slain by Joab.
מַלְאָכִ֧ים ׀  messengers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַלְאָךְ  
Sense: messenger, representative.
דָּוִ֛ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
[תחתו]  - 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
(תַּחְתָּ֥יו)  on  his  behalf 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: מִתְחָה 
Sense: the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas.
לֵאמֹ֖ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לְמִי־  to  whom  [is] 
Parse: Preposition-l, Interrogative
Root: מִי  
Sense: who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever.
؟ אָ֑רֶץ  the  land 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
לֵאמֹ֗ר  saying  [also] 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
כָּרְתָ֤ה  Make 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.
בְרִֽיתְךָ֙  your  covenant 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בְּרִית  
Sense: covenant, alliance, pledge.
אִתִּ֔י  with  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
וְהִנֵּה֙  and  indeed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
יָדִ֣י  my  hand  [shall  be] 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
עִמָּ֔ךְ  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person feminine singular
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.
לְהָסֵ֥ב  to  bring 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: סָבַב  
Sense: to turn, turn about or around or aside or back or towards, go about or arou nd, surround, encircle, change direction.
אֵלֶ֖יךָ  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.