The Meaning of 2 Samuel 3:21 Explained

2 Samuel 3:21

KJV: And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a league with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thine heart desireth. And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.

YLT: And Abner saith unto David, 'I arise, and go, and gather unto my lord the king the whole of Israel, and they make with thee a covenant, and thou hast reigned over all that thy soul desireth;' and David sendeth away Abner, and he goeth in peace.

Darby: And Abner said to David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thy heart desires. And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.

ASV: And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thy soul desireth. And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Abner  said  unto David,  I will arise  and go,  and will gather  all Israel  unto my lord  the king,  that they may make  a league  with thee, and that thou mayest reign  over all that thine heart  desireth.  And David  sent  Abner  away;  and he went  in peace. 

What does 2 Samuel 3:21 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 3:21 mean?

And said Abner to David I will arise and go and gather my lord the king - all Israel that they may make with you a covenant that you may reign over all that desires Your heart so sent away David and he went in peace
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אַבְנֵ֣ר אֶל־ דָּוִ֡ד אָק֣וּמָה ׀ וְֽאֵלֵ֡כָה וְאֶקְבְּצָה֩ אֲדֹנִ֨י הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶת־ כָּל־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְיִכְרְת֤וּ אִתְּךָ֙ בְּרִ֔ית וּמָ֣לַכְתָּ֔ בְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־ תְּאַוֶּ֖ה נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ וַיְּשַׁלַּ֥ח דָּוִ֛ד וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ בְּשָׁלֽוֹם

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אַבְנֵ֣ר  Abner 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִינֵר 
Sense: Saul’s cousin and army captain, treacherously slain by Joab.
דָּוִ֡ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
אָק֣וּמָה ׀  I  will  arise 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Cohortative, first person common singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
וְֽאֵלֵ֡כָה  and  go 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative, first person common singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
וְאֶקְבְּצָה֩  and  gather 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative, first person common singular
Root: קָבַץ  
Sense: to gather, assemble.
אֲדֹנִ֨י  my  lord 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.
הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
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.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל  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.
וְיִכְרְת֤וּ  that  they  may  make 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.
אִתְּךָ֙  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
בְּרִ֔ית  a  covenant 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּרִית  
Sense: covenant, alliance, pledge.
וּמָ֣לַכְתָּ֔  that  you  may  reign 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: מָלַךְ 
Sense: to be or become king or queen, reign.
בְּכֹ֥ל  over  all 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
אֲשֶׁר־  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
תְּאַוֶּ֖ה  desires 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָוָה  
Sense: desire, incline, covet, wait longingly, wish, sigh, want, be greedy, prefer.
נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ  Your  heart 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
וַיְּשַׁלַּ֥ח  so  sent  away 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
דָּוִ֛ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ  and  he  went 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
בְּשָׁלֽוֹם  in  peace 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁלֹום  
Sense: completeness, soundness, welfare, peace.