Abner is initially mentioned incidentally in Saul's history, first appearing as the son of Ner, Saul's uncle, and the commander of Saul's army. He then comes to the story again as the commander who introduced
David to Saul following David's killing of
Goliath. He is not mentioned in the account of the disastrous
battle of Gilboa when Saul's power was crushed. Seizing the youngest but only surviving of Saul's sons,
Ish-bosheth, also called Eshbaal, Abner set him up as king over
Israel at
Mahanaim, east of the
Jordan.
David, who was accepted as king by
Judah alone, was meanwhile reigning at
Hebron, and for some time war was carried on between the two parties. The only engagement between the rival factions told at length was preceded by an encounter at
Gibeon between 12 chosen men from each side, in which all 24 seem to have perished. In the general engagement which followed, Abner was defeated and put to flight. He was closely pursued by
Asahel, brother of
Joab, who is said to have been "light of foot as a wild roe". As Asahel would not desist from the pursuit, though warned, Abner was compelled to slay him in self-defense, planting his spear in the ground and allowing Asahel to impale himself. This originated a deadly
feud between the leaders of the opposite parties, for Joab, as next of kin to Asahel, was by the law and custom of the country the avenger of his blood. one of Saul's
concubines, an alliance which, according to contemporary notions, would imply pretensions to the
throne. Abner was indignant at the rebuke, and immediately opened negotiations with David, who welcomed him on the condition that his wife
Michal should be restored to him. This was done, and the proceedings were ratified by a feast. Almost immediately after, however, Joab, who had been sent away, perhaps intentionally, returned and slew Abner at the gate of Hebron. The ostensible motive for the assassination was a desire to avenge Asahel, and this would be a sufficient justification for the deed according to the moral standard of the time (although Abner should have been safe from such a revenge killing in Hebron, which was a
City of Refuge). The conduct of David after the event was such as to show that he had no complicity in the act, though he could not venture to punish its perpetrators. "And David said to all the people who were with him, 'Rend your clothes and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and wail before Abner.' And King David went after the bier. And they buried Abner in Hebron, and the king raised his voice and wept on Abner's grave, and all the people wept." Shortly after Abner's death, Ish-bosheth was assassinated as he slept, and David became king of the reunited kingdoms. ==Rabbinical literature==