ABNER (Hebrew: 'the father is light'). - Cousin of Saul on his father's side (I Sam. 14:50 f.; according to I Chron. 9:9 he would have been his uncle) and commander of his army, esteemed by the king, who kept him at his right hand (I Sam. 20:25).
After Saul's death, the ambitious A. had Saul's fourth son, Ish-bosheth, elected king at Mahanaim in Transjordan — an inept man, destined to be a mere instrument in his hands. Having reconquered the regions of Issachar, Ephraim and Benjamin, he attempted to occupy Judah as well, which was under David's authority. At Gibeon A.'s army clashed with David's, commanded by Joab; after the death of the 24 champions of the two armies, who pierced one another in single combat, the battle flared up furiously and ended with A.'s defeat. To avoid personal enmity with the ferocious enemy commander, A. twice tried in vain to make Asahel, Joab's younger brother, desist from pursuing him, until, wearied, he killed him with the butt of his spear, almost as if to simulate an accidental mishap (II Sam. 2:12-32). In his desire to secure some right to the succession, he took as his wife Rizpah, Saul's concubine, but, indignant at Ish-bosheth's reproach, he went over to David, attempting to bring him the entire tribe of Benjamin. He perished, mourned by David (ibid. 3:33 f.), in an ambush set for him at Hebron by Joab, who thus wished to avenge Asahel's death.
Faustino Salvoni