Died Abner as a fool dieth? That is, as a wicked man. Was he cut off by the hand of justice for his crimes? Nothing less; but by Joab's malice and treachery. It is a sad thing to die as a fool dieth, as they do that any way shorten their own days; and indeed all they that make no provision for another world. Were not bound Thou didst not tamely yield up thyself to Joab, to be bound hand and foot at his pleasure. Joab did not overcome thee in an equal combat, nor durst he attempt thee in that way, as a general or soldier of any worth would have done. Wicked men By the hands of froward, or perverse, or crooked men, by hypocrisy and perfidiousness, whereby the vilest coward may kill the most valiant person. It is justly observed by Dr. Delaney, that this short lamentation of David over Abner is truly poetical, and evidently appears so in the most literal translation. He renders it as follows:
As dies the criminal, shall Abner die?
Thy hands not bound,
Nor to the fetters were thy feet applied.
As is their fate that fall Before the faces of the sons of guilt,
So art thou fallen.
For he was killed as a traitor; but had he been really so, he should have died in chains and fetters after a fair trial. And all the people wept again over him At the recital of these words by the king, which were so mournfully spoken, the grief became universal, and the whole people wept anew.