Saul’s wife. — In accordance with a usual practice, the name of the most prominent of the family and royal household of the king are given. We know nothing of Saul’s queen besides her name. It has been surmised that she was of the family of Eli, the high priest, owing to the Ah (brother) entering into her name and that of her father, Ahimaaz, as this compound was apparently the favourite prefix to names in this great and renowned house. The simplicity and modesty of the king’s domestic habits is evident. Ewald thinks from this circumstance that he had only this one wife and one concubine, Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah, afterwards so famous for her sad misfortunes and for her devoted love to her ill-fated children. (See 2 Samuel 21:8-12.)
The captain of his host was Abner. — This “cousin” — or, as some have understood the sentence, the uncle — of King Saul was evidently a man of rare powers and ability. The brilliant campaigns of this reign were, no doubt, in no small measure owing to the military skill of this great commander. After the terrible disaster on Mount Gilboa, Abner was the mainstay of the house of the dead King Saul, and when he died the generous David followed the bier, and lamented over him with a lamentation which has come down to us in words ever memorable: “Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel.” His son Jaasiel was subsequently allowed the first place in the tribe of Benjamin. (See 1 Chronicles 27:21.)