To Ish-bosheth. — The demand is made upon the de facto king that all may be done legally, and David may not appear to be reclaiming his wife by force. At the same time, Ish-bosheth is thus compelled to acknowledge the wrong done to David and his inability to refuse his demand. It appears from 2 Samuel 3:16 that Abner was employed to execute the command, and, in fact, the whole matter was really determined by him, the king being merely the official and legal instrument.
An hundred foreskins. — David had actually delivered to Saul as her dowry two hundred, but only one hundred had been required (1 Samuel 18:25; 1 Samuel 18:27), and therefore only that number is mentioned.