In the
Book of Samuel, Abner (
Biblical Hebrew for "father of [or is a] light"), is first cousin to
Saul and commander-in-chief of his army (1 Samuel 14:50, 20:25). He is only referred to incidentally in Saul's history (1 Samuel 17:55, 26:5), and 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,
Ishbaal, 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.
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