Abner

Abner (meaning father of light or enlightening) was the son of Ner, the uncle of Saul, and commander-in-chief of Saul's army. He introduced David to the court after the defeat of Goliath (1 Samuel 17:57). After Saul's death at Gilboa, Abner supported the claim of Ish-bosheth against David's kingship over Judah, commanding the northern tribes' forces in the prolonged civil conflict that followed.

When Abner quarreled with Ish-bosheth over a concubine of Saul, he opened secret negotiations to transfer his allegiance to David. The negotiations were nearly complete when Joab, whose brother Asahel Abner had killed in battle, ambushed and murdered Abner at Hebron. David's public mourning over Abner, including a lament and a formal funeral, demonstrated his innocence in the killing and won the loyalty of Israel's tribes.