Abner, the son of Ner, cousin of Saul and the general of his troops. He was greatly loved by Saul, and faithful to him until his death, and then transferred his allegiance to Ishbosheth, Saul's son, to whom he preserved the throne of Israel for seven years against the rival claims of David. At length, Ishbosheth having accused him of improprieties with one of his father's concubines, he went over to the cause of David. But the aid he might have rendered to that king was cut off by his sudden death at the hand of Joab, Davids captain, who was probably moved with jealousy at the influence of so powerful a rival for the kind's favor, though Joab alleged that the object of the assassination was to avenge the death of his brother Asahel. David was, or, as intimated by Josephus, pretended to be, deeply afflicted at the death of Abner, and lamented him in a sort of funeral dirge.