Etymology

Abner’s name, meaning “father of a lamp,” likely comes from his relationship to his father, Ner (נֵר, ner), whose name means “lamp” (1 Sam 14:50–51; 1 Chr 26:28). First Samuel 14:50–51 (MT) presents the alternate spelling Abiner. The additional Hebrew letter yod, represented by an “i” here, gives the name the alternate meaning “my father is a lamp.”

The name Abner may also work as a pun to contrast the family of Saul with the family of David within the book of Samuel. Outside of the proper names Ner and Abner, the Hebrew word “lamp” (נֵר, ner) appears in two different settings:

1. In 1 Samuel 3:1–10, Samuel receives his call while resting beside the ark of the covenant and the lamp of God, the vessel containing the symbol of the presence of God.

2. Second Sam 21:15–23:7 calls David “the lamp of Israel,” the symbol of God’s presence among His people.

Polzin proposes that these passages highlight a central message of the books of Samuel dealing with God’s presence dwelling in Israel through the persons of Samuel and David (Polzin, Samuel, 234 n. 34). From this perspective, the lamp containing the physical symbol of the presence of God is used to ordain Samuel as prophet and David as king. However, in the case of Saul, the “lamp” is an insignificant relative whose offspring becomes a disloyal military commander incapable of protecting his king or of claiming the throne.