Ner

Biblical Record

Ner was a Benjamite belonging to the house of King Saul. Scripture records no deeds of Ner himself. His name appears chiefly in genealogies and in the phrase "Abner the son of Ner."

• 1 Samuel 14:50-51: Introduces Abner, the captain of Saul's host, as "the son of Ner, Saul's uncle." The passage then states that Kish was the father of Saul and Ner the father of Abner. According to this text, Ner was Saul's uncle, that is, a brother of Saul's father Kish.
• 1 Chronicles 8:33; 9:39: States, "Ner begat Kish, and Kish begat Saul." Read this way, Ner would be Saul's grandfather.
• 1 Chronicles 9:35-36: Lists Kish and Ner together among the sons of Jehiel, who dwelt in Gibeon.
• "Abner the son of Ner": This expression recurs in 1 Samuel 26, 2 Samuel 2-3, 1 Kings 2, 1 Chronicles 26:28, and elsewhere.

Significance in Scripture

Ner is not the subject of an independent narrative. His significance in Scripture derives from his place in the lineage of Saul's royal house and from his relationship to his son Abner. Abner led Saul's army. After Saul's death he made Ish-bosheth king, and he was later killed by Joab after seeking to make peace with David (2 Samuel 3). Throughout these events, Ner's name is repeatedly used almost as an epithet identifying Abner. The name is often interpreted as meaning "lamp" in Hebrew. Ner is not mentioned in the New Testament.

Interpretation and Debate

The most frequently discussed issue is the discrepancy between the genealogies. First Samuel records Ner as Saul's uncle, whereas 1 Chronicles 8:33 and 9:39 record Ner as the father of Kish. Several explanations have been proposed.

• Repeated-name view: Holds that the names Ner and Kish recurred across generations within a single family.
• Textual-transmission view: Holds that the difference arose during the transmission of the text of 1 Chronicles.
• Identification view: Some identify Abiel of 1 Samuel 9:1 and 14:51 with Jehiel of 1 Chronicles 9:35.

None of these explanations has gained broad consensus. The text contains no account of Ner's character or life; any such material that circulates should be recognized as an extrabiblical addition.

In the Korean Church

Ner is rarely the subject of sermons or Sunday school lessons. He is usually mentioned in passing when the genealogies of Samuel and 1 Chronicles are read during reading through the Bible, or when the relationship between Abner and the house of Saul is explained.