KJV ORIGINAL
Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
You know Abner, Ner's son - he came here to trick you, to spy on your movements and activities, and to find out everything you're doing.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
The speaker is warning that Abner came not in good faith, but as a spy to gather intelligence about their operations.
📚 Historical Context
This is Joab speaking to King David after Abner (commander of Saul's army) had made peace with David and left. Joab was suspicious of Abner's motives and believed the peace negotiations were actually a cover for espionage. This conversation happens during the civil war period when David's kingdom was still consolidating power after Saul's death.
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