2 Samuel 3:9
“God do so to Abner, and more also, if, as Yahweh has sworn to David, I don’t do even so to him;”
What does 2 Samuel 3:9 mean?
Joab is making a fierce oath here, calling down God's judgment on himself if he doesn't help accomplish what God promised to David. This happens during a complicated period when different leaders are vying for control of Israel, and Joab is swearing he'll transfer his loyalty and military support to David's side. The intensity of the language reflects how seriously people took their covenants and oaths in ancient times. When someone said "God do so to me and more," they were invoking the strongest possible curse on themselves if they broke their word, which made the oath binding and credible. In this case, Joab is using that weight to show he's genuinely committed to supporting David's rightful claim to the throne, even though his actual motivations were probably more complicated than pure loyalty.