2 Samuel 2:10
New International Version
Ish-Bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years. The tribe of Judah, however, remained loyal to David.

New Living Translation
Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he became king, and he ruled from Mahanaim for two years. Meanwhile, the people of Judah remained loyal to David.

English Standard Version
Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.

Berean Standard Bible
Saul’s son Ish-bosheth was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.

King James Bible
Ishbosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.

New King James Version
Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. Only the house of Judah followed David.

New American Standard Bible
Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he was king for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.

NASB 1995
Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he was king for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.

NASB 1977
Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he was king for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.

Legacy Standard Bible
Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he was king for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.

Amplified Bible
Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned for two years. But the house of Judah followed David.

Christian Standard Bible
Saul’s son Ish-bosheth was forty years old when he became king over Israel; he reigned for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Saul’s son Ish-bosheth was 40 years old when he began his reign over Israel; he ruled for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.

American Standard Version
Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.

Contemporary English Version
Ishbosheth was 40 years old at the time, and he ruled for two years. But the tribe of Judah made David their king,

English Revised Version
(Ish-bosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years.) But the house of Judah followed David.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Saul's son Ishbosheth was 40 years old when he became king of Israel. He ruled for two years, but the tribe of Judah followed David.

Good News Translation
He was forty years old when he was made king of Israel, and he ruled for two years. But the tribe of Judah was loyal to David,

International Standard Version
Ish-bosheth began to reign over Israel at the age of 40 years, and he reigned for two years, even though Judah's lineage followed David.

Majority Standard Bible
Saul’s son Ish-bosheth was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.

NET Bible
Ish-bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he began to rule over Israel. He ruled two years. However, the people of Judah followed David.

New Heart English Bible
Ishbaal, Saul's son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.

Webster's Bible Translation
Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years: but the house of Judah followed David.

World English Bible
Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Ish-Bosheth son of Saul [is] a son of forty years in his reigning over Israel, and he has reigned [for] two years; only the house of Judah has been after David.

Young's Literal Translation
A son of forty years, is Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, in his reigning over Israel, and two years he hath reigned, only the house of Judah have been after David.

Smith's Literal Translation
The son of forty years, the man of shame, son of Saul, in his reigning over Israel; and two years he reigned: but the house of Judah was after David.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Isboseth the son of Saul was forty years old when he began to reign over, Israel, and he reigned two years: and only the house of Juda followed David.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, was forty years old when he had begun to rule over Israel. And he reigned for two years. For only the house of Judah followed David.

New American Bible
Ishbaal, son of Saul, was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years; but the house of Judah followed David.

New Revised Standard Version
Ishbaal, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Ashbashul Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Ashbashul, son of Shaul, was a son of forty years when he was made King over Israel, and he reigned two years; however, they of the house of Yehuda were following after David
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Ish-bosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Jebosthe, Saul's son was forty years old, when he reigned over Israel; and he reigned two years, but not over the house of Juda, who followed David.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Ish-bosheth Made King of Israel
9and made him king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin—over all Israel. 10Saul’s son Ish-bosheth was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David. 11And the length of time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.…

Cross References
1 Samuel 13:1
Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty-two years.

1 Kings 2:11
The length of David’s reign over Israel was forty years—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.

1 Chronicles 3:4
These six sons were born to David in Hebron, where he reigned seven years and six months. And David reigned in Jerusalem thirty-three years,

1 Chronicles 29:27
The length of David’s reign over Israel was forty years—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.

1 Samuel 16:1
Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have selected from his sons a king for Myself.”

1 Samuel 15:28
So Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.

1 Samuel 31:6
So Saul, his three sons, his armor-bearer, and all his men died together that same day.

1 Kings 11:11-13
Then the LORD said to Solomon, “Because you have done this and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. / Nevertheless, for the sake of your father David, I will not do it during your lifetime; I will tear it out of the hand of your son. / Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom away from him. I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.”

1 Kings 12:20
When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they summoned him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah followed the house of David.

1 Kings 14:8
I tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you. But you have not been like My servant David, who kept My commandments and followed Me with all his heart, doing only what was right in My eyes.

1 Kings 15:5
For David had done what was right in the eyes of the LORD and had not turned aside from anything the LORD commanded all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.

1 Chronicles 10:14
and he failed to inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.

1 Chronicles 11:1-3
Then all Israel came together to David at Hebron and said, “Here we are, your own flesh and blood. / Even in times past, while Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them back. And the LORD your God said, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be ruler over them.’” / So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, where David made a covenant with them before the LORD. And they anointed him king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD through Samuel.

Acts 13:21-22
Then the people asked for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, from the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years. / After removing Saul, He raised up David as their king and testified about him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after My own heart; he will carry out My will in its entirety.’

Matthew 1:6
and Jesse the father of David the king. Next: David was the father of Solomon by Uriah’s wife,


Treasury of Scripture

Ishbosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.

Jump to Previous
David Followed Forty House However Ishbosheth Ish-Bosheth Ish-Bo'sheth Israel Judah Reign Reigned Reigning Ruler Saul Saul's Side
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David Followed Forty House However Ishbosheth Ish-Bosheth Ish-Bo'sheth Israel Judah Reign Reigned Reigning Ruler Saul Saul's Side
2 Samuel 2
1. David, by God's direction, with his company goes up to Hebron
4. where he is made king of Judah
5. He commends them of Jabesh Gilead for their king of Israel
8. Abner makes Ishbosheth king of Israel
12. A mortal skirmish between twelve of Abner's and twelve of Joab's men.
18. Asahel is slain
25. At Abner's motion, Joab sounds a retreat
32. Asahel's burial














Saul’s son Ish-bosheth
The name Ish-bosheth means "man of shame" in Hebrew. He was also known as Eshbaal, which means "man of Baal," indicating a possible shift in name to avoid association with the Canaanite god Baal. Ish-bosheth was the son of King Saul, and his ascension to the throne was a continuation of Saul's lineage. This highlights the political tension and division within Israel, as Saul's family sought to maintain control despite God's anointing of David as king.

was forty years old
The age of Ish-bosheth at the time of his reign suggests a level of maturity and experience, yet it also implies a lack of youthful vigor that might have been necessary to unite a divided kingdom. In biblical numerology, the number forty often signifies a period of testing or trial, as seen in the forty years of Israel's wandering in the desert. Ish-bosheth's reign can be seen as a test of Israel's loyalty and faithfulness to God's chosen king, David.

when he began to reign over Israel
Ish-bosheth's reign over Israel, excluding Judah, underscores the division within the nation. The term "Israel" here refers to the northern tribes, which were distinct from the tribe of Judah. This division foreshadows the later split of the united monarchy into the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. It also highlights the political maneuvering of Abner, Saul's military commander, who installed Ish-bosheth as a puppet king to maintain his own power.

and he reigned for two years
The brevity of Ish-bosheth's reign indicates instability and a lack of divine favor. In contrast to David's long and prosperous reign, Ish-bosheth's short rule reflects the consequences of opposing God's anointed. The two-year period also suggests a time of conflict and transition, as David was simultaneously consolidating his power in Judah.

The house of Judah, however, followed David
The loyalty of the tribe of Judah to David is significant, as David himself was from the tribe of Judah. This allegiance is a fulfillment of Jacob's blessing in Genesis 49:10, which prophesied that the scepter would not depart from Judah. The phrase "followed David" implies not just political support but also a recognition of David's divine anointing and leadership. This division between Judah and the rest of Israel sets the stage for David's eventual unification of the kingdom under his rule, as ordained by God.

Verses 10, 11. - Ishbosheth...two years ... David... seven years and six months. Where are we to place the five years and a half of difference? The usual assumption is that David was made King of Israel immediately upon Ishbosheth's murder; but this is wrong. We cannot believe that Abner would allow so long a period as five years to elapse before asserting the claims of Saul's family, especially as David was already made King of Judah at Hebron. Still, as the war with the Philistines was the first object of his care, and as some form of popular ratification was necessary, some months may have passed before Ishbosheth was publicly installed as king, though Abner must have acted in his name from the first. The main interval of five years before David's accession must have been after Ishbosheth's death. That murder, and still more so the murder of Abner, must have made David an object of great suspicion to all Israel. Shimei, when he called him "a bloody man" (2 Samuel 16:8), was but uttering a slander commonly current among the people. Gradually most of them would become convinced of his innocence; and all, as they contrasted the anarchy which prevailed in their country with the peace and security won by David for Judah, would regard his election as the best course under the circumstances. As the Philistines immediately resented their action, and endeavoured to crush the king before he could concentrate his power, it is probable that during these five years they had again obtained practical command of the more fertile districts of Palestine. Ishbosheth... was forty years old. In the previous narrative Jonathan always appears as the most important of Saul's sons, and naturally it is assumed that he was the firstborn; yet his child was but five years old at his father's death, while Ishbosheth, his uncle, a younger brother of Jonathan, is described as a man of forty. Some think that Ishbosheth was the eldest son, but in 1 Chronicles 8:33 he is placed last, and, though a weak man, was not so feeble as to have been set aside from the succession. But confessedly the chronology of Saul's reign is so full of difficulties, that it is impossible altogether to explain it (see note on 1 Samuel 13:1).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Saul’s
שָׁא֗וּל (šā·’ūl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7586: Saul -- first king of Israel, also an Edomite and two Israelites

son
בֶּן־ (ben-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

Ish-bosheth
בֹּ֣שֶׁת (bō·šeṯ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 378: Ish-bosheth -- 'man of shame', a son of Saul and king of Israel

was forty
אַרְבָּעִ֨ים (’ar·bā·‘îm)
Number - common plural
Strong's 705: Forty

years old
בֶּן־ (ben-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

when he began to reign
בְּמָלְכוֹ֙ (bə·mā·lə·ḵōw)
Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4427: To reign, inceptively, to ascend the throne, to induct into royalty, to take counsel

over
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

Israel,
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

and he reigned
מָלָ֑ךְ (mā·lāḵ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4427: To reign, inceptively, to ascend the throne, to induct into royalty, to take counsel

for two
וּשְׁתַּ֥יִם (ū·šə·ta·yim)
Conjunctive waw | Number - fd
Strong's 8147: Two (a cardinal number)

years.
שָׁנִ֖ים (šā·nîm)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 8141: A year

The house
בֵּ֣ית (bêṯ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house

of Judah,
יְהוּדָ֔ה (yə·hū·ḏāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3063: Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites

however,
אַ֚ךְ (’aḵ)
Adverb
Strong's 389: A particle of affirmation, surely

followed
הָי֖וּ (hā·yū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

David.
דָוִֽד׃ (ḏā·wiḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse


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OT History: 2 Samuel 2:10 Ishbosheth Saul's son was forty years old (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
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