Topical Encyclopedia Ish-Bosheth, whose name means "man of shame" or "man of Baal," was the son of King Saul and became a significant figure during the tumultuous period following Saul's death. His account is primarily found in the books of 2 Samuel, where he is depicted as a king who reigned over Israel for a brief period.Background and Ascension to the Throne Ish-Bosheth was the fourth son of Saul, the first king of Israel. After Saul and his three other sons, including Jonathan, were killed in the battle against the Philistines on Mount Gilboa (1 Samuel 31:1-6), the kingdom of Israel was left in a state of disarray. In this power vacuum, Abner, the commander of Saul's army and a powerful military leader, took the initiative to establish Ish-Bosheth as king over Israel. This act was likely motivated by Abner's desire to maintain influence and control over the northern tribes. 2 Samuel 2:8-9 states, "Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, took Saul’s son Ish-Bosheth and brought him over to Mahanaim. He made him king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and all Israel." Ish-Bosheth's reign was centered in Mahanaim, east of the Jordan River, indicating a division between the northern tribes he ruled and the tribe of Judah, which had already anointed David as their king in Hebron. Reign and Conflict with David Ish-Bosheth's reign lasted for two years (2 Samuel 2:10), during which time he faced significant challenges. The most notable was the ongoing conflict with David, who had been anointed king over the tribe of Judah. This division led to a prolonged civil war between the house of Saul and the house of David, as described in 2 Samuel 3:1 : "Now the war between the house of Saul and the house of David was long and drawn out, with David growing stronger and the house of Saul becoming weaker." Abner played a crucial role in Ish-Bosheth's administration, but tensions arose between them. The conflict reached a peak when Ish-Bosheth accused Abner of taking Saul's concubine, Rizpah, as his own, which was seen as a challenge to the royal authority (2 Samuel 3:7). This accusation led to Abner's defection to David's side, further weakening Ish-Bosheth's position. Downfall and Death Ish-Bosheth's reign came to an abrupt end when he was assassinated by two of his own captains, Rechab and Baanah, who sought to gain favor with David by bringing him Ish-Bosheth's head (2 Samuel 4:5-8). However, their treachery was not rewarded; David condemned their actions and had them executed for murdering an innocent man in his own home (2 Samuel 4:9-12). Ish-Bosheth's death marked the end of Saul's dynasty and paved the way for David to become the king over all Israel. Despite his brief and troubled reign, Ish-Bosheth's account highlights the complexities of leadership and the consequences of political maneuvering in the ancient kingdom of Israel. Nave's Topical Index 2 Samuel 2:8-10But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim; Nave's Topical Index Library The King. That Upon the Slaughter of Ishbosheth by the Treachery of his ... The History of David How David Reigned Over one Tribe at Hebron While the Son Of The Bright Dawn of a Reign One Fold and one Shepherd The Reign of David. The Kingdom of all Israel. The First Kings. The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus Resources Summary of the Book of 2 Samuel - Bible Survey | GotQuestions.orgWho was Joab in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org What is the significance of the land of Gilead in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus |
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