Ish-bosheth (2 Samuel 2:8–10; 2 Samuel 2:12–17; 2 Samuel 3:1; 2 Samuel 3:6–11; 2 Samuel 3:12–21; 2 Samuel 3:13–16; 2 Samuel 3:27; 2 Samuel 4:1; 2 Samuel 4:2; 2 Samuel 4:5–7; 2 Samuel 4:8; 2 Samuel 4:9–12)

Son of Saul, king over Israel for two years

A son of Saul whom Abner took to Mahanaim and made king over Israel while the house of Judah followed David; he rebuked Abner, feared him, sent for Michal at David's demand, and was slain in his bed by Rechab and Baanah.

Ish-bosheth appears by name only in 2 Samuel. “Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s host, had taken Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim; and he made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel” (2 Samuel 2:8-9). He was forty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years. “But the house of Judah followed David” (2 Samuel 2:10).

“Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: and David waxed stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker” (2 Samuel 3:1). While there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, “Abner made himself strong in the house of Saul” (2 Samuel 3:6). Ish-bosheth asked Abner why he had gone in unto his father's concubine Rizpah; Abner was very wroth, and Ish-bosheth “could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him” (2 Samuel 3:11). When David required Michal back, Ish-bosheth “sent, and took her from her husband, even from Paltiel the son of Laish” (2 Samuel 3:15). Abner, who had already sent to David to bring all Israel to him, was killed by Joab at Hebron, and “when Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled” (2 Samuel 4:1).

Two of his captains of bands, Baanah and Rechab, came about the heat of the day to his house and slew him on his bed. They brought his head to David at Hebron, but David answered, “when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed, shall I not now require his blood of your hand” (2 Samuel 4:11). Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron, and “they anointed David king over Israel” (2 Samuel 5:3). The text does not say where Ish-bosheth was when Saul died at Gilboa.

Weaknesses

• Dependence on Abner
• Feared Abner and could not answer him
• Feeble hands at Abner's death

Themes

• Son of Saul
• Kingdom made by Abner
• House of Saul and house of David
• Fear of a strong captain
• Murder in his own house

Made king by Abner (2 Samuel 2:8–11)

Abner takes Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, to Mahanaim and makes him king over Israel; he is forty years old and reigns two years while Judah follows David.

Made king by Abner

“Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s host, had taken Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim; and he made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel” (2 Samuel 2:8-9).

“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” (2 Samuel 2:10).

The text gives no word of Ish-bosheth himself in these verses; it is Abner who takes him and makes him king.

War with the house of David (2 Samuel 2:12–17; 2 Samuel 3:1)

Abner and the servants of Ish-bosheth are beaten before David's servants at Gibeon, and in the long war that follows the house of Saul waxes weaker and weaker.

Charges Abner concerning Rizpah (2 Samuel 3:6–11)

During the war between the houses of Saul and David, Ish-bosheth asks Abner about Saul's concubine Rizpah; Abner is very wroth, and Ish-bosheth cannot answer him because he fears him.

Charges Abner concerning Rizpah

“And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong in the house of Saul. Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father’s concubine?” (2 Samuel 3:6-7).

“Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I a dog’s head that belongeth to Judah? This day do I show kindness unto the house of Saul thy father … and have not delivered thee into the hand of David; and yet thou chargest me this day with a fault concerning this woman” (2 Samuel 3:8). Abner swore to “transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah” (2 Samuel 3:10).

“And he could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him” (2 Samuel 3:11).

Abner turns to David (2 Samuel 3:12–13; 2 Samuel 3:17–21)

Abner sends messengers to David to make a league, speaks to the elders of Israel and to Benjamin, and comes to David at Hebron promising to gather all Israel to him.

Michal is taken from Paltiel (2 Samuel 3:13–16)

David asks Ish-bosheth for his wife Michal, Saul's daughter, and Ish-bosheth sends and takes her from her husband Paltiel, who follows her weeping as far as Bahurim.

Abner dies and his hands grow feeble (2 Samuel 3:27; 2 Samuel 4:1)

Joab smites Abner at the gate in Hebron; when Ish-bosheth hears that Abner is dead, his hands become feeble and all Israel is troubled.

Slain by Rechab and Baanah (2 Samuel 4:2–7)

Baanah and Rechab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite and captains of his bands, come to his house at noon, smite him on his bed, behead him and take his head away by the Arabah.

Slain by Rechab and Baanah

“And Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, had two men that were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin” (2 Samuel 4:2).

“And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosheth, as he took his rest at noon” (2 Samuel 4:5). The text adds that they came “into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him in the body” (2 Samuel 4:6).

“Now when they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and went by the way of the Arabah all night” (2 Samuel 4:7).

His head is brought to David (2 Samuel 4:8–12)

Rechab and Baanah bring the head to David at Hebron and call Ish-bosheth his enemy; David has the two men slain and the head buried in Abner's grave.

His head is brought to David

Rechab and Baanah “brought the head of Ish-bosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold, the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, thine enemy, who sought thy life; and Jehovah hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed” (2 Samuel 4:8). That he sought David's life is the two men's claim; the text does not record it elsewhere.

David answered them with an oath, and recalled the man who had told him Saul was dead: “I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his tidings. How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed, shall I not now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?” (2 Samuel 4:10-11).

“And David commanded his young men, and they slew them … But they took the head of Ish-bosheth, and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron” (2 Samuel 4:12).

Saul (2 Samuel 2:8; 2 Samuel 2:10; 2 Samuel 3:7)

His father; Ish-bosheth is again and again called Saul's son, and he speaks of Rizpah as his father's concubine.

Abner (2 Samuel 2:8–9; 2 Samuel 3:6–12; 2 Samuel 4:1)

Captain of Saul's host, who made him king and made himself strong in the house of Saul, then turned to David; Ish-bosheth feared him.

David (2 Samuel 2:10–11; 2 Samuel 3:1; 2 Samuel 3:14; 2 Samuel 4:9–12)

King of Judah in Hebron, whose house was at long war with Saul's; he sent to Ish-bosheth for Michal and avenged his death as of a righteous person.

Joab (2 Samuel 2:12–17; 2 Samuel 3:27)

Led David's servants against Abner and the servants of Ish-bosheth at Gibeon, and later smote Abner at Hebron.

Michal (2 Samuel 3:13–16)

Saul's daughter, whom David required back; Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband Paltiel.

Rechab and Baanah (2 Samuel 4:2; 2 Samuel 4:5–7)

Captains of his bands, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, who came to his house at noon and slew him.

Major sections

• 2 Samuel 2:8–17
• 2 Samuel 3:1
• 2 Samuel 3:6–21
• 2 Samuel 3:27–4:1
• 2 Samuel 4:2–12

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