Ish-bosheth אִישׁ־בֹ֫שֶׁת

Male Tribe of Benjamin H0378 2 books

Son of Saul, king over Israel.

Biography

Ish-bosheth, also known as Eshbaal, was the fourth son of King Saul (1Ch.8.33, 9.39). After Saul's death, Abner, the commander of Saul's army, took Ish-bosheth and made him king over Israel, while David reigned over Judah (2Sa.2.8-10). Ish-bosheth was forty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for two years.

During his reign, there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David (2Sa.3.1). Abner became angry with Ish-bosheth and defected to David (2Sa.3.8-21). Later, two of Ish-bosheth's captains, Rechab and Baanah, assassinated him while he was resting in his bed. They brought his head to David, hoping for a reward, but David had them executed for their crime (2Sa.4.5-12).

After Ish-bosheth's death, all the tribes of Israel came to David and acknowledged him as king over all Israel (2Sa.5.1-3). The name "Ish-bosheth" means "man of shame," while "Eshbaal" means "man of Baal." The name change may reflect the biblical writer's perspective on the contrast between Ish-bosheth's weak rule and David's divinely appointed kingship.

Family

Parents

Siblings

In Scripture

2 biblical books

2 Samuel 5 verses

2 Samuel 2:8

"Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s army, had taken Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;"
2 Samuel 2:10

"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."
2 Samuel 2:12

"Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon."
2 Samuel 2:15

"Then they arose and went over by number: twelve for Benjamin and for Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of David’s servants."
2 Samuel 3:8

"Then Abner was very angry about Ishbosheth’s words, and said, “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness to Saul’s house your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and yet you charge me today with a..."

1 Chronicles 2 verses

1 Chronicles 8:33

"Ner became the father of Kish. Kish became the father of Saul. Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal."
1 Chronicles 9:39

"Ner became the father of Kish. Kish became the father of Saul. Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal."

Names & Aliases

Form	Language	Script	Strong's
Named	Hebrew	אִישׁ־בֹ֫שֶׁת	H0378
Named	Hebrew	אֶשְׁבַּעַל	H0792

Encyclopedia Article

Ish-bosheth

ISBE 1915 (Public Domain)

am.14.49">1Sa 14:49). Compare ESHBAAL and ISHVI (the King James Version "Ishui"). We probably have the right meaning of the name in Eshbaal and Ishvi, the words Baal and Yahweh being frequently interchanged. The change to Ish-bosheth, "man of shame," in 2 Samuel, where the story of his shameful murder is related, may be better explained as reference to this (see MEPHIBOSHETH, whose name was also changed from Merib-baal for similar reasons), than to find here a suggestion of Baal-worship, but see HPN, 121, where the change is explained as a correction of the scribes, in consequence of prophetic protests.

One of the sons of Saul (1Ch 8:33; 9:39; 1Sa 14:49) who, when his father and brothers were slain in the battle of Gilboa (1Sa 31:1), was proclaimed king over Israel by Abner, the captain of Saul's host, at Mahanaim (2Sa 2:8). Ishbosheth was 40 years old at this time and reigned over Israel 2 years (2Sa 2:10). Judah, however, proclaimed David its king. The consequence was war (2Sa 2:12). The house of David prevailed against the house of Saul (2Sa 3:1), but the war did not come to a close until Abner, angry on account of the rebuke he suffered from Ish-Bosheth for his unlawful intimacy with Rizpah, Saul's concubine, joined David (2Sa 3:6). David's condition to return to him Michal, his wife before peace could be made, was fulfilled by Ish-Bosheth (2Sa 3:14 f), but it was not until after Abner's death that Ish-Bosheth seems to have given up hopes of retaining his power (2Sa 4:1). The shameful murder of Ish-Bosheth by his own captains is recorded in 2Sa 4:5 ff. David punished the murderers who had expected reward and buried Ish-Bosheth in the grave of Abner at Hebron (2Sa 4:12 f).

Arthur L. Breslich

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ish'-se-kel ('ish sekhel, "man of discretion"): Ezra, at one time in need of ministers for the house of God, sent "unto Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia." "And according to the good hand of our God upon us they

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