ISHBOSHETH, otherwise Ishbaal, the son of Saul, and his successor in the throne. His true name was Ishbaal. But the Hebrews, who abhored strange Gods, to avoid pronouncing the word Baal, in the room of it placed Bosheth, which signifies confusion. Thus instead of Mephibaal, they said, Mephibosheth. Abner, Saul’s kinsman, and General of his troops, so managed things, that Ishbosheth was acknowledged King1 by the greatest part of the tribes of Israel, while David reigned at Hebron over the tribe of Judah. Ishbosheth settled his residence at Mahanaim, beyond Jordan. He was four and forty years of age when he began to reign, and he reigned two years pretty peaceably. At the end of this 2 Sam. ii. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, &c.term2, there was a little skirmish between Ishbosheth’s troops command by Abner, and David’s commanded by Joab, wherein Abner had the worst. From that time there was war between the house of Saul, and that of David3. The house of David was continually making progress, and gathering more strength; and the house of Saul on the contrary grew weaker every day.
Now Saul had had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. Abner was accused of having abused or married her; for the scripture is not sufficiently clear in this particular. Ishbosheth said therefore to Abner; why hast thou come near my father’s concubine? Abner was strangely provoked at this reproach, and swore that he would do all he could to transfer the crown belonging to the house of Saul to that of David. Accordingly he sent to David, telling him, that if he would admit him to a share in his friendship, he was ready to offer his services for the uniting all Israel under his dominion. David accepted these proposals; and Abner spoke to the Elders of Israel, with a design of disposing them to acknowledge him for King. After this he came to wait on David, and acquaint him with the dispositions which he found them in. But as he was upon the point of bringing all Israel in subjection to David; Abner was treacherously killed by Joab, in the manner related by us under the article of Abner.
Ishbosheth being informed that Abner was killed4, lost courage; and all Israel fell into great disorder: for Abner had been hitherto the only support of Saul’s family; and Ishbosheth almost at the same time was assassinated in his own house, by two captains of the troops, that were in his service, who coming into his palace, while he was sleeping on his bed during the heat of the day, thrust their poniards into his groin; then cutting off his head, they came and presented it to David at Hebron, thinking to receive some considerable reward for such an action. But he said to them, as the Lord liveth, who hath delivered me from many imminent dangers, if I slew him who declared to me the death of Saul at Ziklag, how much more will I now revenge the blood of an innocent Prince, murdered by wicked men in his own house, and upon his own bed? At the same time he commanded the two murderers to be killed, and their hands and feet to be cut off, and hung near the pool in Hebron. The head of Ishbosheth likewise he ordered to be placed in Abner’s sepulchre at Hebron. Such was the end of Ishbosheth, and of the royal dignity in the house of Saul.
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Footnotes
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In the year of the world 2549, before J. C. 1051, before the vulgar Æra 1055. ↩
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In the year of the world 2951, before J. C. 1049, before the vulgar Æra 1053. ↩
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2 Sam. iii. 1, 2, 3, &c. For about five years, from the year of the world 2951, to 2956. ↩
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2 Sam. iv. 1, 2, 3, &c. In the year of the world 2956, before J. C. 1044, before the vulgar Æra 1048. ↩