Name and Meaning:
Ish-bosheth, also known as Eshbaal (1 Chronicles 8:33), was the son of King Saul and his concubine Rizpah. The name "Ish-bosheth" means "man of shame," while "Eshbaal" means "man of Baal." The variation in names reflects the biblical tendency to avoid the name of the Canaanite deity Baal, substituting it with "bosheth," meaning shame.

Family Background:
Ish-bosheth was the fourth son of King Saul, Israel's first king. His mother was Rizpah, a concubine of Saul. His brothers included Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. After the death of Saul and his brothers at the Battle of Mount Gilboa, Ish-bosheth became the sole surviving son of Saul.

Reign and Political Context:
Following Saul's death, Ish-bosheth was made king over Israel by Abner, the commander of Saul's army. This occurred during a time of division in Israel, as David had already been anointed king over the tribe of Judah. Ish-bosheth reigned for two years over the northern tribes of Israel, while David reigned in Hebron over Judah (2 Samuel 2:8-10).

Conflict with David:
The reign of Ish-bosheth was marked by conflict with David, who had been anointed by the prophet Samuel as the future king of Israel. The house of Saul, represented by Ish-bosheth, and the house of David were engaged in a prolonged civil war. The Bible records that "the war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time. David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker" (2 Samuel 3:1).

Abner's Defection:
A significant turning point in Ish-bosheth's reign was the defection of Abner. Ish-bosheth accused Abner of sleeping with Saul's concubine Rizpah, which led to a falling out between them. In response, Abner pledged his allegiance to David, promising to deliver the kingdom of Israel into David's hands (2 Samuel 3:6-12). Abner's defection weakened Ish-bosheth's position significantly.

Assassination and Death:
Ish-bosheth's reign came to a tragic end when he was assassinated by two of his own captains, Baanah and Rechab. They entered his house during the heat of the day while he was resting and killed him in his bed. They then brought his head to David, expecting a reward. However, David condemned their actions, stating, "As surely as the LORD lives, who has delivered me out of every trouble, when someone told me, 'Look, Saul is dead,' and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and put him to death in Ziklag. That was the reward I gave him for his news!" (2 Samuel 4:9-10). David ordered the execution of Baanah and Rechab for their treachery and had Ish-bosheth's head buried in Abner's tomb in Hebron (2 Samuel 4:11-12).

Legacy:
Ish-bosheth's brief and troubled reign is often seen as a transitional period in Israel's history, marking the decline of Saul's dynasty and the rise of David's. His account highlights the themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the divine providence that guided the establishment of David's kingdom. Despite his weaknesses and the political machinations surrounding him, Ish-bosheth's life serves as a reminder of the complexities of leadership and the consequences of human ambition in the biblical narrative.Ish-bo'sheth (13 Occurrences)

2 Samuel 2:8
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;
(See RSV)

2 Samuel 2:10
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.
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2 Samuel 2:12
And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
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2 Samuel 2:15
Then they arose and passed over by number: twelve for Benjamin, and for Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.
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2 Samuel 3:7
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?'
(See RSV)

2 Samuel 3:8
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, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, and yet thou chargest me this day with a fault concerning this woman.
(See RSV)

2 Samuel 3:11
And so great was Ish-bosheth's fear of Abner that he was not able to say a word in answer.
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2 Samuel 3:14
And David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth Saul's son, saying: 'Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.'
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2 Samuel 3:15
And Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Paltiel the son of Laish.
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2 Samuel 4:1
And when Saul's son Ish-bosheth had news that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.
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2 Samuel 4:5
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.
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2 Samuel 4:8
And they 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 the LORD hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed.'
(See RSV)

2 Samuel 4:12
And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth, and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron.
(See RSV)

Ish-bo'sheth (13 Occurrences)
Ish-bo'sheth. Ish-bosheth, Ish-bo'sheth. Ish-bosheth's . Multi-Version
Concordance Ish-bo'sheth (13 Occurrences). 2 Samuel 2:8 Now ...
/i/ish-bo'sheth.htm - 10k

Ish-bosheth (14 Occurrences)
Ish-bosheth. Ishbosheth, Ish-bosheth. Ish-bo'sheth . Easton's Bible
Dictionary Man of shame or humiliation, the youngest of Saul's ...
/i/ish-bosheth.htm - 15k

Ish-bosheth's (1 Occurrence)
Ish-bosheth's. Ish-bo'sheth, Ish-bosheth's. Ishhod . Multi-Version Concordance ...
(BBE). Ish-bo'sheth, Ish-bosheth's. Ishhod . Reference Bible.
/i/ish-bosheth's.htm - 6k

Ishbosheth (13 Occurrences)
...ish-bo'-sheth ('ish-bosheth, "man of shame" Iesbosthe): Called 'eshba`al, "man of
Baal" (1 Chronicles 8:33), and yishwi, "man of Yahweh" (?), perhaps for ...
/i/ishbosheth.htm - 14k

What is the story of David and Ish-Bosheth? | GotQuestions.org

Who were Rechab and Baanah? | GotQuestions.org

What is the story of Abner and Joab? | GotQuestions.org

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