2 Samuel 2:8

WEB

Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's army, had taken Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;

KJV

But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s host, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;

Commentary

But Abner, the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host,.... This man's father, Ner, was Saul's uncle, Sa1 14:50 , and he was his own cousin, and being general of his army, a post he was willing to keep, might be the reasons for doing what he did, as follows: took Ishbosheth the son of Saul; and who seems to be his only son left , except what he had by his concubine. This man's name is Eshbaal in Ch1 8:33 . Baal is the name of a shameful idol, and which was therefore sometimes called Bosheth, "shame". See Hos 9:10 ; wherefore such names of men, which had Baal in them, were changed for Besheth or Bosheth, as the names of Jerubbaal and Meribbaal, who were called Jerubbesheth and Mephibosheth. See Jdg 8:35 ; compared with Sa2 11:21 , and Sa2 4:4 with Ch1 8:34 . The latter of these, a son of Jonathan, bid fairest for the crown by lineal succession, but he being but five years of age, and lame, this man Abner judged fittest for his purpose; and though he knew it was the will of God, and he had sworn that David should be king, yet so blind and obstinate was his ambition, that he set up another against him: and brought him over to Mahanaim; a city on the other side Jordan, in the tribe of Gad, on the border of the half tribe of Manasseh; see Jos 13:26 ; and hither Abner had Ishbosheth, partly to keep the men of Jabeshgilead in awe, to whom David had sent messengers, acquainting them with his being king of Judah, and prevent their joining with him; and partly that he might be at a proper distance both from the Philistines and from David, till he could form his measures, and gradually carry his point, as he did.