Ish-bosheth

File:Ish-bosheths-assassins2.jpg

King Ish-bosheth's head lies at the feet of his assassins, who seek a reward from King David.

Ish-bosheth (also called Eshba'al or Ashba'al or Ishbaal), was the second king of Israel, succeeding his father Saul after his death at the Battle of Mount Gilboa. He reigned for several years from the city of Mahanaim the late eleventh century B.C.E., facing a civil war led by the future king David and his powerful general Joab.

After years of waning effectivity, Ish-bosheth lost the loyalty of his own military chief, Abner, who went secretly over to David's cause after being accused by Ish-bosheth of sleeping with one of Saul's concubines. In the process of mobilizing support for David's cause, however, Abner was slain by his rival, Joab. The politically and militarily weakened Ish-bosheth was soon assassinated by two of his own captains. He left no known heirs, and the apparent heir to the throne, Ish-bosheth's newphew Mephi-bosheth, was eventually placed under life-long house arrest in Jerusalem by King David.

Biography

Ish-bosheth's men under Abner battle Davi'd forces under Joab.

Ish-bosheth was proclaimed king over Israel by Abner, the captain of Saul's army, at Mahanaim (2 Samuel 2:8), after his father and brothers were slain in the battle of Gilboa (1 Samuel 31:1). Ish-bosheth was 40 years old at this time and reigned over Israel for two years (2 Samuel 2:10).

Prior to this time, Saul's son Jonathan had been the hier apparent to the throne of Israel. However, he was slain along with his father at the battle of Gilboa. Meanwhile, Saul's former captain and estranged son-in-law, David, had established a following among the tribe of Judah and had allied himself with the Philistine king (NAME). Prior to the battle of Gilboa, David ended this alliance and now sought the kingship. Although Ish-bosheth was next in line by right of succession, David claimed divine authority on the basis of his being anointed by the prophet Samuel.

A long civil war followed (2 Samuel 2:12). Ish-bosheth, who establish his capital at Mahanaim, supported by Saul's army under Abher. The Bible indicates that Ish-bosheth controled the larger terrority, including: "Gilead, Ashuri and Jezreel, and also Ephraim, Benjamin and all Israel." (2:9) David, meanwhile, reigned only over a single tribe, Judah.

Abner and Joab

The Bible relates few details about the war between David as king of Judah and Ish-bosheth as king of Israel. A key element in the struggle was a blood feud between Ish-bosheth's general, Abner, and David's general, Joab.

In a moment of apparent peace between the two camps, Joab meets Abner, at the pool of Gibeon. Abner proposes that their men engage in hand-to-hand combat. The fighting. involving 12 young warriors from each side, turns serious, with Joab's men gaining the upper hand. Joab's fleet-footed brother Asahel chases Abner. For fear of creating bad blood between his family and Joab's, Abner declines to engage Ashael. However, when Asahel refuses to give up the chase, Abner finally turns and slays him with a spear thrust. Joab's forces pursue Abner to exact vengeance, and the tribe of Benjamin rallies to Abner's defense. Abner offers a truce, and Joab accepts. The casualties among Joab's forces are counted at 19 missing, while the number of dead among Abner's allies is 360.

Abner's defection

The struggle between David's forces and Ish-Bosheth's continued for several years. The Bible relates that during the course of events, "David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker." (2 Sam. 3:1) A major event in David's favor occurred when Abner turned traitor and went over to David's side after a scandal involving his alleged affair with a concubine of Ish-Bosheth's father, Saul (2 Sam. 3).

Having strengthened his own position in Ish-bosheth's kingdom, Abner allegedly sought to increase his political position by taking posession of Saul's former concubine, Rizpah daughter of Aiah. When Ish-bosheth attempted to assert his own authority by accusing Abner of this crime, Abner did not deny it, but rebuffed Ish-bosheth, saying:

Am I a dog's head—-on Judah's side? This very day I am loyal to the house of your father Saul and to his family and friends. I haven't handed you over to David. Yet now you accuse me of an offense involving this woman! (3:8)

Abner leaves David with treacherous orders.

Fearing Abner's position as the veteran leader of the army, Ish-bosheth failed to act decisively in the matter, and Abner used the opportunity to send messengers to David offering to defect. "Make an agreement with me," Abner offered, "and I will help you bring all Israel over to you."

As proof of Abner's good faith and his ability to deliver, David demands that he bring with him Michal, the daughter of Saul, who had been David's first love and young wife, but had later been given by Saul to another man. The fearful Ish-Bosheth then foolishly allows both Michal and Abner to leave, giving orders that she be taken forcibly from her husband. A pitiful scene follows, in her husband, Paltiel son of Laish follows after her, "weeping behind her all the way to Bahurim," until the decisive Abner orders him to go home.

Abner comes then to David at his capital of Hebron, bringing not only Michal, but also 20 soldiers and a pledge of loyalty from the entire tribe of Benjamin, as well as elements of other northern tribes who have lost faith in Ish-Bosheth's leadership. David then dispatches Abner north to garner additional support for David's cause.

However, David has not counted on the blood-vengeance of his own general, Joab. Learning of Abner's visit to Hebron, Joab immediately sends messengers to recall him. When Abner dutifully returns, Joab stabs him in the stomach and kills him, "to avenge the blood of his brother Asahel." No doubt he also senses in Abner a threat to his own position. David publicly declares himself innocent of the crime, cursing Joab's family and ordering him to publicly repent for the murder. However he does not demote Joab or otherwise punish him for his act.

Death

Still apparently believing that Abner was on Israel's side and not David's Ish-bosheth, reportedly became greatly discouraged at the news of Abner's death.

David receives the obeisance of Ish-bosheth's nephew, Mephi-bosheth.

Sensing Ish-bosheth's weakness, two of his captains, Baanah and the other Recab, cospired to do away with him. Approaching his house on a hot afternoon when the king was napping, the stabbed him in the stomach and decapitated him, then made their escape. They then brought his head to David at Hebron, expected a reward. David promptly had the two king-killers put to death and buried Ish-bosheth's head with some degree of honor, in Abner's tomb. (2 Sam. 4).

The royal house of Saul came to an end with Ish-bosheth's death. However, his nehew Mephi-bosheth, a son of Jonathan, survived him. Ostensibly to "show kindness" to Saul's line, but no doubt also to prevent Mephi-bosheth from become a rally point for nothern tribes opposed to Judah's dominance, David brought Mephi-bosheth to Jerusalem once the kingdom was unified and held him there under house arrest, while honoring his a "guest" at the royal table.

The names

The names Ish-bosheth (used in 2 Samuel) and Ashba'al of Eshba'al (used in Chronicles) are unusual in some ways, as they have ambiguous meanings in the original Hebrew. "Ish" means "[great] man" and "boshet" means "[given to] bashfulness/humility]" or "[sensitive to] shame." However, it can also mean "shameful (or shamed) person." He is also called Ashba'al, in Hebrew. "Ba'al" here could mean "master," but could also refer to the Canaanite deity, Baal. Thus the name could be "[person of] master[y]," or it could refer to a "man of Ba'al." Archaeoligists have found that in Saul and David's time, "Ba'al" names were not uncommon in Israel.

Critical scholarship suggests that Bosheth is a substitute for Ba'al, when Ba'al became an unspeakable word. A similar but opposite principle applied when the word Adonai] (the Lord) was substited for the unspeaking name of the Hebrew God YHWH, or Yahweh.

External links

• Ish-bosheth (Article by: Emil G. Hirsch and M. Seligsohn in Jewish Encyclopedia)
• King Ishbosheth - Biography (Christian view)
• Easton's Bible Dictionary (Ish-bosheth)

House of Saul Cadet Branch of the Tribe of Benjamin
Preceded by: Saul	King of Israel Albright: c.1000 B.C.E. Galil: c.1010 B.C.E. – 1008 B.C.E.	Succeeded by: David

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