2 Samuel 2:8 kjv

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

2 Samuel 2:8 nkjv

But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim;

2 Samuel 2:8 niv

Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul's army, had taken Ish-Bosheth son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.

2 Samuel 2:8 esv

But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim,

2 Samuel 2:8 nlt

But Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul's army, had already gone to Mahanaim with Saul's son Ishbosheth.

2 Samuel 2 verses

2 Samuel 2 8 Meaning

Following the death of King Saul, Abner, his most influential commander and relative, took Saul’s son Ish-bosheth to Mahanaim, east of the Jordan, and there proclaimed him king. This act established a rival throne to David’s kingship in Judah, creating a divided kingdom over different geographical regions of Israel, setting the stage for a period of civil war.

2 Samuel 2 8 Context

Immediate Chapter Context: Chapter 2 opens with David inquiring of the Lord about where he should go after Saul's death. God directs him to Hebron, where the men of Judah anoint him king over the house of Judah. This sets the stage for a period of separate rulerships.Historical and Cultural Context: The verse is set immediately after the Battle of Gilboa, where Saul and his sons were killed, leaving a power vacuum in Israel. While David, divinely chosen and recently anointed by Judah, was establishing his reign in the south, Abner sought to consolidate the remnants of Saul's kingdom in the north and east under a pliable figure. This reflects the turbulent nature of early monarchical Israel, with tribal loyalties, dynastic succession struggles, and the clash between human strategic maneuvers and God's sovereign plan. Abner's action in Mahanaim (east of Jordan) provided a safer, more defensible base away from Philistine incursions and direct confrontation with David's stronghold in Hebron.

2 Samuel 2 8 Word analysis

• But Abner: וְאַבְנֵר (ve'avner). "And Abner." Abner was Saul’s uncle (1 Sam 14:50) and his most senior general. The use of "But" highlights a direct counter-action to David's recent anointing by Judah. Abner represents the ongoing loyalties to the house of Saul, opposing God's chosen king.
• the son of Ner: Further identifies Abner by his father, establishing his prominent family lineage within Saul's tribe of Benjamin and solidifying his personal stake and authority. Ner was Saul’s paternal uncle.
• commander of Saul’s army: שַׂר-צָבָא אֲשֶׁר לְשָׁאוּל (sar-tzava asher l'sha'ul). This reinforces Abner's significant military and political power. He commanded loyalty from the remaining forces of Saul's shattered kingdom. His leadership was crucial for any attempt to continue the old dynasty.
• had taken: לָקַח (laqach). "He took/received/got." Implies an intentional, deliberate act of selection and acquisition. Abner chose Ish-bosheth, indicating the king’s lack of agency.
• Ish-bosheth: אִישׁ-בֹּשֶׁת (Ish-boshet). Means "man of shame" or "man of disgrace." This name is a redaction, replacing "Baal" with "boshet" (shame) due to later aversion to pagan associations. His original name was likely Esh-baal (אֶשְׁבַּעַל, "man of Baal" or "fire of Baal," as seen in 1 Chr 8:33; 9:39), associating him with a common Canaanite deity term. His given name now tragically aligns with his weak, ineffective, and ultimately short-lived reign, marking him as a figure of misfortune and ignominy.
• son of Saul: Establishes his dynastic claim to the throne, as the rightful (though weak) heir from Saul's line, providing a basis for Abner's political maneuvering.
• and brought him over to Mahanaim: וַיַּעֲבִירֵהוּ מַחֲנַיִם (vayya'avirehu Machanayim). "And he caused him to pass over/across to Mahanaim." Mahanaim ("two camps") was located east of the Jordan River, a strategic choice. It was geographically protected, away from the influence of Philistia and David’s stronghold in Hebron, offering a secure base for Ish-bosheth’s fragile reign. It also may reflect the literal division of the kingdom into two "camps."
• And he made him king: וַיַּמְלִכֵהוּ (vayyamlikhehu). "And he caused him to reign" or "he installed him as king." This powerfully indicates Abner’s initiative and Ish-bosheth’s status as a puppet king. Abner was the true power, propping up the weakened house of Saul.
• over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel: This lists the regions over which Ish-bosheth was proclaimed king, demonstrating the territorial reach of Abner’s ambition.
  • Gilead: Region east of the Jordan, often associated with tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh.
  • the Ashurites: Most likely refers to the northern tribe of Asher, though some traditions interpret it differently.
  • Jezreel: A major valley and strategic region in northern Israel, agriculturally rich.
  • Ephraim: A powerful, central northern tribe, often a leading force in Israel.
  • Benjamin: Saul's own tribe, indicating enduring loyalty to the house of Saul from his home territory.
  • all Israel: This final, comprehensive claim is crucial. It represents a direct challenge to David’s legitimacy and implied dominion. Abner's intention was to establish Ish-bosheth not just over fragments, but as the successor to Saul over the entire kingdom, creating a divided monarchy with two rival claimants to the unified throne.

2 Samuel 2 8 Bonus section

The choice of Mahanaim, meaning "two camps," is ironically symbolic. Jacob wrestled with an angel there (Gen 32:2), and the name evokes a place of struggle and division. In 2 Samuel 2, it truly becomes the camp of the 'other' king, distinct from David's. Abner's motive wasn't necessarily malice towards David from the start but likely a mix of loyalty to Saul's lineage, the pursuit of his own power and position, and a pragmatic attempt to stabilize a fractured Israel after Saul's defeat by establishing a new king where no immediate divine choice was perceived by the northern tribes. His later actions to unite Israel under David (2 Sam 3) suggest a shifting calculation rather than an unchanging defiance of God’s overall plan.

2 Samuel 2 8 Commentary

2 Samuel 2:8 details the establishment of a competing monarchy to David’s rule, engineered by Abner. While David was God’s chosen king and had been anointed by Judah in Hebron, Abner’s actions highlight human attempts to circumvent or delay divine will. Ish-bosheth, a weak and unfortunate figure whose very name ("man of shame") reflected his reign, was merely a figurehead. The true power resided with Abner, who strategically moved Ish-bosheth to Mahanaim and proclaimed him king over the northern and eastern tribes, aiming to reclaim Saul's entire kingdom. This act initiated a period of protracted civil war (2 Sam 3:1), illustrating the painful consequences of division and human resistance to God's ordained plan. Ultimately, Abner’s political maneuvering failed to alter God’s design for David to reign over all Israel.