Ish-bosheth

When you look at the scripture that we're going to be studying in this installment, we learn something.

We're going to see several cues that teach us that because we have two kings, that is David ruling in Judah, and then Ish-bosheth, the son of Shaul, ruling in Israel.

This cannot end well because one nation, and that is God's will, one nation cannot have two different kings.

So what is this scripture going to teach us? We can expect a conflict.

And most of the time, when we see the number 40 in the Word of God, it foreshadows a transition.

That's why I say it's literary, because there's going to be a transition in this passage.

Look with me to our first verse, verse 10 of 2 Samuel, chapter 2, where it says, and I'm going to translate this literally, 40 years of age, Ish-bosheth, the son of Sheol, in his reign, meaning in his kingdom.

So he was 40 years of age.

Not that big, but relatively big.

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

"'And he made him king over Gilead and the Asherites "'and Jezreel and Ephraim and Benjamin and all Israel.' Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, was 40 years old when he began to reign over Israel.

He reigned two years, but the house of Judah followed David.

Well, now you've run into a big old problem.

They didn't all die on that Mount Gilead.

Now, Mount Gilboa rather.

We got another one, Ish-bosheth, we're gonna make him king.

This is not the first time that the pool in Giv'on was the site of a civil battle.

We may remember the tragic encounter between the forces of David and Ish-bosheth.

When commanded by Yoav and Avner, 12 young men from each side were pitted against one another, and all were killed.

And perhaps mindful of that tragedy, this time a battle was averted.

But what did Avner do? Well, pay very close attention.

It says here, and he took Ish-bosheth, the son of Shaul, and brought him over to the camp, meaning the camp.

And this is a term which means the armies, where the soldiers would stay.

So he brought him over.

Where is Jerusalem? Not in the northern kingdom, not in what's called Israel, but specifically Jerusalem is in Judah, the southern kingdom.

So now we have this rivalry going on between David, who is at Hebron, this term which means to be joined with God.

And what have you else? You have Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, which Avner has come and made to rule where? In Israel, the northern kingdom over all of it.

So now we have this conflict.

All of these stories involve David being afraid that people now are going to be willing to kill in order to get the throne.

because they're going to think that he, David, was okay with, or even the cause of, the death of Shaul, the death of Avner, the death of Ish-bosheth.

There is this sense that political violence becomes a more normal phenomenon.

Okay, so concluding the chapters, David emerges from this chapter with more supporters.

Uh, David, you know, Saul's dead, Jonathan's dead.

Uh, David is now fighting a war with one of Saul's successor, successor, um, Ishbosheth or Ishbosheth.

Um, he's called Ishbosheth here.

Great name, man of shame.

Uh, probably not the name that mom and dad gave him, for the, the name that he was given was Eshbaal, man of Baal.

Well, I want her back, just to make sure I got my legitimacy." So, "To whom I was betrothed for 100 foreskins of the Philistines." In other words, "I already, I already gave you the bride price for her, and I got kicked out, but I already paid for her.

I got the contract right here." That's sort of weird.

So Ish-bosheth, Ishbosheth, who's the, still the king, this before they actually fight, "sent and took her from her husband, from Paltiel, the son of Laish." In verse 16, "But her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her as far as Bahurim.

But the narrative doesn't shy away from the cracks in the foundation.

It records the Bathsheba scandal with unflinching honesty, the rebellion of David's son Absalom with heartbreaking detail, and the king's ultimate realization that even the most powerful ruler is nothing without the hand of God.

2 Samuel isn't just a historical account.

It's a divine commentary on leadership, integrity, and the consequences of turning away from God.

As we journey through 2 Samuel, keep this in mind.

The story of David is not just his story, it's ours.

It's the story of every person who has ever wrestled with ambition, pride, and the overwhelming need for God's grace.

This context sets the stage for everything we're about to uncover.

One oath honored in the very act of atoning for another oath broken, a detail the narrator surely intends us to notice.

But he took the two sons of Rizpah, Armoni and Mephibosheth, a different Mephibosheth, named perhaps after the same family tradition, and the five sons of Merab, Saul's daughter, and delivered them to the Gibeonites.

The text records the execution with terrible brevity.

"They hanged them on the mountain before the Lord, and the seven of them perished together." 2 Samuel 21:9, ESV.

No powerful family.

Her father, Aiah, is otherwise unknown.

Her security in old age rested entirely on her two sons, Armoni and Mephibosheth.

And in a single April morning at Gibeah, both were taken from her at once.

Just a couple of chapters, chapter four.

Saul has a son named Ish-bosheth.

A couple of guys think that they're gonna make David happy by going and murdering Saul, one of Saul's remaining sons, Ish-bosheth.

2 Samuel 4, verse 9.

But David answered Rehob and Baanah, his brothers, the sons of Rimon the Berethite, as the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life out of every adversity.