Das vereinte KönigreichKing over the northern tribes of IsraelSon of Saulc. 1050–1008 BC
Eshbaal is identical with the biblical figure called Ish-bosheth in 2 Samuel and Eshbaal in 1 Chronicles. As son of King Saul, he became the last representative of his father's dynasty. After the fall of Saul and three of his sons at the battle of Gilboa, the commander Abner took the initiative and installed Eshbaal as king over the northern tribes, with his seat in Mahanaim east of the Jordan. At the same time David ruled over Judah from Hebron, and a long power struggle arose between the two houses. In the biblical account, Eshbaal appears as a ruler without real influence, almost entirely dependent on Abner's military support. When he dared to confront Abner with accusations of an improper relationship with Saul's concubine Rizpah, the commander turned against him and began negotiations to transfer the entire kingdom to David. Stripped of his most important supporter, Eshbaal was left powerless. Shortly afterward he was murdered in his own house by two Benjaminite officers, Rechab and Baana, who brought his head to David at Hebron. However, David sharply condemned the murder and had the killers executed – consistent with his overall stance that no one should take the law into their own hands against Saul's family. With Eshbaal's death, the way was opened for David to be recognized as king over all Israel.
After Saul's fall in the battle at Gilboa, the commander Abner appointed Ish-bosheth as king over Israel with his seat in Mahanaim. According to the text, he was forty years old when he became king, and he reigned for two years while David was king over Judah in Hebron.
Prolonged War between the House of David and the House of Saul
A prolonged conflict arose between the supporters of David and the supporters of the house of Saul. The side of David grew steadily stronger, while the house of Saul grew steadily weaker.
1The war between the house of Saul and the house of David dragged on a long time. David grew steadily stronger, while the house of Saul grew steadily weaker.
Ish-bosheth accused Abner of having gone to Saul's concubine Rizpah, daughter of Aiah. This led to Abner becoming furious and threatening to transfer the entire kingdom to David.
8Abner was furious at Ish-bosheth's words and said, "Am I a dog's head from Judah? To this very day I have shown loyalty to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers and his friends, and I have not handed you over to David—and now you charge me with an offense over this woman!
After the conflict with Ish-bosheth, Abner sent messengers to David and offered to bring all Israel over to him. Ish-bosheth's position was thus dramatically weakened.
12Then Abner sent messengers on his own behalf to David, saying, "To whom does the land belong? Make a covenant with me, and look, my hand is with you to bring all Israel over to you."
13David answered, "Good. I will make a covenant with you. But I ask one thing of you: do not come into my presence unless you bring Michal daughter of Saul when you come to see me."
14Then David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth son of Saul with this demand: "Give me my wife Michal, whom I won for myself with a hundred Philistine foreskins."
18Now act, for the LORD has said to David, 'By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.'"
Two of Ish-bosheth's officers, Rechab and Baanah, sons of Rimmon from Beeroth, entered his house and killed him while he rested in the middle of the day. They brought his head to David in Hebron.
5Rechab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon of Beeroth, set out and came to the house of Ish-bosheth in the heat of the day, while he was taking his midday rest.
6They came right inside the house while the wheat was being taken in, and they struck him in the belly. Then Rechab and his brother Baanah slipped away.
7They had entered the house while he lay on his bed in his bedroom, and they struck him down and killed him. They cut off his head, took it with them, and traveled all night by way of the Arabah.
David condemned the murder of Ish-bosheth and declared that wicked men had slain a righteous man in his own house. He ordered Rechab and Baanah executed, and their hands and feet were cut off and hung up by the pool in Hebron.
9But David answered Rechab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon of Beeroth: "As surely as the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from every distress—
10when a man told me, 'Saul is dead,' thinking he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him at Ziklag. That was the reward I gave him for his news!
11How much more, when wicked men have murdered an innocent man in his own house, on his own bed—shall I not now require his blood from your hands and rid the land of you?"
12So David gave the order to his men, and they killed them. They cut off their hands and feet and hung the bodies beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in Abner's tomb at Hebron.