The Kingdoms of David and Eshbaal

THE KINGDOMS OF DAVID AND ESHBAAL, c. 1018 to 1010 B.C.

Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s army, escaped from the battle of Gilboa with his life. He transferred the capital of Israel to Mahanaim, across the Jordan, and there crowned Eshbaal, one of Saul’s surviving sons, as king (2 Sam 2:8; 1 Chr 8:33). It is Eshbaal who is also referred to in the Bible, in a derogatory manner, as Ish-bosheth (“man of disgrace”). Although David, as a vassal of the king of Gath, had come to the rallying point of the Philistines at Aphek, he was saved from fighting against his own people, because the lords of the Philistines were suspicious of him (1 Sam 29). After Saul’s death, David persuaded the elders of Judah to anoint him in Hebron as king over Judah, along with the affiliated tribes of the Calebites, Kenizzites, Kenites, Jerahmeelites and Simeonites. Hebron was chosen as the capital because of its central location and because it was Calebite rather than Judahite. While David reigned in Judah, Eshbaal reigned in the five remaining Israelite tribal regions of Saul’s kingdom (2 Sam 2:9–10). It seems that the Philistines welcomed this split and that Achish continued to regard David as a loyal vassal, still at his bid.

Article abstract from The Sacred Bridge