The story of David and Ish-Bosheth takes place during the transition of power from King Saul to David in Israel. After Saul’s death, his son Ish-Bosheth was anointed as king over Israel by Abner, the commander of Saul’s army (2 Samuel 2:8-9). However, David had already been anointed by Samuel as the next king years earlier when Saul fell out of God’s favor (1 Samuel 16:1-13). This created a division in Israel between those who supported Ish-Bosheth and those loyal to David.
Ish-Bosheth reigned over Israel from Mahanaim in the Transjordan for two years while David ruled from Hebron in Judah (2 Samuel 2:10-11). During this time, the house of Saul and the house of David were in conflict with one another as Abner led Ish-Bosheth’s forces against the men of David led by his nephew Joab. They first clashed at the pool of Gibeon in Benjamin where 12 men each fought in representative combat. In the ensuing battle all 24 fighters perished, after which Joab’s forces defeated Abner’s (2 Samuel 2:12-17).
This initial conflict set the tone for continued fighting between the rival factions. However, David’s power continued to grow while Ish-Bosheth’s grip weakened. At one point Abner was accused by Ish-Bosheth of sleeping with one of Saul’s concubines, which was considered an assertion of royal claim. In response, Abner defected to David’s side and began persuading the elders of Israel to do the same (2 Samuel 3:6-21).
Not long after this Ish-Bosheth was assassinated by two of his captains while he was sleeping. They killed him in revenge for the deaths of brothers who had been slain by David’s nephew Joab in the ongoing war between the two houses. David condemned the act and executed Ish-Bosheth’s assassins, removing the final obstacle to his ascent as undisputed king over a united Israel (2 Samuel 4:1-12).
With Ish-Bosheth gone, Abner facilitated the turnover of power by bringing the elders of Israel to David at Hebron. There they made a covenant with him and anointed him king over all Israel as God had purposed. He then reigned in Jerusalem for over 30 years, establishing his capital there and solidifying Israel as a united kingdom under his rulership (2 Samuel 5:1-5).
Some key points in summary of this transitional period:
– After Saul’s death, his son Ish-Bosheth was made king of Israel by Abner though David had already been anointed as Saul’s successor by God through Samuel. This created division in the kingdom.
– Ish-Bosheth ruled from Mahanaim in Transjordan while David established his capital in Hebron, leading to conflict between the houses of Saul and David.
– The initial military clash between the factions ended in a rout of Ish-Bosheth’s forces under Abner by David’s men led by Joab.
– Over time David’s power grew as Abner defected to his side and Ish-Bosheth lost influence, culminating in Ish-Bosheth’s assassination by his own captains.
– With Ish-Bosheth gone and Abner’s urging, the elders of Israel made David king over all Israel, uniting the kingdom under his rule per God’s plan.
– David then reigned from Jerusalem for over 30 years, having successfully transitioned from Saul’s house to establishing the Davidic monarchy.
The story provides a window into the ancient Israelite culture of tribal loyalties and complex power transitions. It also demonstrates God’s faithfulness in fulfilling His promise to establish David’s enduring dynasty, which ultimately leads to the Messiah Jesus many generations later. David’s rise to power was marked by patient trust in God’s timing amid conflict and great obstacles.
Saul’s Death and Ish-Bosheth Anointed King of Israel
After Saul and Jonathan were killed in battle against the Philistines on Mount Gilboa (1 Samuel 31), Abner the commander of Saul’s army took Saul’s remaining son Ish-Bosheth and established him as king over Israel in Mahanaim (2 Samuel 2:8-10). This was in opposition to David being anointed as king by Samuel years earlier as God’s chosen successor to Saul (1 Samuel 16:1-13).
Though Saul’s dynasty was in decline, Abner moved to preserve Saul’s lineage on the throne in Ish-Bosheth. Meanwhile, David had been reigning as king of Judah from Hebron for 7 1/2 years (2 Samuel 2:11). Judah was the tribe loyal to David since he was from the line of Judah.
This marked a division in Israel between the house of Saul under Ish-Bosheth and Abner, and the supporters of David under Joab and his commanders. Ish-Bosheth would reign over the northern tribes of Israel for just two years in this divided kingdom, in conflict with David’s rule in the south from Hebron during this transitional period.
Initial Conflict Between the Houses of David and Saul
The conflict between the supporters of Ish-Bosheth and David came to a head early on at the pool of Gibeon in Benjamin. Abner brought Ish-Bosheth’s forces there and Joab led the men of David. They agreed to have 12 men each fight in representative combat. The 24 men grappled with their swords until all perished together (2 Samuel 2:12-16).
This precipitated a fierce battle between the two armies in which Abner and Ish-Bosheth’s forces were defeated by Joab and the men of David. Asahel, Joab’s brother, was killed in his pursuit of Abner during this conflict. Though outnumbered, Abner rallied his troops to an orderly retreat while fending off continued pursuit by Joab’s commanders (2 Samuel 2:17-32).
This initial clash set the tone for the ensuing conflict and established David’s military edge over the house of Saul in the civil war between their factions. But David’s kingdom was still confined to Judah at this point as Ish-Bosheth maintained his grip on the northern tribes with Abner’s help. David would spend the next 5 years consolidating power over Judah from Hebron as Ish-Bosheth gradually lost influence.
Abner Defects from Ish-Bosheth to David’s Side
Over time Ish-Bosheth’s power weakened while David continued to grow stronger, compelling Abner to defect to David’s side. The turning point came when Ish-Bosheth accused Abner of sleeping with one of King Saul’s concubines, Rizpah. In ancient Near East culture, taking a king’s concubine was considered an assertion of royal claim and grounds to usurp the throne.
Offended by this accusation from Ish-Bosheth, Abner angrily vowed to transfer the kingdom from Saul’s house to David’s. He asserted that God had clearly ordained David as the next king and accused Ish-Bosheth of rewarding him evil for the loyalty he had shown to Saul’s house (2 Samuel 3:6-11).
Abner then directly approached David and persuaded him to make a covenant in exchange for rallying all Israel to him. David agreed but only if his first wife Michal, Saul’s daughter, was returned to him as part of the agreement. This reinforced David’s connection to Saul’s royal house (2 Samuel 3:12-16).
Abner went to Ish-Bosheth and demanded he turn Michal over to David, which he did, removing Saul’s daughter as a rallying point for his house. Abner then traveled through Israel persuading the tribal leaders to embrace David as king, undermining Ish-Bosheth’s remaining support (2 Samuel 3:17-21).
Assassination of Ish-Bosheth
Not long after Abner’s defection, Ish-Bosheth was murdered by two of his captains while taking an afternoon nap. They killed him in retaliation for the deaths of their brothers at the hands of David’s nephew Joab in the war between the two factions (2 Samuel 4:5-7).
When David learned of Ish-Bosheth’s assassination, he condemned the act, saying that the murderer deserved to die for raising his hand against the Lord’s anointed. David then ordered Ish-Bosheth’s assassins executed and their hands and feet cut off as punishment for their treason (2 Samuel 4:9-12).
Though Ish-Bosheth’s reign had presented an obstacle to his kingship, David refrained from violently removing Saul’s lineage from power himself. The assassination removed the final barrier to David’s accession as undisputed king over a united Israel.
David Anointed King over All Israel
With Ish-Bosheth now gone, Abner brought the elders of Israel to David at Hebron. There they made a covenant with him before the Lord, anointing David king over all Israel as God had purposed (2 Samuel 5:1-3). David was 30 years old at the start of his reign over the united kingdom.
He then moved his capital from Hebron to Jerusalem, capturing the stronghold of Zion from the Jebusites. This became known as the city of David, the seat of his power and center of the kingdom under his reign. David consolidated his military and political control, reigning over all Israel and Judah for over 30 years from Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:4-5).
The Lord promised to make David into a great king for the sake of His servant Israel and keep him secure on his throne, building up his house and dynasty. The Davidic covenant embodied God’s unconditional pledge to establish and sustain David’s royal lineage, culminating in the Messiah Jesus generations later (2 Samuel 7:8-16).
David’s rise to power over all Israel completed the transition from Saul’s house to the new Davidic monarchy as God’s chosen king. His enduring dynasty ruled from Jerusalem for over 400 years until the Babylonian exile, pointing ahead to the ultimate heir of David’s throne, Jesus Christ the promised Messiah.
David’s Mercy and Restraint
A key theme demonstrated in David’s dealings during this transition period was mercy and restraint in securing the kingdom God promised him. Though fierce in battle and shrewd in politics, David refrained from violently removing Saul’s house from power when opportunities arose.
He showed mercy to Saul and Jonathan’s descendants, preserving Saul’s lame grandson Mephibosheth and providing for his needs after taking the throne in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 9). David also punished the murderers of Ish-Bosheth rather than rewarding them, even though it removed a rival to his rule.
When Saul was briefly in David’s power in the cave at En Gedi, David spared his life choosing not to kill the Lord’s anointed king (1 Samuel 24). When David was crowned in Hebron, his first act as king of Judah was to honor the men of Jabesh-gilead who had shown kindness to Saul in burial (2 Samuel 2:4-7).
David proved himself wise and capable in securing the kingdom God promised him. But he did so with judicious restraint, trusting in God’s providence rather than seeking to eliminate threats to his reign by unrighteous means. His conduct forecast the character of the future Messiah who would sit on the throne of David.
Civil War and Stability Under David’s Rule
The divided kingdom under Ish-Bosheth in the north and David in the south from Hebron lasted 7 1/2 years. It was marked by civil war as Abner led Ish-Bosheth’s forces against David’s men under his nephew Joab. The initial encounter at Gibeon decisively went to Joab and David’s army.
Even after becoming king over Judah and maintaining power in the territory, David had to endure years of conflict with Saul’s family and supporters to unite the kingdom under his rule. He relied on capable and loyal kinsmen like Joab and Abishai to lead his forces during this transitional period.
Eventually David’s patient leadership through these trials was rewarded as he consolidated his kingdom over all Israel. His 30-year reign from Jerusalem brought stability and expansion as he subdued neighboring enemies like the Philistines. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went, upholding His promise to sustain David’s throne and bless his descendants.
The civil war and unrest that marked the transition in power was the harbinger of a stable, unified kingdom under David’s rule from Jerusalem. David’s wise leadership earned him the abiding loyalty of Israel as their greatest king, through whom God established an enduring dynasty.
Fulfillment of God’s Promise to David
The ultimate purpose of God’s providence in establishing David as king was the fulfillment of His promise to build a perpetual royal dynasty through David’s descendants. This Messianic covenant was God’s pledge to sustain David’s house forever, culminating in the righteous king Jesus who would sit on David’s throne eternally (2 Samuel 7:12-16; Luke 1:31-33).
Though David and his sons experienced judgment for their sins, God remained faithful to His covenant promise. The book of 2 Samuel chronicles God’s initiation of the Davidic dynasty, a key step in His redemptive plan. Centuries later when Israel was in exile for their unfaithfulness, God reaffirmed through His prophets that He would raise up the heir to David’s throne in the Messiah (Isaiah 9:6-7; Jeremiah 23:5-6).
Jesus the Messiah came as the ultimate Son of David and heir to his throne (Matthew 1:1). He is the righteous Branch of David’s line whose kingdom will never end, the fulfillment of God’s promise to establish the throne of His servant David forever (Jeremiah 23:5-6; Revelation 22:16). Though David was far from perfect, God used him mightily as part of His sovereign plan to bring the Savior into the world.
Lessons from David’s Rise to Power
The complex story of David’s emergence as Israel’s greatest king offers many lessons and themes applicable today:
1. God is faithful – What He promises, He fulfills in His perfect timing. Waiting on God’s timing requires patience and dependence.
2. Leadership involves hardship – David needed wisdom and endurance to navigate conflict and opposition before coming into his full reign as king.
3. Righteous conduct matters – David showed restraint and mercy even when it may have benefited him to act otherwise.
4. God opposes the prideful – God gave grace to David but opposed the pride of Saul and those who stood in defiance.
5. No one thwarts God’s plan – Despite obstacles, God established David’s throne and dynasty according to His sovereign design.
6. Pointing to Christ – God’s choice of David ultimately pointed ahead to Jesus the promised Messiah and heir to David’s throne.
As we seek to live for God and follow His calling, the story of David provides encouragement and models godly virtues amid life’s challenges. We can trust that God is working out His purposes even when opposition arises and the timing seems uncertain.
Conclusion
The transition from Saul’s kingship to the establishment of the Davidic dynasty was messy, complex and at times tenuous. But through it God was providentially moving history forward to fulfill His covenant promise and establish His chosen king. David’s patient endurance and prudent leadership during those tumultuous years provide models of faith and wisdom.
Despite family conflict, civil war and his own imperfections, David sought the Lord and obediently assumed the kingship God conferred upon him. His storied reign pointed ahead to the descendant of David who would reign in perfect righteousness forever – Jesus the Christ.
Though separated by over a thousand years, the story of David’s emergence and reign continue to resonate. Modern readers gain perspective into ancient power struggles while also seeing glimpses of the one true King. The Son of David who would be struck down only to rise and reign eternally over an indestructible kingdom.