2 Samuel 2:12

12 And Abner, the son of Ner, with the servants of Saul's son Ish-bosheth, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

2 Samuel 2:12 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 2:12

And Abner the son of Ner
Who was before captain of Saul's host, and now of Ishbosheth's:

and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul;
who seem to be not only his domestic servants, that waited upon him, or his courtiers, but his whole army by what follows:

went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon;
came from the city on the other side Jordan, where perhaps they had been two years past, concerting schemes to bring all Israel under the government of Ishbosheth; in which they had succeeded, only Judah stood out with David; and in order to reduce that tribe, they passed over Jordan and came to Gibeon, a city in Benjamin. See ( Joshua 18:25 ) .

2 Samuel 2:12 In-Context

10 (Saul's son Ish-bosheth was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he was ruler for two years.) But Judah was on the side of David.

11 And the time when David was king in Hebron over the people of Judah was seven years and six months.

12 And Abner, the son of Ner, with the servants of Saul's son Ish-bosheth, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

13 And Joab, the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out and came face to face with them by the pool of Gibeon; and they took up their position, facing one another on opposite sides of the pool.

14 And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men give a test of their strength before us. And Joab said, Let them do so.