2 Samuel 2:12

Conflict between Judah and Israel

12 Abner, Ner's son, along with the soldiers of Ishbosheth, Saul's son, left Mahanaim to go 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 Ishbosheth was 40 years old when he became king over Israel, and he ruled for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.

11 The amount of time David ruled in Hebron over the house of Judah totaled seven and a half years.

12 Abner, Ner's son, along with the soldiers of Ishbosheth, Saul's son, left Mahanaim to go to Gibeon.

13 Joab, Zeruiah's son, and David's soldiers also came out and confronted them at the pool of Gibeon. One group sat on one side of the pool; the other sat on the opposite side of the pool.

14 Abner said to Joab, "Let's have the young men fight in a contest before us." "All right," Joab said, "let's do it."