2 Samuel 2:9

9 There Abner made Ishbosheth king of the territories of Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin, and indeed over all Israel.

2 Samuel 2:9 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 2:9

And he made him king over Gilead
Which lay beyond Jordan, and included the tribes of Gad and Reuben, and the half tribe of Manasseh; these he prevailed upon to acknowledge Ishbosheth, their king, and proclaimed him king over them:

and over the Ashurites:
that is, those of the house or tribe of Asher, as the Targum, and indeed none else can well be thought of; some indeed read the Geshurites, as the Vulgate Latin version; but these were never expelled by the Israelites, and had at this time a king over them, ( 2 Samuel 3:3 ) ; see ( Joshua 13:13 ) ;

and over Jezreel;
the great plain which went along the borders of Zebulun, Issachar, and Naphtali, and included these tribes:

and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin:
the tribes of Ephraim and Benjamin:

and over all Israel,
excepting the tribe of Judah; that is, he prevailed first on one of these, then on another, until he got all the tribes of Israel to own him for their king; David all this time being still and quiet, and not opposing him, waiting God's own time to open the way for his possession of the kingdom over all Israel, and having a strict regard to his oath to Saul, ( 1 Samuel 24:21 1 Samuel 24:22 ) .

2 Samuel 2:9 In-Context

7 Be strong and brave! Saul your king is dead, and the people of Judah have anointed me as their king."

8 The commander of Saul's army, Abner son of Ner, had fled with Saul's son Ishbosheth across the Jordan to Mahanaim.

9 There Abner made Ishbosheth king of the territories of Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin, and indeed over all Israel.

10 He was forty years old when he was made king of Israel, and he ruled for two years. But the tribe of Judah was loyal to David,

11 and he ruled in Hebron over Judah for seven and a half years.

Footnotes

• [a]. [One ancient translation] Asher; [Hebrew] Assyria.