Matthew Henry on 2 Samuel 2:8-17
Here is, I. A rivalship between two kings - David, whom God made king, and Ishbosheth, whom Abner made king. One would have thought, when Saul was slain, and all his sons that had sense and spirit enough to take the field with him, David would come to the throne without any opposition, since all Israel knew, not only how he had signalized himself, but how manifestly God had designated him to it; but such a spirit of contradiction is there, in the devices of men, to the counsels of God, that such a weak and silly thing as Ishbosheth, who was not thought fit to go with his father to the battle, shall yet be thought fit to succeed him in the government, rather than David shall come peaceably to…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Samuel 2:9
over Gilead--used in a loose sense for the land beyond Jordan.
Ashurites--the tribe of Asher in the extreme north.
Jezreel--the extensive valley bordering on the central tribes.
over all Israel . . . But Judah--David neither could nor would force matters. He was content to wait God's time and studiously avoided any collision with the rival king, till, at the lapse of two years, hostilities were threatened from that quarter.
Adam Clarke on 2 Samuel 2:9
Made him king over Gilead - These were places beyond Jordan; for as the Philistines had lately routed the Israelites, they were no doubt in possession of some of the principal towns, and were now enjoying the fruits of their victory. Abner was therefore afraid to bring the new king to any place where he was likely to meet with much resistance, till he had got his army well recruited.
Who the Ashurites were is not generally agreed; probably men of the tribe of Ashur.
John Gill on 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…
