2Sa 2:8 | TNotes | STEP | 2:8 Abner: See study note on 1 Sam 20:25. • Mahanaim was located east of the Jordan River, deep in the highlands of Gilead near a plentiful source of fresh water. Saul and his family had close ties to Gilead (1 Sam 11:1-11 ; 31:11-13 ). Locating east of the Jordan made Ishbosheth’s regime less susceptible to attack by David’s forces. This same area was later King David’s temporary refuge after Absalom’s coup (2 Sam 17:24 , 27 ). • Ishbosheth means “man of shame.” His original name, Esh-baal , means “man of Baal.” The name Baal (“lord, master, possessor”) was associated with a pagan Canaanite deity (e.g., see Num 25:3 ), so it is likely that Ishbosheth’s name was later changed because of that association.

b1 Sam 11:1-11►

c31:11-13►

d2 Sam 17:24►

fNum 25:3►

‏ 2 Samuel 2:8

2:8 ^a Abner: See study note on 1 Sam 20:25.

• Mahanaim was located east of the Jordan River, deep in the highlands of Gilead near a plentiful source of fresh water. Saul and his family had close ties to Gilead (1 Sam 11:1-11 ^b; 31:11-13 ^c). Locating east of the Jordan made Ishbosheth’s regime less susceptible to attack by David’s forces. This same area was later King David’s temporary refuge after Absalom’s coup (2 Sam 17:24 ^d, 27 ^e).

• Ishbosheth means “man of shame.” His original name, Esh-baal, means “man of Baal.” The name Baal (“lord, master, possessor”) was associated with a pagan Canaanite deity (e.g., see Num 25:3 ^f), so it is likely that Ishbosheth’s name was later changed because of that association.