2 Samuel 2 · Verse 8

2 Samuel 2:8

But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s host, took Ish–bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;
2 Samuel 2:8, King James Version

2 Samuel 2:8 in other translations

BSBMeanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, took Saul’s son Ish-bosheth, moved him to Mahanaim,
WEBNow Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s army, had taken Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.
ASVNow Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s host, had taken Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;
YLTAnd Abner, son of Ner, head of the host which Saul hath, hath taken Ish-Bosheth, son of Saul, and causeth him to pass over to Mahanaim,
DARBYAnd Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;
BBENow Abner, the son of Ner, captain of Saul's army, had taken Saul's son Ish-bosheth over to Mahanaim,
WebsterBut Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;

What does 2 Samuel 2:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Samuel 2:8-17
8-17. Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host took Ish-bosheth--Here was the establishment of a rival kingdom, which, however, would probably have had no existence but for Abner. Ish-bosheth--or "Esh-baal" (1Ch 8:33; 9:39). The Hebrews usually changed names ending with Baal into Bosheth ("shame") (compare Jud 9:53 with 2Sa 11:21). This prince was so called from his imbecility. Abner--was first cousin of Saul, commander of the forces, and held in high respect throughout the country. Loyalty to the house of his late master was mixed up with opposition to David and views of personal ambition in his originating this factious movement. He, too, was alive to the importance of securing the eastern tribes; so, taking Ish-bosheth across the Jordan, he proclaimed him king at Mahanaim, a town on the north bank of the Jabbok, hallowed in patriarchal times by the divine presence (Ge 32:2). There he rallied the tribes around the standard of the unfortunate son of Saul.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 Abner the son of Ner - This man had long been one of the chief captains of Saul's army, and commander-in-chief on several occasions; he was probably envious of David's power, by whom he had often been out-generalled in the field.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 2:8-17
The nation in general refused David. By this the Lord trained up his servant for future honour and usefulness; and the tendency of true godliness was shown in his behaviour while passing through various difficulties. David was herein a type of Christ, whom Israel would not submit to, though anointed of the Father to be a Prince and a Saviour to them. Abner meant, Let the young men fight before us, when he said, Let them play before us: fools thus make a mock at sin. But he is unworthy the name of a man, that can thus trifle with human blood.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

2 Samuel 2:8 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְאַבְנֵ֣רve.'av.Nerand AbnerH74
בֶּן\־ben-[the] son ofH1121
נֵ֔רNerNerH5369
שַׂר\־sar-[the] commander ofH8269
צָבָ֖אtza.Va'[the] armyH6635
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherwhichH834
לְשָׁא֑וּלle.sha.'Ul[belonged] to SaulH7586
לָקַ֗חla.Kachhe had takenH3947
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
אִ֥ישׁ'ishIsh-H378
בֹּ֙שֶׁת֙bo.shetboshethH378
בֶּן\־ben-[the] son ofH1121
שָׁא֔וּלsha.'UlSaulH7586
וַיַּעֲבִרֵ֖הוּvai.ya.'a.vi.Re.huand he had brought over himH5674
מַחֲנָֽיִם\׃ma.cha.Na.yimMahanaimH4266

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Samuel 2:8

  • 1 Samuel 14:50

    And the name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz: and the name of the captain of his host was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle.

  • Genesis 32:2

    And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

  • 1 Samuel 17:55

    And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.

  • 1 Chronicles 8:33

    And Ner begat Kish, and Kish begat Saul, and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchi–shua, and Abinadab, and Esh–baal.

  • 2 Samuel 4:5-6

    And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ish–bosheth, who lay on a bed at noon. And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him under the fifth rib: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.

  • 2 Samuel 3:7-8

    And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ish–bosheth said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father’s concubine? Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish–bosheth, and said, Am I a dog’s head, which against Judah do shew kindness this day unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou chargest me to day with a fault concerning this woman?

  • 2 Samuel 17:26-27

    So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead. And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lo–debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,

  • 1 Samuel 26:14

    And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king?

  • 1 Chronicles 9:39

    And Ner begat Kish; and Kish begat Saul; and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchi–shua, and Abinadab, and Esh–baal.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Abner.
1Sa 14:50; 17:55; 26:14
Saul's host. Heb. the host which was Saul's. Ish-bosheth.
3:7,8; 4:5,6; 1Ch 8:33; 9:39
Esh-baal. Mahanaim.
17:26,27; Ge 32:2

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Samuel 2:7

    Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant: for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.

  • 2 Samuel 2:8

    But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s host, took Ish–bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;

  • 2 Samuel 2:9

    And made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.

Read all of 2 Samuel 2

2 Samuel 2:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Mas Abner hijo de Ner, general de ejército de Saúl, tomó á Is-boseth hijo de Saúl, é hízolo pasar al real:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et Abner, fils de Ner, chef de l’armée de Saül, prit Ish-Bosheth, fils de Saül, et le fit passer à Mahanaïm
German
Elberfelder 1871
Abner aber, der Sohn Ners, der Heeroberste Sauls, nahm Isboseth, den Sohn Sauls, und führte ihn hinüber nach Machanaim;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Abner autem filius Ner, princeps exercitus Saul, tulit Isboseth filium Saul, et circumduxit eum per castra,