Man of shame or humiliation, the youngest of Saul's four sons, and the only one who survived him ( 2 Samuel 24-4 ). His name was originally Eshbaal ( 1 Chronicles 8:33 ; 9:39 ). He was about forty years of age when his father and three brothers fell at the battle of Gilboa. Through the influence of Abner, Saul's cousin, he was acknowledged as successor to the throne of Saul, and ruled over all Israel, except the tribe of Judah (over whom David was king), for two years, having Mahanaim, on the east of Jordan, as his capital ( 2 Samuel 2:9 ). After a troubled and uncertain reign he was murdered by his guard, who stabbed him while he was asleep on his couch at mid-day ( 2 Samuel 4:5-7 ); and having cut off his head, presented it to David, who sternly rebuked them for this cold-blooded murder, and ordered them to be immediately executed (9-12).
Source
- part_of
source-manifest/easton— Easton's Bible Dictionary (PD)