(10) Ishbosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David. (11) And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
There is no very easy method of ascertaining from whence these dates commenced, or how to reconcile the seven years and half of David with the two years of Ishbosheth. But it may serve to teach us that during this opposition many grievous events to persons, and families, and tribes, must have taken place. While the confederate powers of sin, the world, and Satan join in opposition to the reign of grace in the soul; the believer finds many sharp conflicts, which make him groan and go heavily.