Ishbosheth
Theme:
Trying to make something work when it’s over
Business Application:
Know when it’s time to move on
Who he was:
Ishbosheth was the fourth son of the late King Saul. When David assumed the throne, it was hard for Saul’s tribe to accept. Abner, who had led Saul’s army, established Ishbosheth as his successor and propped him up. But Ishbosheth lost Abner’s support when he accused him of sleeping with one of Saul’s concubines, an act of treason. Abner defected to David and was killed, which devastated Ishbosheth. Shortly thereafter, he was killed on his sofa at home by the leaders of his raiding bands. They betrayed him in an unsuccessful attempt to win David’s favor.
Why his story matters:
Ishbosheth’s story illustrates the lengths people will go to to keep up the appearance of power, even though the world has shifted underneath them. Ultimately, their insecurity seeps through and the foundation on which they stand crumbles.
What we can learn from him:
Ishbosheth’s story illustrates the risk of defending a lost cause in order to preserve our position of privilege and illusion of power. Eventually, the weakness we fear gets exposed in a way we cannot control.
Where we see his archetype today:
We see the reflection of Ishbosheth when people defend causes and ideas that have long since lost their purpose. They are motivated, not by a sense of righteousness, but of resistance to change and insecurity.
How we can learn more about him:
Ishbosheth’s story is found in 2 Samuel 3-4