2 Samuel 2

2 Samuel 2

Utley explains that "Originally "ba'al" was used of YHWH. But later, it must have been embarrassing for a king of YHWH's covenant people to be named "man of Baal" (the male Canaanite fertility god, cf. 1Sam. 14:50; 1 Chr. 8:33; 9:39). So later Jewish editors, as they often did, altered the name to "man of shame" (Bosheth). Also note how Jonathan's son, Merib-baal (cf. 1 Chr. 8:33-34) was changed to Mephibosheth (cf. 2Sa 9:6). The UBS Text Project, p. 220, gives "Ishbaal" a "B" rating (some doubt). The name change would have been done by later scribes. Matthew