שמואל ב, פרק ב׳, פסוק ט׳

Rebuilding the royal house of Saul following a severe military defeat was not a sudden event. The nation was left broken and vulnerable. Recognizing the need for leadership, Abner selected Ish-bosheth as the rightful heir. Because Ish-bosheth was not originally meant for the throne and was not a naturally great figure on his own, Abner had to establish his authority slowly and with great caution [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Instead of an immediate national coronation, Ish-bosheth's rule was secured region by region. The process began on the eastern side of the Jordan River in Gilead, specifically centered around the city of Mahanaim [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. From this starting point, the administration organized and gradually expanded to the rest of the land [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. His authority first spread to the territory of the tribe of Asher [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ], and then toward Jezreel. The exact identity of this Jezreel is debated; it may be the well-known city located within the territory of Manasseh [ביאור שטיינזלץ], though it could also refer to a completely different location [רד״ק].

An alternative approach explains the listing of these specific regions by tracing a physical journey rather than just a political expansion. This route reflects the path Abner took with Ish-bosheth when returning from Mahanaim after the battle of the young men. They traveled through these exact areas until they finally reached their home in the land of Benjamin [רד״ק]. At the end of this lengthy and gradual process, Ish-bosheth's rule was firmly established over all of Israel. However, there was one major exception to this unified kingdom: the tribe of Judah remained completely independent and did not fall under his rule [מצודת דוד, רד״ק].