But Abner, the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host,.... This man's father, Ner, was Saul's uncle, 1Sa 14:50, and he was his own cousin, and being general of his army, a post he was willing to keep, might be the reasons for doing what he did, as follows:took Ishbosheth the son of Saul; and who seems to be his only son left, except what he had by his concubine.
This man's name is Eshbaal in 1Ch 8:33. Baal is the name of a shameful idol, and which was therefore sometimes called Bosheth, "shame". See Ho 9:10; wherefore such names of men, which had Baal in them, were changed for Besheth or Bosheth, as the names of Jerubbaal and Meribbaal, who were called Jerubbesheth and Mephibosheth.
See Jud 8:35; compared with 2Sa 11:21, and 2Sa 4:4 with 1Ch 8:34.