2 Samuel 3:1
Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker. Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.
The verse describes the prolonged war between the house of David and the house of Saul under Ishbosheth. After Saul's death Ishbosheth was crowned at Mahanaim on the farther side of the Jordan. That place beyond the Jordan was chosen as the royal residence because it offered the greatest security against attack from David on the one side and from the Philistines on the other.
His reign was first accepted by the tribes east of the Jordan and was afterward extended over all Israel except Judah. He held his honors in that secluded capital for two years. The warfare was kept up and prolonged by Abner, who pursued aggressive warfare in order to extend his own power over all Israel. The outcome of that long struggle was that David continually grew stronger and stronger while the house of Saul continually grew weaker and weaker.