Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Samuel 2:9

"and he made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel." — 2 Samuel 2:9 (ASV)

The Ashurites, and over Jezreel. —This verse apparently expresses the gradual extension of Ishbosheth’s dominion as the country became freed from the Philistines. At first, his authority was established over Gilead—i.e., the country on the east of the Jordan.

Then, his authority extended “over the Ashurites.” No satisfactory explanation of this name, as it stands, has been found. However, it is probably meant for Asherites, or the tribe of Asher—the reading of some manuscripts and of the Chaldee Version. This tribal name likely stands for the whole region west of the Jordan and north of the plain of Esdraelon.

From there, his dominion spread southwards: first “over Jezreel”—the wide plain between the mountains of Gilboa and the little Hermon; then “over Ephraim,” including the half-tribe of Manasseh; and, still southwards, “over Benjamin;” and finally, “over all Israel,” excepting, of course, Judah.