2 Samuel 2:8-32

8But 1Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, had taken 2Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to 3Mahanaim. 9He made him king over 4Gilead, over the 5Ashurites, over 6Jezreel, over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, even over all Israel. 10Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he was king for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David. 117The 8time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

12Now Abner the son of Ner, went out from Mahanaim to 9Gibeon with the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul. 13And 10Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met 11them by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, 12one on the one side of the pool and 13the other on the other side of the pool. 14Then Abner said to Joab, “Now let the young men arise and 1415hold a contest before us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise.” 15So they arose and went over by count, twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. 16Each one of them seized his 16opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his 17opponent’s side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called 18Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon. 17That day the battle was very severe, and 19Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.

18Now 20the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab and Abishai and Asahel; and Asahel was 21as 22swift-footed as one of the gazelles which is in the field. 19Asahel pursued Abner and did not 23turn to the right or to the left from following Abner. 20Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” And he answered, “It is I.” 21So Abner said to him, “24Turn to your right or to your left, and take hold of one of the young men for yourself, and take for yourself his spoil.” But Asahel was not willing to turn aside from following him. 22Abner repeated again to Asahel, “Turn 25aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? 26How then could I lift up my face to your brother Joab?” 23However, he refused to turn aside; therefore Abner struck him in the belly with the butt end of the spear, so that the spear came out at his back. And he fell there and died on the spot. And it came about that all who came to the place where 27Asahel had fallen and died, stood still.

24But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, and when the sun was going down, they came to the hill of Ammah, which is in front of Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon. 25The sons of Benjamin gathered together behind Abner and became one band, and they stood on the top of a certain hill. 26Then Abner called to Joab and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the end? How long will you 28refrain from telling the people to turn back from following their brothers?” 27Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely then the people would have gone away in the morning, each from following his brother.” 28So Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people halted and pursued Israel no longer, 29nor did they continue to fight anymore. 29Abner and his men then went through the Arabah all that night; so they crossed the Jordan, walked all morning, and came to 30Mahanaim.

30Then Joab returned from following Abner; when he had gathered all the people together, 31nineteen of David’s servants besides Asahel were missing. 31But the servants of David had struck down many of Benjamin and Abner’s men, so that three hundred and sixty men died. 32And they took up Asahel and buried him 32in his father’s tomb which was in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men went all night until the day 33dawned at Hebron.