Font Size
2 Samuel 2:12-17
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
2 Samuel 2:12-17
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Battle of Gibeon
12 Abner son of Ner and the servants of Ishbaal[a] son of Saul went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.(A) 13 Joab son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. One group sat on one side of the pool, while the other sat on the other side of the pool.(B) 14 Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men come forward and have a contest before us.” Joab said, “Let them come forward.” 15 So they came forward and were counted as they passed by, twelve for Benjamin and Ishbaal[b] son of Saul and twelve of the servants of David. 16 Each grasped his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponent’s side, so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim,[c] which is at Gibeon. 17 The battle was very fierce that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten by the servants of David.(C)
Read full chapter
2 Samuel 2:12-17
New Living Translation
2 Samuel 2:12-17
New Living Translation
War between Israel and Judah
12 One day Abner led Ishbosheth’s troops from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 13 About the same time, Joab son of Zeruiah led David’s troops out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. The two groups sat down there, facing each other from opposite sides of the pool.
14 Then Abner suggested to Joab, “Let’s have a few of our warriors fight hand to hand here in front of us.”
“All right,” Joab agreed. 15 So twelve men were chosen to fight from each side—twelve men of Benjamin representing Ishbosheth son of Saul, and twelve representing David. 16 Each one grabbed his opponent by the hair and thrust his sword into the other’s side so that all of them died. So this place at Gibeon has been known ever since as the Field of Swords.[a]
17 A fierce battle followed that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the forces of David.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2:16 Hebrew Helkath-hazzurim.
2 Samuel 2:12-17
New International Version
2 Samuel 2:12-17
New International Version
12 Abner son of Ner, together with the men of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, left Mahanaim and went to Gibeon.(A) 13 Joab(B) son of Zeruiah and David’s men went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. One group sat down on one side of the pool and one group on the other side.
14 Then Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have some of the young men get up and fight hand to hand in front of us.”
“All right, let them do it,” Joab said.
15 So they stood up and were counted off—twelve men for Benjamin and Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David. 16 Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his dagger(C) into his opponent’s side, and they fell down together. So that place in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim.[a]
17 The battle that day was very fierce, and Abner and the Israelites were defeated(D) by David’s men.(E)
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 2:16 Helkath Hazzurim means field of daggers or field of hostilities.
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.