2 Samuel 2:12-17

International Children’s Bible

¹² Abner son of Ner and the servants of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul left Mahanaim. They went to Gibeon. ¹³ Joab son of Zeruiah and David’s men also went there. They met Abner and Ish-Bosheth’s men at the pool of Gibeon. Abner’s group sat on one side of the pool. Joab’s group sat on the other side.

¹⁴ Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have the young men get up and have a contest here.”

Joab said, “Yes, let them have a contest.”

¹⁵ Then the young men got up. The two groups counted their men for the contest. Twelve men were chosen from the people of Benjamin for Ish-Bosheth son of Saul. Twelve men were chosen from David’s men. ¹⁶ Each man grabbed his enemy’s head. Then he stabbed his enemy’s side with a knife. And the men fell down together. So that place in Gibeon is called The Field of the Sharp Knives. ¹⁷ That day the contest became a terrible battle. And David’s men defeated Abner and the Israelites.