2 Samuel 2:12-17
Christian Standard Bible
12 Abner son of Ner and soldiers of Ish-bosheth son of Saul marched out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 13 So Joab son of Zeruiah and David’s soldiers marched out and met them by the pool of Gibeon.(A) The two groups took up positions on opposite sides of the pool.
14 Then Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have the young men get up and compete in front of us.”
“Let them get up,” Joab replied.
15 So they got up and were counted off—twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve from David’s soldiers. 16 Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his opponent’s side so that they all died together. So this place, which is in Gibeon, is named Field of Blades.[a]
17 The battle that day was extremely fierce, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by David’s soldiers.
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- 2:16 Or Helkath-hazzurim
2 Samuel 2:12-17
Lexham English Bible
War between Judah and Israel
12 Abner the son of Ner and the servants of Ish-Bosheth the son of Saul went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 13 Then Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out, and they met at the pool of Gibeon. The one group sat on one side of the pool, and the other sat on the other side. 14 Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men come up and fight in our presence.” And Joab said, “Let them come up.” 15 So they came forward and passed by in number: twelve for Benjamin and for Ish-Bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David. 16 Then each seized his opponent[a] by the head and each thrust his sword in the side of his opponent, so they fell together. So they[b] called the name of that place Helkath Hazzurim,[c] which is in Gibeon. 17 Then the battle became increasingly fierce[d] on that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated before the servants of David.
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- 2 Samuel 2:16 Literally “neighbor”
- 2 Samuel 2:16 Hebrew “he”
- 2 Samuel 2:16 Helkath Hazzurim possibly means “the slippery slope”
- 2 Samuel 2:17 Literally “and it was/became strong/fierce until very”
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