Add parallel Print Page Options

12 Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 13 Joab the son of Zeruiah and David’s servants went out, and met them by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool. 14 Abner said to Joab, “Please let the young men arise and play before us!”

Joab said, “Let them arise!” 15 Then they arose and went over by number: twelve for Benjamin and for Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of David’s servants. 16 They each caught his opponent by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow’s side; so they fell down together: therefore that place in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim.[a] 17 The battle was very severe that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before David’s servants.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2:16 “Helkath Hazzurim” means “field of daggers”.

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.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2:16 Or Helkath-hazzurim