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24 But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. Now the sun was going down, and they came to the hill of Ammah, which is in front of Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon. 25 And the sons of Benjamin gathered together behind Abner and became one band, and they stood on the top of a certain hill. 26 Then 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 [a]refrain from telling the people to turn back from following their brothers?” 27 And Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely then the people would have only gone away in the morning, each from following his brother.” 28 So Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people stood still and pursued Israel no longer, (A)nor did they continue to fight anymore. 29 But Abner and his men then went through the Arabah all that night; so they crossed the Jordan, walked all morning, and came to (B)Mahanaim.

30 Now Joab returned from following Abner. And he had gathered all the people together, and [b]nineteen of David’s servants besides Asahel were missing. 31 But the servants of David had struck down many of Benjamin and Abner’s men, so that 360 men died. 32 And they took up Asahel and buried him (C)in his father’s tomb which was in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men went all night until the day [c]dawned at Hebron.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 2:26 Lit not tell the people
  2. 2 Samuel 2:30 Lit nineteen men
  3. 2 Samuel 2:32 Lit lighted on them

24 Meanwhile, Joab and Abishai continued to chase Abner. At dusk, as they approached the hill of Ammah that is located near Giah on the way to the Gibeon desert, 25 the descendants of Benjamin rallied around Abner, forming a single military force. They took their stand on top of the hill.

26 Then Abner called out to Joab, “Must the battle sword keep on devouring forever? Don’t you realize that the end result is bitterness? How long will it take for you to order your army[a] to stop pursuing their own relatives?”

27 Joab answered, “As God lives, if you hadn’t spoken up, by morning my army would have broken off their pursuit of their own relatives.” 28 So Joab sounded his battle trumpet, his entire army stopped pursuing Israel any longer, and they quit fighting.

29 Abner and his army traveled through the Arabah by night, crossed the Jordan, and arrived at Mahanaim after marching all morning. 30 Joab returned from his pursuit of Abner, and when he had mustered his entire army, nineteen of David’s soldiers[b] were missing besides Asahel. 31 Meanwhile, other[c] soldiers of David had killed 360 of Abner’s men from the tribe of[d] Benjamin. 32 They retrieved Asahel’s body and buried him in his father’s tomb at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night until daybreak and arrived back in Hebron.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 2:26 Lit. people; and so throughout the chapter
  2. 2 Samuel 2:30 Lit. servants
  3. 2 Samuel 2:31 The Heb. lacks other
  4. 2 Samuel 2:31 The Heb. lacks the tribe of