²⁴ But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. As the sun was going down they came to the hill of Ammah, which lies before Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.^{(A) 25} The Benjaminites rallied around Abner and formed a single band; they took their stand on the top of a hill. ²⁶ Then Abner called to Joab, “Is the sword to keep devouring forever? Do you not know that the end will be bitter? How long will it be before you order your people to turn from the pursuit of their kinsmen?” ²⁷ Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, the people would have continued to pursue their kinsmen, not stopping until morning.”^{(B) 28} Joab sounded the trumpet, and all the people stopped; they no longer pursued Israel or engaged in battle any further.

²⁹ Abner and his men traveled all that night through the Arabah; they crossed the Jordan, and, marching the whole forenoon,^[a] they came to Mahanaim.^{(C) 30} Joab returned from the pursuit of Abner, and when he had gathered all the people together, there were missing of David’s servants nineteen men besides Asahel. ³¹ But the servants of David had killed of Benjamin three hundred sixty of Abner’s men. ³² They took up Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was at Bethlehem. Joab and his men marched all night, and the day broke upon them at Hebron.