002:012 Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 002:013 Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, 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. 002:014 Abner said to Joab, Please let the young men arise and play before us. Joab said, Let them arise. 002:015 Then they arose and went over by number: twelve for Benjamin, and for Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. 002:016 They caught everyone his fellow by the head, and [thrust] his sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down together: therefore that place was called Helkath Hazzurim, which is in Gibeon. 002:017 The battle was very severe that day: and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David. 002:018 The three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild gazelle. 002:019 Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he didn't turn to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner. 002:020 Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Is it you, Asahel? He answered, It is I. 002:021 Abner said to him, Turn you aside to your right hand or to your left, and lay you hold on one of the young men, and take you his armor. But Asahel would not turn aside from following him. 002:022 Abner said again to Asahel, Turn you aside from following me: why should I strike you to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab your brother? 002:023 However he refused to turn aside: therefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear struck him in the body, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it happened, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still. 002:024 But Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lies before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon. 002:025 The children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one band, and stood on the top of a hill. 002:026 Then Abner called to Joab, and said, "Shall the sword devour forever? Don't you know that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long shall it be then, before you bid the people return from following their brothers?" 002:027 Joab said, As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone away, nor followed everyone his brother. 002:028 So Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.