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.