seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
2 Samuel 2:17 The battle that day was very fierce, and Abner and the Israelites were defeated by David’s men.
18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai and Asahel. Now Asahel was as fleet-footed as a wild gazelle. 19 He chased Abner, turning neither to the right nor to the left as he pursued him. 20 Abner looked behind him and asked, “Is that you, Asahel?”
“It is,” he answered.
21 Then Abner said to him, “Turn aside to the right or to the left; take on one of the young men and strip him of his weapons.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him.
22 Again Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me! Why should I strike you down? How could I look your brother Joab in the face?”
23 But Asahel refused to give up the pursuit; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into Asahel’s stomach, and the spear came out through his back. He fell there and died on the spot. And every man stopped when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.
24 But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, and as the sun was setting, they came to the hill of Ammah, near Giah on the way to the wasteland of Gibeon. 25 Then the men of Benjamin rallied behind Abner. They formed themselves into a group and took their stand on top of a hill.
26 Abner called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their fellow Israelites?”
27 Joab answered, “As surely as God lives, if you had not spoken, the men would have continued pursuing them until morning.”
28 So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the troops came to a halt; they no longer pursued Israel, nor did they fight anymore.
29 All that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, continued through the morning hours(b) and came to Mahanaim.
30 Then Joab stopped pursuing Abner and assembled the whole army. Besides Asahel, nineteen of David’s men were found missing. 31 But David’s men had killed three hundred and sixty Benjamites who were with Abner. 32 They took Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and arrived at Hebron by daybreak.
18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai and Asahel. Now Asahel was as fleet-footed as a wild gazelle. 19 He chased Abner, turning neither to the right nor to the left as he pursued him. 20 Abner looked behind him and asked, “Is that you, Asahel?”
“It is,” he answered.
21 Then Abner said to him, “Turn aside to the right or to the left; take on one of the young men and strip him of his weapons.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him.
22 Again Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me! Why should I strike you down? How could I look your brother Joab in the face?”
23 But Asahel refused to give up the pursuit; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into Asahel’s stomach, and the spear came out through his back. He fell there and died on the spot. And every man stopped when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.
24 But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, and as the sun was setting, they came to the hill of Ammah, near Giah on the way to the wasteland of Gibeon. 25 Then the men of Benjamin rallied behind Abner. They formed themselves into a group and took their stand on top of a hill.
26 Abner called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their fellow Israelites?”
27 Joab answered, “As surely as God lives, if you had not spoken, the men would have continued pursuing them until morning.”
28 So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the troops came to a halt; they no longer pursued Israel, nor did they fight anymore.
29 All that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, continued through the morning hours(b) and came to Mahanaim.
30 Then Joab stopped pursuing Abner and assembled the whole army. Besides Asahel, nineteen of David’s men were found missing. 31 But David’s men had killed three hundred and sixty Benjamites who were with Abner. 32 They took Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and arrived at Hebron by daybreak.
b. 2 Samuel 2:29 See Septuagint; the meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
So, there are a couple of strong characters in these verses. Abner was Saul's right hand man.... and it was Abner who was behind crowning the sole heir to Saul's throne. Meanwhile Joab was David's right hand man.
This is from EnduringWord.com.
Joab the son of Zeruiah: Joab was apparently one of the 400 men who joined David at Adullam Cave (1 Samuel 22:1-2), or he joined with David during this general period.
Abner said to Joab: This was a fascinating confrontation between two similar men. Abner and Joab were each tough, mean, military men who were completely devoted to their cause.
Asahel pursued Abner: In the pressure and confusion of battle, Asahel got close enough to Abner, the commander of Ishbosheth’s armies. It came down to a simple chase, and if Asahel caught up to Abner, he would surely kill him.
Lay hold of one of the young men and take his armor for yourself: It seems that Asahel pursued Abner in part for the glory of killing the commander of Ishbosheth’s army and taking his armor as a trophy.
Therefore Abner struck him in the stomach . . . he fell down there and died on the spot: Clearly, Abner killed Asahel in self-defense – it was the only thing he could do. Yet his concern (How then could I face your brother Joab) was entirely justified, and Joab will make it his passion to avenge his brother’s death.
Joab and Abishai also pursued Abner: Now more than the cause of David motivated them. They wanted to avenge the killing of their brother Asahel.
Shall the sword devour forever? When his armies were in full retreat and ready for a final do-or-die stand – and when two angry brothers wanted blood revenge – Joab found it easy to make the plea for peace. It was certainly to his advantage to give peace a chance.
Joab blew a trumpet; and all the people stood still: Joab agreed to this cease-fire, probably to both rest his exhausted army and to of avoid a long, bloody civil war.
· Joab had two notable brothers: Abishai and Asahel
· Joab, Abishai, and Asahel were David’s nephews, the sons of David’s sister Zeruiah (1 Chronicles 2:16)
· Joab had a long and checkered career as David’s chief general
· Joab, Abishai, and Asahel were David’s nephews, the sons of David’s sister Zeruiah (1 Chronicles 2:16)
· Joab had a long and checkered career as David’s chief general
Abner said to Joab: This was a fascinating confrontation between two similar men. Abner and Joab were each tough, mean, military men who were completely devoted to their cause.
Asahel pursued Abner: In the pressure and confusion of battle, Asahel got close enough to Abner, the commander of Ishbosheth’s armies. It came down to a simple chase, and if Asahel caught up to Abner, he would surely kill him.
Lay hold of one of the young men and take his armor for yourself: It seems that Asahel pursued Abner in part for the glory of killing the commander of Ishbosheth’s army and taking his armor as a trophy.
Therefore Abner struck him in the stomach . . . he fell down there and died on the spot: Clearly, Abner killed Asahel in self-defense – it was the only thing he could do. Yet his concern (How then could I face your brother Joab) was entirely justified, and Joab will make it his passion to avenge his brother’s death.
Joab and Abishai also pursued Abner: Now more than the cause of David motivated them. They wanted to avenge the killing of their brother Asahel.
Shall the sword devour forever? When his armies were in full retreat and ready for a final do-or-die stand – and when two angry brothers wanted blood revenge – Joab found it easy to make the plea for peace. It was certainly to his advantage to give peace a chance.
Joab blew a trumpet; and all the people stood still: Joab agreed to this cease-fire, probably to both rest his exhausted army and to of avoid a long, bloody civil war.
Like I say.... this is the stuff good movies are about. I think I saw a western not too long ago with this plot. So... Saul's right hand man killed the brother of David's right hand man, reportedly in "self defense".
