17. Then everyone started fighting. Both sides fought very hard, but David's soldiers defeated Abner and the soldiers of Israel.
18. Zeruiah's three sons were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel could run as fast as a deer in an open field,
19. and he ran straight after Abner, without looking to the right or to the left.
20. When Abner turned and saw him, he said, “Is that you, Asahel?”Asahel answered, “Yes it is.”
21. Abner said, “There are soldiers all around. Stop chasing me and fight one of them! Kill him and take his clothes and weapons for yourself.”But Asahel refused to stop.
22. Abner said, “If you don't turn back, I'll have to kill you! Then I could never face your brother Joab again.”
23. But Asahel would not turn back, so Abner struck him in the stomach with the back end of his spear. The spear went all the way through and came out of his back. Asahel fell down and died. Everyone who saw Asahel lying dead just stopped and stood still.
24. But Joab and Abishai went after Abner. Finally, about sunset, they came to the hill of Ammah, not far from Giah on the road to Gibeon Desert.
25. Abner brought the men of Benjamin together in one group on top of a hill, and they got ready to fight.
26. Abner shouted to Joab, “Aren't we ever going to stop killing each other? Don't you know that the longer we keep on doing this, the worse it's going to be when it's all over? When are you going to order your men to stop chasing their own relatives?”
27. Joab shouted back, “I swear by the living God, if you hadn't spoken, my men would have chased their relatives all night!”