10. He was forty years old when he was made king of Israel, and he ruled for two years.But the tribe of Judah was loyal to David,
11. and he ruled in Hebron over Judah for seven and a half years.
12. Abner and the officials of Ishbosheth went from Mahanaim to the city of Gibeon.
13. Joab, whose mother was Zeruiah, and David's other officials met them at the pool, where they all sat down, one group on one side of the pool and the other group on the opposite side.
14. Abner said to Joab, “Let's get some of the young men from each side to fight an armed contest.”“All right,” Joab answered.
15. So twelve men, representing Ishbosheth and the tribe of Benjamin, fought twelve of David's men.
16. Each man caught his opponent by the head and plunged his sword into his opponent's side, so that all 24 of them fell down dead together. And so that place in Gibeon is called “Field of Swords”.
17. Then a furious battle broke out, and Abner and the Israelites were defeated by David's men.
18. The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel, who could run as fast as a wild deer,
19. started chasing Abner, running straight for him.
20. Abner looked back and said, “Is that you, Asahel?”“Yes,” he answered.
21. “Stop chasing me!” Abner said. “Run after one of the soldiers and take what he has.” But Asahel kept on chasing him.
22. Once more Abner said to him, “Stop chasing me! Why force me to kill you? How could I face your brother Joab?”
23. But Asahel would not give up; so Abner, with a backward thrust of his spear, struck him through the belly so that the spear came out at his back. Asahel dropped to the ground dead, and everyone who came to the place where he was lying stopped and stood there.
24. But Joab and Abishai started out after Abner, and at sunset they came to the hill of Ammah, which is to the east of Giah on the road to the wilderness of Gibeon.
25. The men from the tribe of Benjamin gathered round Abner again and took their stand on the top of a hill.
26. Abner called out to Joab, “Do we have to go on fighting for ever? Can't you see that in the end there will be nothing but bitterness? We are your fellow-countrymen. How long will it be before you order your men to stop chasing us?”