23. But Asahel refused to stop chasing Abner. So Abner used the back end of his spear and pushed it into Asahel’s stomach. The spear went deep into Asahel’s stomach and came out of his back. Asahel died right there. Asahel’s body lay on the ground. Everyone who came that way stopped to look at Asahel,
24. but Joab and Abishai continued chasing Abner. The sun was just going down when they came to Ammah Hill. (Ammah Hill is in front of Giah on the way to the desert of Gibeon.)
25. The men from the tribe of Benjamin gathered around Abner at the top of the hill.
26. Abner shouted to Joab and said, “Must we fight and kill each other forever? Surely you know that this will only end in sadness. Tell the people to stop chasing their own brothers.”
27. Then Joab said, “As surely as God is alive, if you had not said something, people would still be chasing their brothers in the morning.”
28. So Joab blew a trumpet, and his people stopped chasing the Israelites. They did not try to fight the Israelites anymore.
29. Abner and his men marched all night through the Jordan Valley. They crossed the Jordan River and then marched all day until they came to Mahanaim.
30. Joab stopped chasing Abner and turned back. Joab had gathered his men and learned that 19 of David’s officers were missing, including Asahel.
31. But David’s officers had killed 360 of Abner’s men from the tribe of Benjamin.
32. David’s officers took Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father at Bethlehem. Joab and his men marched all night. The sun came up just as they reached Hebron.