16. Each man grabbed his enemy’s head. Then he stabbed his enemy’s side with a knife. And the men fell down together. So that place in Gibeon is called The Field of the Sharp Knives.
17. That day the contest became a terrible battle. And David’s men defeated Abner and the Israelites.
18. Zeruiah’s three sons, Joab, Abishai and Asahel, were there. Now Asahel was a fast runner. He was as fast as a deer in the field.
19. Asahel chased Abner, going straight toward him.
20. Abner looked back and asked, “Are you Asahel?”Asahel said, “Yes, I am.”
21. Then Abner said to Asahel, “Turn to your right or left. Catch one of the young men and take his armor.” But Asahel refused to stop chasing him.
22. Abner again said to Asahel, “Stop chasing me! If you don’t stop, I’ll have to kill you! Then I won’t be able to face your brother Joab again!”
23. But Asahel refused to stop chasing Abner. So Abner used the back end of his spear. He stabbed it into Asahel’s stomach, and the spear came out of his back. Asahel died right there. Everyone stopped when they came to the place where Asahel’s body lay.
24. But Joab and Abishai continued chasing Abner. The sun was going down when they arrived at the hill of Ammah. This is near Giah on the way to the empty land near Gibeon.
25. The men of Benjamin came to Abner. They all stood together at the top of the hill.
26. Abner shouted to Joab, “Must the sword kill forever? Surely you must know this will only end in sadness! Tell the people to stop chasing their own brothers!”
27. Then Joab said, “If you had not said anything, the people would have chased their brothers until morning. This is as sure as God is alive.”
28. Then Joab blew a trumpet, and his people stopped chasing the Israelites. They did not try to fight them anymore.
29. Abner and his men marched all night through the Jordan Valley. They crossed the Jordan River. After marching all day, they arrived at Mahanaim.