10. Ish-Bosheth the son of Saul was forty years old when he became king over Israel and he reigned two years; however, the house of Judah followed David.
11. The number of days that David was king over Hebron, over the house of Judah, was seven years and six months.
12. Abner the son of Ner and the servants of Ish-Bosheth the son of Saul went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
13. Then Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out, and they met at the pool of Gibeon. The one group sat on one side of the pool, and the other sat on the other side.
14. Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men come up and fight in our presence.” And Joab said, “Let them come up.”
15. So they came forward and passed by in number: twelve for Benjamin and for Ish-Bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David.
16. Then each seized his opponent by the head and each thrust his sword in the side of his opponent, so they fell together. So they called the name of that place Helkath Hazzurim, which is in Gibeon.
17. Then the battle became increasingly fierce on that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated before the servants of David.
18. The three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab and Abishai and Asahel. Now Asahel was swift with his feet as one of the gazelles which is in the open field.
19. So Asahel pursued Abner, and he did not turn aside to the right or to the left from going after Abner.
20. Abner turned around and said, “Are you this Asahel?” And he said, “Yes.”
21. Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right or to your left; seize for yourself one of the young men, and take his belongings for yourself.” But Asahel was not willing to turn aside from him.
22. So Abner said to Asahel once again, “For your own sake, turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you down to the ground? How could I show my face to Joab your brother?”