12. Now Abner, son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbaal, Saul’s son, set out from Mahanaim for Gibeon.
13. Joab, son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David also set out and encountered them at the pool of Gibeon. And they sat down, one group on one side of the pool and the other on the opposite side.
14. Then Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men rise and perform for us.” Joab replied, “All right.”
15. So they rose and were counted off: twelve of the Benjaminites of Ishbaal, son of Saul, and twelve of David’s servants.
16. Then each one grasped his opponent’s head and thrust his sword into his opponent’s side, and they all fell down together. And so that place was named the Field of the Sides; it is in Gibeon.
17. The battle that day was very fierce, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by David’s servants.
18. The three sons of Zeruiah were there—Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel, who was as fleet of foot as a gazelle in the open field,
19. set out after Abner, turning neither right nor left in his pursuit.
20. Abner turned around and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” He replied, “Yes.”
21. Abner said to him, “Turn right or left; seize one of the young men and take what you can strip from him.” But Asahel would not stop pursuing him.
22. Once more Abner said to Asahel: “Stop pursuing me! Why must I strike you to the ground? How could I show my face to your brother Joab?”
23. Still he refused to stop. So Abner struck him in the abdomen with the heel of his spear, and the weapon protruded from his back. He fell there and died on the spot. All who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, halted.