Useful Bible Studies > 2 Samuel Commentary > chapter 2
Many arguments continue when nobody still wants to argue. Neither side is humble enough, or bold enough, to request an end of the argument. So, the quarrel continues – and, perhaps, nobody gains anything by it.
That was happening in this first battle between David’s men, and the army that Abner commanded. Many brave men had died. The men on both sides belonged to the same country, Israel. They should have been friends, who fought together against Israel’s enemies. Now they were foolishly fighting against each other, and Israel was gaining nothing from their efforts.
It was Abner who, in the end, requested the battle to stop. He probably made that request because so many of his men had died. In that battle, 20 men on David’s side died, but 360 men on Abner’s side died (2:30-31). So Abner urged Joab, the commander of David’s men, to stop the battle.
Joab replied proudly that he would not have requested to end the battle. However, because Abner requested it first, Joab would allow Abner’s army to escape.
In a battle, the commander sounded the trumpet, a loud musical instrument, to give instructions to his men. So, Joab gave the command that his men should stop the fight. That night, the two armies separated from each other. They went back to Hebron and to Mahanaim, the capital cities of their two kings, David and Ish-Bosheth.
Next part: David's family in Hebron (2 Samuel 3:1-5)
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