18
Now the three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab and Abishai and Asahel. And Asahel was as fleet of foot as a wild gazelle.
19
So Asahel pursued Abner, and in going he did not turn to the right hand or to the left from following Abner.
20
Then Abner looked behind him and said, "Are you Asahel?" He answered, "I am."
21
And Abner said to him, "Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and lay hold on one of the young men and take his armor for yourself." But Asahel would not turn aside from following him.
22
So Abner said again to Asahel, "Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I face your brother Joab?"
23
However, he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him in the stomach with the blunt end of the spear, so that the spear came out of his back; and he fell down there and died on the spot. So it was that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died, stood still.
24
Joab and Abishai also pursued Abner. And the sun was going down when they came to the hill of Ammah, which is before Giah by the road to the Wilderness of Gibeon.
25
Now the children of Benjamin gathered together behind Abner and became a unit, and took their stand on top of a hill.
26
Then Abner called to Joab and said, "Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the latter end? How long will it be then until you tell the people to return from pursuing their brethren?"
27
And Joab said, "As God lives, unless you had spoken, surely then by morning all the people would have given up pursuing their brethren."
28
So Joab blew a trumpet; and all the people stood still and did not pursue Israel anymore, nor did they fight anymore.