And Joab blew the trumpet
As the sign of a retreat:
and the people returned from pursuing after Israel;
upon the sound of the trumpet, the meaning of which they understood:
for Joab held back the people:
from shedding any more blood; the head of the conspiracy being removed, the thing would be crushed at once; and Joab neither chose to slay any more, nor take any prisoners, to be tried as traitors, being unawares, without thought, drawn into this rebellion.