2 Samuel 2:28

28 Then Joab blew the trumpet as a signal for his men to stop pursuing the Israelites; and so the fighting stopped.

2 Samuel 2:28 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 2:28

So Joab blew a trumpet
Or caused one to be blown as a signal of a retreat:

and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more;
as soon as they heard the trumpet sound, the meaning of which they understood, they stepped at once, and left off their pursuit:

neither fought they any more;
that day, and perhaps no pitched battle afterwards; for none we read of, though the war continued after this a long time, and there might be often skirmishes, which greatly weakened Abner's party. See ( 2 Samuel 3:1 ) .

2 Samuel 2:28 In-Context

26 Abner called out to Joab, "Do we have to go on fighting forever? Can't you see that in the end there will be nothing but bitterness? We are your relatives. How long will it be before you order your men to stop chasing us?"

27 "I swear by the living God," Joab answered, "that if you had not spoken, my men would have kept on chasing you until tomorrow morning."

28 Then Joab blew the trumpet as a signal for his men to stop pursuing the Israelites; and so the fighting stopped.

29 Abner and his men marched through the Jordan Valley all that night; they crossed the Jordan River, and after marching all the next morning, they arrived back at Mahanaim.

30 When Joab gave up the chase, he gathered all his men and found that nineteen of them were missing, in addition to Asahel.