2 Samuel 2:16

16 Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his opponent’s side, and they all fell together. So this place, which is in Gibeon, is called Helkath-hazzurim. ^[a]

2 Samuel 2:16 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 2:16

And they caught everyone his fellow by the head
By the hair of his head with his hand:

and [thrust] his sword in his fellow's side;
which he had in the other;

so they fell down together;
the twelve on each side, all the twenty four; some think only the twelve on Abner's side fell; but to me it seems that they all fell dead as one man, since they thrust their swords in each other's sides:

wherefore that place was called Helkathhazzurim, which [is] in Gibeon;
the field of rocks, or of mighty men as strong as rocks, who stood as immovable, and would not give way, but fell and died in the field of battle; the Targum interprets it, the inheritance of the slain.

2 Samuel 2:16 In-Context

14 Then Abner said to Joab, “Let us have the young men get up and compete before us.” “Let them get up,” Joab replied.

15 So they got up and were counted off—twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David.

16 Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his opponent’s side, and they all fell together. So this place, which is in Gibeon, is called Helkath-hazzurim.

17 The battle that day was intense, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the servants of David.

18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was fleet of foot like a wild gazelle,

Footnotes

• [a]. Helkath-hazzurim means the Field of Swords.