2 Samuel 2:28

28 Then Yo'av sounded the shofar, and with that the people halted. They stopped pursuing Isra'el, and they stopped fighting.

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 Then Avner called out to Yo'av, "Must the sword go on devouring forever? Don't you know that in the end it can produce only bitterness? How long will it be, then, before you tell the people to quit pursuing their brothers?"

27 Yo'av said, "As God lives, if you hadn't said something, there is no doubt that the people would have kept following their brothers all night long."

28 Then Yo'av sounded the shofar, and with that the people halted. They stopped pursuing Isra'el, and they stopped fighting.

29 Avner and his men went through the 'Aravah all that night; they crossed the Yarden, went through all of Bitron and arrived at Machanayim.

30 Yo'av returned from following Avner. When he brought the troops together for review, nineteen of David's servants were missing, along with 'Asah'el.