2 Samuel 2 Study Notes

2:17 The battle referred to in this verse apparently began immediately after the stalemate of the contest in vv. 14-16.

2:18 Zeruiah was David’s sister (1Ch 2:16), so Joab, Abishai, and Asahel were David’s nephews who served in his army.

2:19 Asahel chased Abner because he saw an opportunity to strike down the leader of the opposition forces. Both men appear to have been on foot.

2:20-21 Abner hoped to deter Asahel with the possibility of obtaining easy spoil from one of the young soldiers of lesser skill whom he might kill more easily.

2:22 Abner’s words, Stop chasing me, suggest that Asahel was gaining on him. Abner probably was better armed and more experienced in fighting than Asahel.

2:23 The butt of his spear may have been sharpened to stick in the ground (1Sm 26:7). Or Abner may have turned the spear around and thrust it back at Asahel.

2:24 The hill of Ammah is an unknown site east of Gibeon.

2:25 The top of a hill was more easily defended.

2:26 Abner’s questions to Joab challenged him to consider the high price of a civil war in Israel. During the days of the judges, another civil war almost resulted in Benjamin’s extermination (Jdg 20:46-21:3).

2:27-28 The blowing of a ram’s horn was a signal to gather the troops—in this case, to stop fighting (18:16; 20:22).

2:29 Abner and his men then retreated across the Jordan River and northward about thirty miles to Mahanaim (v. 8).

2:30-31 The differences in the number of casualties (nineteen of David’s soldiers . . . 360 of the Benjaminites and Abner’s men) reveal the overwhelming victory David’s forces achieved and suggest God’s favor on David.

2:32 Bethlehem lay approximately ten miles south of the battle site. From there to Hebron was another fourteen miles along the highway.