2 Samuel 2:13

13 Joab son of Zeruiah and David's men also went there and met Abner and Ish-Bosheth's men at the pool of Gibeon. Abner's group sat on one side of the pool; Joab's group sat on the other.

2 Samuel 2:13 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 2:13

And Joab the son of Zeruiah
A sister of David, and this her son was general of David's army:

and the servants of David, went out;
that is, his army went out from Hebron to Gibeon, which was twenty four miles ^F4 to meet that under Abner; for though he had but one tribe with him, and Ishbosheth had all the rest, yet Judah was a numerous, powerful, and warlike tribe; and besides many out of the other tribes had joined them, and, above all, God was on their side, and they had his promise to rely upon with respect to the establishment of the kingdom in the house of David, and his power and providence to trust in, and therefore went out boldly and cheerfully to meet the armies of Israel under Abner:

and met together by the pool of Gibeon;
the same perhaps with the great waters in Gibeon, ( Jeremiah 41:12 ) ;

and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other
on the other side of the pool;
facing one another, and watching each other's motions.

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 Bunting's Travels, p. 146.

2 Samuel 2:13 In-Context

11 David was king in Hebron for seven years and six months.

12 Abner son of Ner and the servants of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul left Mahanaim and went to Gibeon.

13 Joab son of Zeruiah and David's men also went there and met Abner and Ish-Bosheth's men at the pool of Gibeon. Abner's group sat on one side of the pool; Joab's group sat on the other.

14 Abner said to Joab, "Let the young men have a contest here." Joab said, "Yes, let them have a contest."

15 Then the men got up and were counted -- twelve from the people of Benjamin for Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve from David's men.