2 Samuel 2:15

15 So the young men stood up and were counted off. There were 12 on the side of Benjamin and Saul's son Ish-Bosheth. And there were 12 on David's side.

2 Samuel 2:15 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 2:15

Then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin,
&c.] Whom Abner had picked out of that tribe, being his own, and whom he knew to be stout and courageous men, and closely attached to him. It seems by this as if Abner's men,

[which pertained to] Ishbosheth, the son of Saul,
passed over the pool of Gibeon unto Joab's men; so forward were they to engage in this duel, and it makes it still more appear that they were the aggressors:

and twelve of the servants of David;
of his army under Joab, whom Joab either selected, or they, offered themselves as willing to engage with the twelve that were come over.

2 Samuel 2:15 In-Context

13 Joab, the son of Zeruiah, and David's men also went out. All of them met at the pool in Gibeon. One group sat down on one side of the pool. The other group sat on the other side.

14 Then Abner said to Joab, "Let's have some of the young men get up and fight. Let's tell them to fight hand to hand in front of us." "All right. Let them do it," Joab said.

15 So the young men stood up and were counted off. There were 12 on the side of Benjamin and Saul's son Ish-Bosheth. And there were 12 on David's side.

16 Each man grabbed one of his enemies by the head. Each one stuck his dagger into the other man's side. And all of them fell down together and died. So that place in Gibeon was named Helkath Hazzurim.

17 The fighting that day was very heavy. Abner and the men of Israel lost the battle to David's men.