2 Samuel 2:12-23

In time Abʹner the son of Ner and the servants of Ish-boʹsheth, Saul’s son, went out from Ma·ha·naʹim+ to Gibʹe·on.+ 13 Joʹab+ the son of Ze·ruʹiah+ and the servants of David also went out and encountered them at the pool of Gibʹe·on; and one group sat on this side of the pool, and the other group on that side of the pool. 14 Finally Abʹner said to Joʹab: “Let the young men get up and engage in combat* before us.” To this Joʹab said: “Let them get up.” 15 So they got up and crossed over by number, 12 for Benjamin and Saul’s son Ish-boʹsheth and 12 from the servants of David. 16 They grabbed one another by the head and each of them thrust his sword into the side of his opponent, and they all fell down together. So that place, which is in Gibʹe·on, was called Helʹkath-haz·zuʹrim. 17 The fighting that ensued was extremely fierce that day, and Abʹner and the men of Israel were finally defeated before the servants of David. 18 Now the three sons of Ze·ruʹiah+ were there—Joʹab,+ A·bishʹai,+ and Asʹa·hel;+ and Asʹa·hel was as swift on his feet as a gazelle in the open field. 19 Asʹa·hel chased after Abʹner, and he would not veer to the right or to the left in his pursuit of Abʹner. 20 When Abʹner looked behind, he asked, “Is that you, Asʹa·hel?” to which he replied, “Yes, it is.” 21 Then Abʹner said to him: “Veer to your right or to your left and capture one of the young men, and take whatever you strip off him for yourself.” But Asʹa·hel did not want to stop chasing him. 22 So Abʹner said to Asʹa·hel once again: “Stop chasing me. Why should I strike you down? How could I look your brother Joʹab in the face?” 23 But he kept refusing to stop, so Abʹner struck him in the abdomen with the butt end of the spear,+ and the spear came out from his back; and he fell there and died on the spot. Everyone who came to the place where Asʹa·hel fell and died would stop and pause there.