(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)
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2 Samuel 2:25–32, “And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of an hill. Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren? And Joab said, As God liveth, unless thou hadst spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone up every one from following his brother. So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more. And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain, and passed over Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and they came to Mahanaim. And Joab returned from following Abner: and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David’s servants nineteen men and Asahel. But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner’s men, so that three hundred and threescore men died. And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.”
The men of Benjamin had a fearsome reputation as fanatical fighters. (See Judges 20: 18-24) They came together with their leader Abner and took the best strategic place that they could find, the top of a hill. If Joab and his men wanted to attack them they would have to come up the hill to fight. Joab’s men surrounded the hill. At that stage, Abner called out and told Joab that many people would die unnecessarily that day if they chose to fight. Joab knew that Abner was right so he blew a trumpet and told his men to go home. Abner and his men went to Mahanaim, where they had been stationed and Joab did a head count to see who had survived the battle. Joab found that he had lost nineteen men including his brother. They returned to their own home as well.
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