By the pool

At this point, two kings had been established over all Israel: Saul’s son, Ish-bosheth, and David, who ruled from Hebron. (1) Ish-bosheth’s general was Abner, the son of Ner, who was also Saul’s cousin. Abner led his army to Gibeon with the intent of seizing the territory of Judah. (2) David’s general was Joab, the son of Zeruiah. Zeruiah was David’s sister, so Joab was David’s nephew. Joab also led his army out to battle. (3) The two armies met by the pool of Gibeon. This pool has been excavated by archaeologists and is over 36 ft (11 m) in diameter and more than 32 ft (10 m) deep. (4) A standoff between the two armies continued by the pool. David’s general, Joab, did not make a move. He was likely under David’s orders to remain defensive and to avoid unnecessary bloodshed as much as possible. (5) Seeing this, Abner made the first move.

Bloody proposal

Abner made a proposal that led to a brutal outcome. He suggested that young men from both sides engage in combat. Foolishly, Joab agreed to the proposal. (1) The combat was similar to gladiatorial fights, where warriors would face off one-on-one. (2) Twelve warriors were chosen from each side. The result was tragic as they all killed each other in a deadly stalemate. (3) Abner likely intended to determine the superiority of one army over the other through this combat, but instead, it led to a full-scale war. (4) The place where this combat took place came to be known as “Helkath-hazzurim (Field of Blades).” Abner thought lightly of the shedding of blood, and as a result, he brought about full-scale war. His actions and words were unworthy of the title of general. “A merciful person does himself good, But the cruel person does himself harm” (Prov. 11:17). The same tendencies that were in Abner also exist within us. How do you manage feelings of anger and a combative spirit? Let us always seek peaceful resolutions.