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have had in his mind the contingency of having to make his peace with David. Be
this as it may, the provocation to actual hostilities came once more from Abner. On
his proposal, -perhaps with a view to decide the conflict by a kind of duel, instead of
entering upon an internecine civil war - twelve young men from either side were to
engage in a personal combat.^246
But such was the embitterment and determination of parties, that each one rushed on
his antagonist, and,
taking hold of him, buried his sword in his side; whence the spot obtained the name:
"Plot of the sharp blades." This bloody and, in the event, useless "game" having
proved indecisive, a fierce battle ensued; or rather, a rout of the Israelites, in which
three hundred and sixty of them fell, as against nineteen of David's seasoned and
trained warriors. The pursuit was only stopped when night had fallen, and Abner had
rallied his scattered forces in a strong position on the top of a hill and then only at
Abner's special request.^247
An incident in that day's pursuit is specially recorded for its bearing on the after-
history. Of the three sons of Zeruiah, David's sister (1 Chronicles 2:16), - Abishai (1
Samuel 26:6), Joab, David's general-in-chief, and Asahel - the youngest was "light
of foot as one of the roes in the field." Flushed with the fight, the youth singled out
Abner, and followed him in his flight. After a little Abner, recognizing his pursuer,
stood still. Probably the youth thought this meant surrender. But Abner, having
ascertained that his pursuer was really Asahel, and deeming that his ambition would
be satisfied if he carried away the armor of some enemy, bade him gratify his wish
on one of the men-at-arms around. When the youth, bent on the glory of slaying
Abner himself, nevertheless continued the pursuit, the captain once more stopped to
expostulate. But neither the well-meant and kindly-spoken warning of Abner, nor the
manifest discrepancy of fighting power between the two, could stay a lad intoxicated
by perhaps a first success. To get rid of him, and almost in necessary self-defense,
Abner now struck behind him with the butt-end of his lance, which was probably
sharpened with a point, to be capable of being stuck in the ground (1 Samuel 26:7).
Mortally wounded in "the abdomen,"^248 the lad fell, and soon "died in the same
place." The sight of one so young and brave weltering in his blood and writhing in
agony no doubt greatly increased the bitterness of that day's pursuit (ver. 23).
The battle of Gibeon seems to have been followed rather by a protracted state of
war^249 than by any other actual engagement between the forces of the two kings.
The general result is described as the house of Saul waxing weaker and weaker, and
that of David stronger and stronger. Of both evidence appeared. The increasing
political strength of David was shown, as usual among Eastern monarchs, by the
fresh alliances through marriage into which he now entered. These would not only
(^)