2 Samuel 2:12-17
Summary for 2Sam 2:12-32: 2:12-32 a A protracted civil war ensued between Judah (led by David) and the northern tribes (led by Saul’s dynasty). These events set the stage for Abner’s murder (3:22-39 b). 2:12 c Gibeon, about five miles northwest of Jerusalem, was a key city in Benjamin.2:13 d The pool of Gibeon extends down some 80 feet to the water table. Archaeologists estimate that the original diggers had to remove about 3,000 tons of limestone to create it.
2:14 e a few of our warriors: In the ancient world, enemy armies would sometimes choose individuals or small groups to fight each other as representative gladiators—a custom often referred to as champion warfare (see also 1 Sam 17 f).
• fight hand to hand: The Hebrew term usually includes a component of play. A contest of champions might have been seen as a type of high-stakes game. In this instance, it settled nothing; the fighting expanded into a much wider confrontation with heavier casualties (2 Sam 2:17-32 g).
2:17 h The casualty count of this fierce battle is noted in 2:30-31 i.
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