Then Abnercalledto Joaband said,"Shall the sworddevourforever?Do you not knowthat it will be bitterin the end?Howlongwill you refrainfrom tellingthe peopleto turnbackfrom followingtheir brothers?"
Then Davidsaidto the messenger,"Thusyou shall sayto Joab,'Do not let thisthingdispleaseyou, for the sworddevoursoneas well as another;makeyour battleagainstthe citystrongerand overthrowit'; and [so] encouragehim."
Then Abnersaidto Joab,"Nowlet the youngmenariseand holda contestbeforeus." And Joabsaid,"Let them arise."
Eachoneof them seizedhis opponentby the headand [thrust] his swordin his opponent'sside;so they felldowntogether.Therefore that placewas calledHelkath-hazzurim,whichis in Gibeon.
The sonsof Benjamingatheredtogether behindAbnerand becameoneband,and they stoodon the topof a certainhill.
Joabsaid,"As Godlives,ifyou had not spoken,surelythenthe peoplewould have goneawayin the morning,eachfrom followinghis brother."
"Howlongwill you huntfor words?Showunderstandingand thenwe can talk.
"Howlongwill you tormentme And crushme with words?
O sonsof men,howlongwill my honorbecome a reproach?[How long] will you lovewhatis worthlessand aimat deception?Selah.
The beginningof strifeis [like] lettingout water,So abandonthe quarrelbeforeit breaksout.
"But ifyou refuseand rebel,You will be devouredby the sword."Truly,the mouthof the LORDhas spoken.
"On allthe bareheightsin the wildernessDestroyershave come,For a swordof the LORDis devouringFrom one endof the landeven to the other;Thereis nopeacefor anyone.
"In vainI have struckyour sons;They acceptednochastening.Your swordhas devouredyour prophetsLike a destroyinglion.
Howlongmust I seethe standardAnd hearthe soundof the trumpet?
For that daybelongs to the LordGODof hosts,A dayof vengeance,so as to avengeHimself on His foes;And the swordwill devourand be satiatedAnd drinkits fillof their blood;For there will be a slaughterfor the LordGODof hosts,In the landof the northby the riverEuphrates.
"Declarein Egyptand proclaimin Migdol,Proclaimalso in Memphisand Tahpanhes;Say,'Takeyour standand getyourself ready,For the swordhas devouredthose aroundyou.'
The swordwill whirlagainst their cities,And will demolishtheir gate barsAnd consume[them] becauseof their counsels.
"On the followingdayhe appearedto them as they were fighting together,and he tried to reconcilethem in peace,saying,'Men,you are brethren,whydo you injureone another?'
