Truce

A truce in the Bible can come from one tired voice. After a bloody contest at Gibeon, Abner called to Joab, “Shall the sword devour for ever?” and reminded him that it would be bitterness in the end. Joab answered that without Abner’s words the people would have gone on chasing their brothers until morning, and then he blew the trumpet, and his men “stood still, and pursued after Israel no more.” It was a stop, not a peace, and the cost was three hundred and sixty men. Read the story in 2 Samuel 2.

6 verses

2 Samuel

2 Samuel 2:26

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?

2 Samuel 2:27

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.

2 Samuel 2:28

So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.

2 Samuel 2:29

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.

2 Samuel 2:30

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.

2 Samuel 2:31

But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, so that three hundred and threescore men died.