⁶ David said^[a] to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Joab’s brother Abishai, Zeruiah’s son, “Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?”

Abishai said, “I’ll go down with you.”

⁷ David and Abishai went to the army^[b] at night, and Saul was lying there asleep in the encampment. His spear was stuck in the ground at his head, and Abner and the army^[c] were lying all around him. ⁸ Abishai told David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand. Let me run the spear through him into the ground with a single blow. I won’t need to strike him twice!”

⁹ David told Abishai, “Don’t destroy him. Who can raise his hand to strike the Lord’s anointed and remain innocent?

Abner Kills Joab’s Brother Asahel

¹⁸ Zeruiah’s three sons Joab, Abishai, and Asahel were there. As a runner, Asahel was fast, like one of the wild gazelles.

²⁴ Meanwhile, Joab and Abishai continued to chase Abner. At dusk, as they approached the hill of Ammah that is located near Giah on the way to the Gibeon desert,

³⁰ He said this^[a] because Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner after he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.

¹⁰ putting the rest of his forces under the command of his brother Abishai, who arrayed them to oppose the Ammonites.

¹⁴ When the Ammonites saw the Arameans retreating, they also retreated from Abishai back to the city. Then Joab broke off his attack against the Ammonites and went back to Jerusalem.