18. And there were three Bnei Tzeruyah there: Yoav, Avishai, Asahel; Asahel was as swift of foot as a gazelle.
19. Asahel pursued after Avner; and in going he turned not to the right nor to the left from following Avner.
20. Then Avner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he answered, I am.
21. And Avner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the ne'arim, and capture thee his armor. But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him.
22. And Avner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me; why should I strike thee to the ground? How then should I hold up my face to Yoav achicha?
23. Howbeit he refused to turn aside; therefore Avner with the butt end of the khanit struck him under the fifth rib, that the khanit came out his back; and he fell down there, and died in the same place; and it came to pass, that as many as came to the makom where Asahel fell down and died, stopped.
24. Yoav also and Avishai pursued after Avner; and the shemesh went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giach by the derech midbar Giveon.
25. And the Bnei Binyamin gathered themselves together after Avner, and became aguddah echat (one unit), and stood on the top of one hill.
26. Then Avner called to Yoav, and said, Shall the cherev devour lanetzach (forever)? Knowest thou not that it will be marah in the latter end? Ad mosai shall it be then, until thou bid the people return from pursuing their brethren?
27. And Yoav said, As HaElohim liveth, if thou hadst not spoken, HaAm would have continued every one following his brother, not stopping until haboker.