Bible Strands
2 Samuel 2:13
So Joab son of Zeruiah and the servants of David marched out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. And the two groups took up positions on opposite sides of the pool.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrative places Joab and David’s forces at the pool of Gibeon, directly confronting Abner and Ish-bosheth’s army after both groups have marched to the location.
The words — The Hebrew יָֽצְא֔וּ (ya.tze.'U) literally means "they went out," describing the movement of Joab’s group, while עַל\־ ('al-) indicates their positioning "at" or upon the pool.
The thread — This confrontation echoes earlier military leadership patterns, as Joab’s command over David’s forces is later recorded in 2 Samuel 8:16 and his lineage in Zeruiah is detailed in 1 Chronicles 2:16.
Why it lands — The text demands recognition of the deliberate, symmetrical positioning of opposing armies, framing the impending conflict as a structured confrontation rather than a random skirmish.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and met together by the pool of Gibeon: and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool.
Cross-references
- 2 Samuel 8:16 Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;
- 1 Chronicles 2:16 Their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. And the three sons of Zeruiah were Abishai, Joab, and Asahel.
- 2 Samuel 2:18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was fleet of foot like a wild gazelle,
- 2 Samuel 20:23 Now Joab was over the whole army of Israel; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites;
- 1 Kings 1:7 So Adonijah conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, who supported him.
- 1 Kings 2:28 When the news reached Joab, who had conspired with Adonijah but not with Absalom, he fled to the tent of the LORD and took hold of the horns of the altar.
- 1 Chronicles 11:6 Now David had said, “Whoever is the first to strike down a Jebusite will become chief commander.” And Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, and he became the chief.
- Jeremiah 41:12 they took all their men and went to fight Ishmael son of Nethaniah. And they found him near the great pool in Gibeon.