John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 2:26
Then Abner called to Joab ,.... For having now a troop of men with him, he could stop with the greater safety; and being on an hill, and perhaps Joab on one opposite to him, could call to him, so as to be heard: and said, shall the sword devour for ever ? slay men, and devour their blood. See Jeremiah 46:10 . That he was not thoughtful of, nor concerned about, when he set the young men to fighting before the battle, and called it play to wound and shed the blood of each other; but now... read more
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 2:25-32
Here, I. Abner, being conquered, meanly begs for a cessation of arms. He rallied the remains of his forces on the top of a hill (2 Sam. 2:25), as if he would have made head again, but becomes a humble supplicant to Joab for a little breathing-time, 2 Sam. 2:26. He that was most forward to fight was the first that had enough of it. He that made a jest of bloodshed (Let the young men arise and play before us, 2 Sam. 2:14) is now shocked at it, when he finds himself on the losing side, and the... read more