2 Samuel 2:25
ESV
And the people of Benjamin gathered themselves together behind Abner and became one group and took their stand on the top of a hill.
NIV
Then the men of Benjamin rallied behind Abner. They formed themselves into a group and took their stand on top of a hill.
NASB
And the sons of Benjamin gathered together behind Abner and became one troop, and they stood on the top of a hill.
CSB
The Benjaminites rallied to Abner; they formed a unit and took their stand on top of a hill.
NLT
Abner’s troops from the tribe of Benjamin regrouped there at the top of the hill to take a stand.
KJV
And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of an hill.
NKJV
Now the children of Benjamin gathered together behind Abner and became a unit, and took their stand on top of a hill.
What does 2 Samuel 2:25 mean?
Abner had run for his life from the lost battle against David's forces at Gibeon. One man had refused to allow him to escape. Despite repeated warnings from Abner, Asahel kept chasing him down until Abner killed him (2 Samuel 2:17–23).Asahel's two older brothers, Joab and Abishai, try to finish the job. The time that passes in between, though, gives Abner a chance to regroup with the survivors of his army. They now assemble themselves for a possible last stand on a hill called Ammah as Joab and David's forces approach at sunset.
Joab and his brothers fight for David, king of Judah (2 Samuel 2:1–4). Abner fights for Ish-bosheth, Saul's son and the king of the remaining tribes (2 Samuel 2:8–10). But Abner's entire army is from their tribe of Benjamin. Israel is not a cohesive nation: it's a group of tribes that live largely autonomously.
Aside from God's will, this may be why Abner loses this battle so badly and will continue to lose. Benjamin is the smallest tribe in the nation; Judah is one of the largest. Benjamin doesn't have many people from which to form an army. Abner is a great general and has been a commander since before David fought Goliath. But in this battle, he loses 360 men to Joab's 20 (2 Samuel 2:30–31). That lopsided defeat will define the two-year civil war.
