II Samuel 18:16
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Then Joab blew the ram’s horn, and the troops broke off their pursuit of Israel because Joab had restrained them.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Immediately afterwards Joab stopped any further pursuit, "for Joab spared the people," i.e., he wanted to spare them.
Open source ↗This chapter puts a period to Absalom's rebellion and life, and so makes way for David to his throne again, whither the next chapter brings him back in peace and triumph. We have here, I. David's preparations to engage the rebels (Sa2 18:1-5). II. The total defeat of Absalom's party and their dispersion (Sa2 18:6-8). III. The death of Absalom, and his burial (Sa2 18:9-18). IV. The bringing of the tidings to David, who tarried at Mahanaim (Sa2 18:19-32). V. His bitter lamentation for Absalom (Sa2 18:33).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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Then the woman went to all the people with her wise counsel, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So he blew the ram’s horn and his men dispersed from the city, each to his own home. And Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.
So Joab blew the ram’s horn, and all the troops stopped; they no longer pursued Israel or continued to fight.
Again, if the trumpet sounds a muffled call, who will prepare for battle?