And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down together: wherefore that place was called Helkathhazzurim, which is in Gibeon.

2 SAMUEL 2:16KJV
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2 Samuel 2:16 (KJV)

What does 2 Samuel 2:16 mean?

2 Samuel 2:16 describes a violent moment during a contest between the men of Joab (serving David) and the men of Abner (serving Saul’s son), where each man grabs his opponent by the head and stabs him in the side, resulting in all of them falling dead together. The place where this happened was named Helkathhazzurim, which means "the field of sharp swords" or "the field of strong men," and it was located in Gibeon.

This verse is set during a tense period after King Saul’s death, as rival groups struggle for control of Israel. The leaders, Joab and Abner, had agreed to let young men from each side fight as representatives, but the contest turned deadly and symbolic, showing how deep the division was. The name given to the place highlights the seriousness and tragedy of the event.

The Hebrew behind 2 Samuel 2:16

  • "fellow" (רֵעַ, re‘a): This word means "companion" or "friend," but here it refers to an opponent in the contest, showing the closeness of the struggle—each man is matched directly against another.
  • "side" (צֵדָה, tsedah): This word means "side" or "flank," pointing to the specific place where each man was stabbed, which would be a vulnerable spot in hand-to-hand combat.
  • "Helkathhazzurim" (חֶלְקַת הַצּוּרִים, ḥelqat ha-tsurim): This name is often understood as "the field of sharp swords" or "the field of strong men." The name itself becomes a memorial to the deadly encounter and the intensity of the conflict.

Why 2 Samuel 2:16 matters

  • This verse clears up that the contest was not a simple game or test of skill, but a deadly and tragic event where everyone involved died, underlining the seriousness of the civil conflict.
  • The naming of the place, Helkathhazzurim, serves as a lasting reminder of the violence and the cost of division among the people of Israel.
  • Understanding this verse helps explain the escalation of the conflict between the house of David and the house of Saul, setting the stage for the ongoing struggle for the throne.

Where else these words appear

“side” Hebrew H6654 · used in 27 verses

  • Genesis 6:16 A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.
  • Joshua 3:16 That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.
  • 2 Samuel 13:34 But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the way of the hill side behind him.

“Gibeon” Hebrew H1391 · used in 35 verses

  • Joshua 9:3 And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,
  • Joshua 18:25 Gibeon, and Ramah, and Beeroth,
  • 1 Chronicles 9:35 And in Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon, Jehiel, whose wife's name was Maachah:

“together” Hebrew H3162 · used in 139 verses

  • Genesis 13:6 And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.
  • Job 24:17 For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death: if one know them, they are in the terrors of the shadow of death.
  • Isaiah 41:1 Keep silence before me, O islands; and let the people renew their strength: let them come near; then let them speak: let us come near together to judgment.