So Joab blew the trumpet — The trumpet call (בַּשּׁוֹפָר, baš-šôp̄ār) signals the end of fighting. All Israel ceases pursuit; both armies stand down. The cessation of violence comes from military necessity and Abner's appeal, not from overall victory or defeat. The battle ends in stalemate: David's forces prevailed on the day, yet Abner's army remains intact. The trumpet's sound echoes across Gibeon, bringing an end to the first major engagement of the civil war. The silence that follows is fraught with unresolved conflict.

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