2 Samuel 2:29

ABNER WITHDREW HIS FORCES EAST OF THE JORDAN RIVER

"And Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah; they crossed the Jordan, and marching the whole forenoon they came to Mahanaim. Joab returned from the pursuit of Abner; and when he had gathered all the people together, there were missing of David's servants nineteen men besides Asahel. But the servants of David had slain of Benjamin three hundred and sixty of Abner's men. And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was at Bethlehem. And Joab and his men marched all night, and the day broke upon them at Hebron."

"Abner and his men went all that night" (2 Samuel 2:29). It is of interest that the commanders of each of these opposing armies at once ordered an all-night march, Abner for the purpose of putting a safe distance between him and the victorious troops of Joab, and Joab for the purpose of overtaking Abner as soon as possible after the funeral for Asahel. There were two reasons for the march to Hebron following the burial of Asahel in Bethlehem. As one of the cities of refuge, Joab might have anticipated that Abner would go there; and, of course, that was David's headquarters and capital, the center of authority for the king of Judah, where Joab was to report to the king. "Hebron lay about fourteen miles north of Bethlehem."[22]

As for the distance covered by those all-night marches, Smith stated that, "Each army had about twenty six miles to cover."[23]

"Through the Arabah" (2 Samuel 2:29). "This is the name given to the broad floor of the great valley through which there flows the Jordan river. The valley lies generally some three thousand feet below the mountains of Israel."[24]