Field of Flints

In Bible versions:

Field of Flints: NET
Helkath-Hazzurim: AVS TEV
Helkath Hazzurim: NIV
Helkath-hazzurim: NRSV NASB

a place by the pool of Gibeon where Joab's men and Abner's men fought

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the field of strong men, or of rocks

Google Maps: Helkath-hazzurim (31° 52´, 35° 16´)

Hebrew

Strongs #02521: Myruh tqlx Chelqath hats-Tsuriym

Helkath-hazzurim = "field of swords"

1) a place near the pool of Gibeon where Ishbosheth's men were killed
by David's men under Joab

2521 Chelqath hats-Tsu-riym khel-kath' hats-tsoo-reem'

from 2520 and the plural of 6697, with the article inserted;
smoothness of the rocks; Chelkath Hats-tsurim, a place in
Palestine:-Helkath-hazzurim.
see HEBREW for 02520
see HEBREW for 06697

Helkath-hazzurim [EBD]

plot of the sharp blades, or the field of heroes, (2 Sam. 2:16). After the battle of Gilboa, so fatal to Saul and his house, David, as divinely directed, took up his residence in Hebron, and was there anointed king over Judah. Among the fugitives from Gilboa was Ish-bosheth, the only surviving son of Saul, whom Abner, Saul's uncle, took across the Jordan to Mahanaim, and there had him proclaimed king. Abner gathered all the forces at his command and marched to Gibeon, with the object of wresting Judah from David. Joab had the command of David's army of trained men, who encamped on the south of the pool, which was on the east of the hill on which the town of Gibeon was built, while Abner's army lay on the north of the pool. Abner proposed that the conflict should be decided by twelve young men engaging in personal combat on either side. So fiercely did they encounter each other that "they caught every man his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down together: wherefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim." The combat of the champions was thus indecisive, and there followed a severe general engagement between the two armies, ending in the total rout of the Israelites under Abner. The general result of this battle was that "David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker" (2 Sam. 3:1). (See GIBEON.)

Helkath-Hazzurim [NAVE]

HELKATH-HAZZURIM, a battle ground, 2 Sam. 2:16.

HELKATH-HAZZURIM [ISBE]

HELKATH-HAZZURIM - hel'-kath-haz'-u-rim, -ha-zu'-rim (chelqath ha-tsurim; Meris ton epiboulon): The name as it stands means "field of the sword edges," and is applied to the scene of the conflict in which twelve champions each from the army of Joab and that of Abner perished together, each slaying his fellow (2 Sam 2:16). Some, following Septuagint, would read chelqath ha-tsodhim, "field of the crafty," i.e. "of the ambush." Thenius suggested chelqath ha-tsarim, "field of the adversaries" (see also H. P. Smith, ICC, "Samuel," 271). Probably, however, the text as it stands is correct.

W. Ewing