2 Samuel 2:14

Abner said to Joab, “Let the soldiers get up and fight ¹  before us.” Joab said, “So be it!” ² 

Then Abner said to Joab, "Let’s have some of the young men get up and fight hand to hand in front of us." "All right, let them do it," Joab said.

Then Abner said to Joab, "Now let the young men arise and hold a contest before us." And Joab said, "Let them arise."

Then Abner suggested to Joab, "Let’s have a few of our warriors put on an exhibition of hand–to–hand combat." "All right," Joab agreed.

Abner challenged Joab, "Put up your best fighters. Let's see them do their stuff." Joab said, "Good! Let them go at it!"

And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men give a test of their strength before us. And Joab said, Let them do so.

Abner said to Joab, "Let the young men come forward and have a contest before us." Joab said, "Let them come forward."

Then Abner said to Joab, "Let the young men now arise and compete before us." And Joab said, "Let them arise."

Abner said to Joab, “Let the soldiers get up and fight ¹  before us.” Joab said, “So be it!” ² 

¹ tn Heb “play.” What is in view here is a gladiatorial contest in which representative groups of soldiers engage in mortal combat before the watching armies. Cf. NAB “perform for us”; NASB “hold (have NRSV) a contest before us”; NLT “put on an exhibition of hand-to-hand combat.”

² tn Heb “let them arise.”