And Joab sounded the trumpet, and kept back the people from pursuing after Israel in their flight, being willing to spare the multitude.

And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab kept back the people.

And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel: for Joab restrained the people.

And Joab bloweth with a trumpet, and the people turneth back from pursuing after Israel, for Joab hath kept back the people;

And Joab had the horn sounded, and the people came back from going after Israel, for Joab kept them back.

And Joab blew the horn, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab held back the people.

Then Joab sounded the trumpet, and he held back the people, lest they pursue Israel in their flight, for he was willing to spare the multitude.

Blew the trumpet - To stop the pursuit and slaughter 2-Samuel 2:28; 2-Samuel 20:22.

Joab blew the trumpet - He knew that the rebellion was now extinguished by the death of Absalom; and was not willing that any farther slaughter should be made of the deluded people.

And Joab (d) blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people.
(d) For he had pity on the people, who were seduced by Absalom's flattery.

And Joab blew the trumpet,.... As the sign of a retreat:
and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; upon the sound of the trumpet, the meaning of which they understood:
for Joab held back the people: from shedding any more blood; the head of the conspiracy being removed, the thing would be crushed at once; and Joab neither chose to slay any more, nor take any prisoners, to be tried as traitors, being unawares, without thought, drawn into this rebellion.

Joab blew the trumpet, . . . and held back the people--Knowing that by the death of the usurper there was no occasion for further bloodshed, he put an end to the pursuit and thereby evinced the temperate policy of his conduct. However harsh and unfeeling to the king Joab may appear, there can be no doubt that he acted the part of a wise statesman in regarding the peace and welfare of the kingdom more than his master's private inclinations, which were opposed to strict justice as well as his own interests. Absalom deserved to die by the divine law (Deuteronomy 21:18, Deuteronomy 21:21), as well as being an enemy to his king and country; and no time was more fitting than when he met that death in open battle.

Immediately afterwards Joab stopped any further pursuit, "for Joab spared the people," i.e., he wanted to spare them.