What was the purpose of the game of death between 12 of Abner's and Joab's men?

[tonychanyt]

After Saul's death, David was anointed King of Judah, and Ish-bosheth was made King of Israel in 2 Sam 2:

12 Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. And they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool.

The two armies facing each other and was ready to fight. Abner challenged Joab,

14b “Let the young men arise and compete before us.”

It was a simple, quick competition to the death, 12 against 12. Abner had his 12 young men picked out. If Joab could not follow suit, it would indicate that Abner's men were more willing to die than Joab's men. Then perhaps, Joab should call off the battle and withdraw his army.

And Joab said, “Let them arise.”

Joab didn't have trouble find 12 young men to participate in this game of death.

15 Then they arose and passed over by number, twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. 16 And each caught his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponent’s side, so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim,a which is at Gibeon.

Pulpit explained:

Verse 16. - His sword in his fellow's side. The absence of the verb in the original sets powerfully before us the rapidity of the whole action. But what an action! Twenty-four experienced men each take the other by the head, and, without any attempt at self-defence, thrust their swords into their opponents' side, and leave their own sides exposed to a similar thrust. Were they, then, unskilful in the use of weapons? Impossible. Were they blinded by hatred of one another? But no rancour would make a man forget his skill in defence. Here there is no variety, no checkered fortune of the combatants, but all twenty-four do and suffer just the same; and it is remarkable that they had swords only, and no shields. With shields on their arms, they could not have seized one another by the hair. It seems certain, therefore, that this mutual butchery was the "play;" nor can we conceive of a more murderous and savage proceeding. Abner, at the head of his fierce Benjamites, thought, perhaps, that Joab had no men among his followers willing to throw life away in so senseless a manner. But Joab was as ready as Abner, and possibly some code of false honour, such as used to make men practise duelling, required the acceptance of the challenge. And so, with their appetite for blood whetted by the sight of twenty-four murders, they hastened to begin the fight.

What was the purpose of the game of death?

It was the 'foreplay' to determine which side held the bravery advantage without committing their entire forces to battle. It did not work the way Abner wanted. Then, the big battle followed:

17 And the battle was very fierce that day. And Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.