2 Samuel 2:30
ESV
Joab returned from the pursuit of Abner. And when he had gathered all the people together, there were missing from David 's servants nineteen men besides Asahel.
NIV
Then Joab stopped pursuing Abner and assembled the whole army. Besides Asahel, nineteen of David’s men were found missing.
NASB
Then Joab returned from pursuing Abner; but he gathered all the people together, and nineteen of David’s servants were missing, besides Asahel.
CSB
When Joab had turned back from pursuing Abner, he gathered all the troops. In addition to Asahel, nineteen of David’s soldiers were missing,
NLT
Meanwhile, Joab and his men also returned home. When Joab counted his casualties, he discovered that only 19 men were missing in addition to Asahel.
KJV
And Joab returned from following Abner: and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David's servants nineteen men and Asahel.
NKJV
So Joab returned from pursuing Abner. And when he had gathered all the people together, there were missing of David’s servants nineteen men and Asahel.
What does 2 Samuel 2:30 mean?
After Saul's death, David made a careful foray into Judah. There, the elders made him king (2 Samuel 2:1–4). He settled in Hebron where he built up his army and his family (2 Samuel 3:2–5). Five years later, Saul's general Abner made Saul's son Ish-bosheth king over the rest of the tribes. David now has a rival, but it isn't Ish-bosheth: it's Abner. For some unexplained reason, He and David's general Joab fall into a battle. During the fighting, Abner reluctantly kills Joab's brother (2 Samuel 2:12–23).But Abner's army is weary. They gather for one last stand on the top of a hill and wait for Joab. When he's within shouting distance, Abner asks for peace. It would be bitter, he says, for brother Israelites to continue fighting each other (2 Samuel 2:24–26).
Joab agrees. Despite a desire to avenge his brother's death, he must first bury Asahel him and the other nineteen soldiers he's lost. Both sides walk all night to go home, Joab taking a detour to bury Asahel (2 Samuel 2:27–32).
Abner is also Saul's cousin (1 Samuel 14:50). Joab, Asahel, and Abishai are David's nephews (2 Samuel 2:18). Joab is David's military commander. Abishai was the "chief of the three": David's three greatest warriors (2 Samuel 23:18). Asahel is one of the mighty men of David or "the Thirty" (2 Samuel 23:34). These are skilled, hardened soldiers. The war ahead will be fierce.
