וַיִּתְקַ֤ע יוֹאָב֙ בַּשֹּׁפָ֔ר וַיָּ֣שָׁב הָעָ֔ם מִרְדֹ֖ף אַחֲרֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־חָשַׂ֥ךְ יוֹאָ֖ב אֶת־הָעָֽם׃
And Joab blew the horn, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab held back the people.
Read midrashic interpretation of II Samuel 18:16: and classical rabbinic exegesis.