שמואל ב, פרק ב׳, פסוק ט״ז

A physical struggle rapidly spirals into a violent, head-on clash that ends not in victory for either side, but in absolute mutual destruction. The combat does not begin as a deadly sword fight. At first, the men engage in hand-to-hand combat, forcefully grabbing their opponents by the head like wrestlers [מלבי״ם, מצודת ציון]. Although they are locked in close physical proximity, they are not companions, but rather bitter rivals standing face-to-face [מצודת דוד].

Fueled by intense hostility, the confrontation quickly escalates. The men draw their weapons, and each fighter deliberately thrusts his sword into his opponent's side with lethal intent [מלבי״ם, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Because of these simultaneous, fatal strikes, the warriors all collapse at the exact same time. The primary approach among commentators agrees that the men kill one another and fall dead together, with no single fighter managing to overpower or outlast his rival.

In the aftermath of this grim event, the site receives a specific name to commemorate the tragedy. The first half of the title simply describes the flat plain or field where the combat occurs [מצודת ציון]. The remainder of the name, however, carries deeper significance and is understood in several ways. The primary approach among commentators connects the title to the sharpening of blades, identifying the area as the field of sharp swords or the estate of the slain. A different perspective suggests the name stems from a word for strength, calling it the field of the strong in honor of the fierce warriors who fight bravely to the death without ever surrendering [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Finally, another explanation looks to the physical landscape itself, suggesting the site is named for the jagged, sharp rocks scattered across the terrain [ביאור שטיינזלץ].