Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 2:18

And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel [was as] light of foot as a wild roe.

18 23. The Death of Asahel

18. three sons of Zeruiah ] The standing designation of David’s nephews, to shew their relationship to him (1Ch 2:16).

as a wild roe ] The wild roe or gazelle, which still abounds in Palestine, is celebrated for its swiftness, grace, beauty, and gentleness. Cp. 1Ch 12:8; Pro 6:5. See Tristram’s Nat. Hist. of the Bible, p. 127.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Verse 18. Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe] To be swift of foot was deemed a great accomplishment in the heroes of antiquity; , the swift-footed Achilles, is an epithet which Homer gives to that hero no less than thirty times in the course of the Ilias. It has a qualification also among the Roman soldiers; they were taught both to run swiftly, and to swim well.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

And there were three sons of Zeruiah there,…. In the battle,

Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel; Joab was the general of the array, Abishai was he who went into Saul’s host at night, and took away his spear and cruse of water at his head, 1Sa 26:6; and it is for the sake of the third, Asahel, that the account is given, the story of his death being about to be told.

And Asahel [was as] light of foot as a wild roe: swiftness of foot, as well as courage, for which this man was famous, 1Ch 11:26; was a very great qualification for a warrior e. So Achilles, in Homer f, is often said to be swift of foot, and others of his heroes are commended for their swiftness. Harold son of King Canutus, was from his swiftness g called Harefoot; as here this man for the same reason is compared to a wild roe, which is a very swift creature, or to one of the roes that were in the field as in the original text. See So 2:7; one sort of which, called “kemas”, is said to run as swift as a tempest h.

e Cornel. Nepos, Epaminond. l. 2. f , Iliad. 1. lin. 15. g Rapin’s History of England, vol. 1. p. 128. h Aelian. Hist. de Animal, l. 14. c. 14.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

      18 And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.   19 And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.   20 Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he answered, I am.   21 And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him.   22 And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?   23 Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.   24 Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.

      We have here the contest between Abner and Asahel. Asahel, the brother of Joab and cousin-german to David, was one of the principal commanders of David’s forces, and was famous for swiftness in running: he was as light of foot as a wild roe (v. 18); this he got the name of by swift pursuing, not swift flying. Yet, we may suppose, he was not comparable to Abner as a skilful experienced soldier; we must therefore observe,

      I. How rash he was in aiming to make Abner his prisoner. He pursued after him, and no other, v. 19. Proud of his relation to David and Joab, his own swiftness, and the success of his party, no less a trophy of victory would now serve the young warrior than Abner himself, either slain or bound, which he thought would put an end to the war and effectually open David’s way to the throne. This made him very eager in the pursuit, and careless of the opportunities he had of seizing others in his way, on his right hand and on his left; his eye was on Abner only. The design was brave, had he been par negotio–equal to its accomplishment: but let not the swift man glory in his swiftness, any more than the strong man in his strength; magnis excidit ausis–he perished in an attempt too vast for him.

      II. How generous Abner was in giving him notice of the danger he exposed himself to, and advising him not to meddle to his own hurt, 2 Chron. xxv. 19. 1. He bade him content himself with a less prey (v. 21): “Lay hold of one of the young men, plunder him and make him thy prisoner, meddle with thy match, but pretend not to one who is so much superior to thee.” It is wisdom in all contests to compare our own strength with that of our adversaries, and to take heed of being partial to ourselves in making the comparison, lest we prove in the issue enemies to ourselves, Luke xiv. 31. 2. He begged of him not to put him upon the necessity of slaying him in his own defence, which he was very loth to do, but must do rather than be slain by him, v. 22. Abner, it seems, either loved Joab or feared him; for he was very loth to incur his displeasure, which he would certainly do if he slew Asahel. It is commendable for enemies to be thus respectful one to another. Abner’s care how he should lift up his face to Joab gives cause to suspect that he really believed David would have the kingdom at last, according to the divine designation, and then, in opposing him, he acted against his conscience.

      III. How fatal Asahel’s rashness was to him. He refused to turn aside, thinking that Abner spoke so courteously because he feared him; but what came of it? Abner, as soon as he came up to him, gave him his death’s wound with a back stroke (v. 23): He smote him with the hinder end of his spear, from which he feared no danger. This was a pass which Asahel was not acquainted with, nor had learned to stand upon his guard against; but Abner, perhaps, had formerly used it, and done execution with it; and here it did effectual execution. Asahel died immediately of the wound. See here, 1. How death often comes upon us by ways that we least suspect. Who would fear the hand of a flying enemy or the butt-end of a spear? yet from these Asahel receives his death’s wound. 2. How we are often betrayed by the accomplishments we are proud of. Asahel’s swiftness, which he presumed so much upon, did him no kindness, but forwarded his fate, and with it he ran upon his death, instead of running from it. Asahel’s fall was not only Abner’s security from him, but put a full stop to the conqueror’s pursuit and gave Abner time to rally again; for all that came to the place stood still, only Joab and Abishai, instead of being disheartened, were exasperated by it, pursued Abner with so much the more fury (v. 24), and overtook him at last about sunset, when the approaching night would oblige them to retire.

Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary

Abner Routed; Asahel Slain, vs. 18-32

Now there occurs a very significant event which affected the reign of David throughout its existence. Three sons of David’s sister, Zeruiah had risen to prominence among his men. Joab, the oldest, is here noted for the first time, but will be the most prominent later as the captain of the host. Abishai, the second, has already been found a valiant and courageous servant of his uncle, David (see 1Sa 26:6 ff). The youngest was Asahel, whose death at the hands of Abner on this occasion, had lasting results which led to the execution of Joab (1Ki 2:28-34). He was among the mighty men of David (2Sa 23:24; 1Ch 11:26).

The forces of Abner and Israel were scattered following their defeat by the men of Joab and David, many of them fleeing from the battle. Among these was Abner the captain. Asahel is said to have been “as light of foot as a wild roe,” and he went in pursuit of Abner to kill him. As he was overtaking Abner that one inquired whether he was Asahel. When Asahel replied affirmatively Abner advised him to turn aside to combat one of the younger soldiers and take his armor. But Asahel persisted in following Abner.

When Asahel was just about to overtake Abner the captain again advised him to turn aside from following him lest Abner should kill him and be answerable to Joab as a consequence. Asahel refused, so Abner stopped and rammed the butt of his spear into the side of Asahel, under the fifth rib. It was a lethal blow, aimed at the heart and delivered with such strength, coupled with the force of Asahel’s running, that the spear went all the way through Asahel’s body.

When the soldiers of David reached the spot where Asahel died they halted. Joab and Abishai, however, continued pursuit of Abner, but were unable to take him. In fact Abner rallied his men on the hill of Ammah, near Giah, in the wilderness of Gibeon. The sun was setting by this time, and Abner accosted Joab as to why he continued the pursuit knowing that it would only result in bitterness in the end. How long would it be, he asked, before Joab called off this civil war between brethren?

The questions and the answer of Joab are somewhat enigmatical. It appears that Abner is chiding Joab for fighting against Israel, perhaps desiring that they be allowed to maintain their rival kingdom in peace. Joab’s reply may be in sarcasm; that if Abner had not spoken the people of Judah would have given up the war the next day. It is unclear what Joab or Abner meant. Perhaps Joab meant that if Abner had not spoken by his spear in slaying Asahel his brother things might have been worked out amicably.

Nevertheless Joab blew the trumpet to gather his troops and stop the battle. Abner and his men walked all night and crossed the Jordan through the Bithron, or rift valley of the river, and came to their seat of government at Mahanaim. Joab and his men had lost nineteen in the battle, and Asahel. The special notice of Asahel shows his prominence in the army of David. Abner had lost three hundred and sixty men in the fray.

The body of Asahel was taken up and carried to Bethlehem where he was buried in the tomb of his father. This reference indicates that his father, who is not named in the Scriptures, was already dead before the prominence of David. Joab and his army returned to their home base at Hebron.

Lessons from chapter two: 1) Favors bestowed will reap benefits for a future time of need; 2) a conciliatory attitude is good toward those who have been former enemies if in the will of the Lord; 3) continued efforts to frustrate the Lord’s will never accomplish their intended purpose; 4) unwise zeal in a purpose may end in destruction of the one promoting it; 5) continued strife always leads to more and greater sorrow when conciliation is in order.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

18. Three sons of Zeruiah Zeruiah was their mother, and a sister of David. “Their father is unknown, but seems to have resided at Beth-lehem, and to have died before his sons, as we find mention of his sepulchre at that place. 2Sa 2:32. They all exhibit the activity and courage of David’s constitutional character. But they never rise beyond this to the nobler qualities which lift him above the wild soldiers and chieftains of the time. Asahel, who was cut off in his youth, and seems to have been the darling of the family, is only known to us from his gazelle-like agility. Abishai and Joab are alike in their implacable revenge. Joab, however, combines with these ruder qualities something of a more statesmanlike character, which brings him more nearly to a level with his youthful uncle, and unquestionably gives him the second place in the whole history of David’s reign.” Stanley.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments