2 Samuel 2:18

2 Samuel 2:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.
• New International Version (NIV)The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai and Asahel. Now Asahel was as fleet-footed as a wild gazelle.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was as swift of foot as a wild gazelle.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now the three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab and Abishai and Asahel. And Asahel was as fleet of foot as a wild gazelle.

Context of 2 Samuel 2:18

16Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his opponent’s side, and they all fell together. So this place, which is in Gibeon, is called Helkath-hazzurim. 17The battle that day was intense, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the servants of David. The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was fleet of foot like a wild gazelle, 19and he chased Abner, not turning to the right or to the left in his pursuit. 20And Abner glanced back and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” “It is,” Asahel replied.

2 Samuel 2:18 word by word

וַיִּֽהְיוּ־שָׁ֗ם שְׁלֹשָׁה֙ בְּנֵ֣י צְרוּיָ֔ה יוֹאָ֥ב וַאֲבִישַׁ֖י וַעֲשָׂהאֵ֑ל וַעֲשָׂהאֵל֙ קַ֣ל בְּרַגְלָ֔יו כְּאַחַ֥ד הַצְּבָיִ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּשָּׂדֶֽה׃Read the interlinear

• The threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
• sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of Zeruiahצְרוּיָהtserûyâh · ZeruiahH6870
• wereהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• thereשָׁםshâm · thereH8033
• Joabיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
• Abishaiאֲבִישַׁי'ăbîyshay 'abshay · AbishaiH52
• and Asahelעֲשָׂהאֵל‛ăώâh'êl · AsahelH6214
• fleetקַלqal · swiftH7031
• of footרֶ֫גֶלregel · footH7272
• like aאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• wildשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: wildlifeH7704
• gazelleצְבִיtsebîy · gazelleH6643
• ·אֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 2:18

• 1 Chronicles 2:15Ozem sixth, and David seventh.
• 1 Chronicles 11:26Now these were the mighty men: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem,
• 2 Samuel 1:23Saul and Jonathan, beloved and delightful in life, were not divided in death. They were swifter than eagles; they were stronger than lions.
• 1 Chronicles 12:8Some Gadites defected to David at his stronghold in the wilderness. They were mighty men of valor, trained for battle, experts with the shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions and who were as swift as gazelles on the mountains:
• Psalms 147:10He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.
• Ecclesiastes 9:11I saw something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; neither is the bread to the wise, nor the wealth to the intelligent, nor the favor to the skillful. For time and chance happen to all.
• Amos 2:14Escape will fail the swift, the strong will not prevail by his strength, and the mighty will not save his life.
• Psalms 18:33He makes my feet like those of a deer and stations me upon the heights.
• Habakkuk 3:19GOD the Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like those of a deer; He makes me walk upon the heights! For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments.
• 2 Samuel 15:22“March on then,” said David to Ittai. So Ittai the Gittite marched past with all his men and all the little ones who were with him.

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 2:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Asahel 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.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-24Verses 18-24 Death often comes by ways we least suspect. We are often betrayed by the accomplishments we are proud of! Asahel's swiftness, which he presumed so much upon, did him no service, but hastened his end.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18Zeruiah was David’s sister (1 Chronicles 2:15–16). So, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel were his nephews.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 2:18

• Abner
• Asahel
• David
• Deer
• Homicide
• Israel
• Joab
• War
• Zeruiah

In the dictionaries

• Joab
• Abishai
• Abner
• Asahel
• Cord
• Follow
• Ishbosheth
• Requite
• Roe
• Deer

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings