New King James Version
2 Samuel 2:18
18Now the three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab and Abishai and Asahel. And Asahel was as fleet of foot as a wild gazelle.
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 Living Translation (NLT)Joab, Abishai, and Asahel—the three sons of Zeruiah—were among David’s forces that day. Asahel could run like a gazelle,
Context of 2 Samuel 2:18
16And each one grasped his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponent’s side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called the Field of Sharp Swords, which is in Gibeon. 17So there was a very fierce battle that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David. Now the three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab and Abishai and Asahel. And Asahel was as fleet of foot as a wild gazelle. 19So Asahel pursued Abner, and in going he did not turn to the right hand or to the left from following Abner. 20Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Are you Asahel?” He answered, “I am.”
Read all of 2 Samuel 22 Samuel 2:18 word by word
וַיִּֽהְיוּ־שָׁ֗ם שְׁלֹשָׁה֙ בְּנֵ֣י צְרוּיָ֔ה יוֹאָ֥ב וַאֲבִישַׁ֖י וַעֲשָׂהאֵ֑ל וַעֲשָׂהאֵל֙ קַ֣ל בְּרַגְלָ֔יו כְּאַחַ֥ד הַצְּבָיִ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּשָּׂדֶֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And there were threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
- sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of Zeruiahצְרוּיָהtserûyâh · ZeruiahH6870
- there, Joabיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
- and Abishaiאֲבִישַׁי'ăbîyshay 'abshay · AbishaiH52
- and Asahelעֲשָׂהאֵל‛ăώâh'êl · AsahelH6214
- lightקַלqal · swiftH7031
- of footרֶ֫גֶלregel · footH7272
- as aאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- wildשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: wildlifeH7704
- roeצְבִיtsebîy · gazelleH6643
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 2:18
- 1 Chronicles 2:15Ozem the sixth, and David the seventh.
- 1 Chronicles 11:26Also the mighty warriors were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,
- 2 Samuel 1:23“Saul and Jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives, And in their death they were not divided; They were swifter than eagles, They were stronger than lions.
- 1 Chronicles 12:8Some Gadites joined David at the stronghold in the wilderness, mighty men of valor, men trained for battle, who could handle shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and 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 returned and saw under the sun that— The race is not to the swift, Nor the battle to the strong, Nor bread to the wise, Nor riches to men of understanding, Nor favor to men of skill; But time and chance happen to them all.
- Amos 2:14Therefore flight shall perish from the swift, The strong shall not strengthen his power, Nor shall the mighty deliver himself;
- Psalms 18:33He makes my feet like the feet of deer, And sets me on my high places.
- Habakkuk 3:19The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills. To the Chief Musician. With my stringed instruments.
- 2 Samuel 15:22So David said to Ittai, “Go, and cross over.” Then Ittai the Gittite and all his men and all the little ones who were with him crossed over.
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
In the dictionaries
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries