2 Samuel 2:18

18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai and Asahel. Now Asahel was as fleet-footed as a wild gazelle.

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2 Samuel 2:18 in Other Translations

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.

ESV

18 And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was as swift of foot as a wild gazelle.

NLT

18 Joab, Abishai, and Asahel—the three sons of Zeruiah—were among David’s forces that day. Asahel could run like a gazelle,

MSG

18 The three sons of Zeruiah were present: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel, as fast as a wild antelope

CSB

18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was a fast runner, like one of the wild gazelles.

2 Samuel 2:18 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 2:18

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, ( 1 Samuel 26:6 1 Samuel 26:7 ) ; 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, ( 1 Chronicles 11:26 ) ; was a very great qualification for a warrior ^F5. So Achilles, in Homer ^F6, 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

FOOTNOTES:

F7 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 ( Song of Solomon 2:7 Song of Solomon 2:17 ) ( 8:14 ) ; one sort of which, called "kemas", is said to run as swift as a tempest {h}.

F5 Cornel. Nepos, Epaminond. l. 2.
F6 (podav wkuv) , Iliad. 1. lin. 15.
F7 Rapin's History of England, vol. 1. p. 128.
F8 Aelian. Hist. de Animal, l. 14. c. 14.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

2 Samuel 2:18 In-Context

16 Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his dagger into his opponent’s side, and they fell down together. So that place in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim.

17 The battle that day was very fierce, and Abner and the Israelites were defeated by David’s men.

18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai and Asahel. Now Asahel was as fleet-footed as a wild gazelle.

19 He chased Abner, turning neither to the right nor to the left as he pursued him.

20 Abner looked behind him and asked, “Is that you, Asahel?” “It is,” he answered.

Cross References 5

1. 2 Samuel 3:39; 2 Samuel 16:10; 2 Samuel 19:22
2. 2 Samuel 3:30; 2 Samuel 10:7; 2 Samuel 11:1; 2 Samuel 14:1; 2 Samuel 18:14; 2 Samuel 20:8; 2 Samuel 24:3; 1 Kings 1:7; 1 Kings 2:5,34
3. S 1 Samuel 26:6
4. 2 Samuel 23:24; 1 Chronicles 2:16; 1 Chronicles 11:26; 1 Chronicles 27:7
5. 1 Chronicles 12:8; Proverbs 6:5; Song of Songs 2:9

2 Samuel 2:18

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2 Samuel 2:18 in Other Translations

2 Samuel 2:18 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 2:18 In-Context

Cross References 5