2 Samuel 2:21

Contextual Overview

¹⁸The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was a fast runner, like one of the wild gazelles. ¹⁸ The three sons of Tzeru'yah were there, Yo'av, and Avishai, and `Asa'el: and `Asa'el was as light of foot as a wild roe. 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 The three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab and Abishai and Asahel. Now Asahel was swift with his feet as one of the gazelles which is in the open field. ¹⁸ And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was as swift of foot as a wild gazelle. ¹⁸ Zeruiah's three sons, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel, were there. Now Asahel was a fast runner, as fast as a deer in the field. ¹⁸ The three sons of Zeruiah were there—Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. (Now Asahel was as quick on his feet as one of the gazelles in the field.) ¹⁸Three sons of Zeruiah [the half sister of David] were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was as light and swift-footed as one of the [wild] gazelles in the field. ¹⁸ Now the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel; and Asahel was as swift-footed as one of the gazelles that is in the field. ¹⁸ And there were three sonnes of Zeruiah there, Ioab, and Abishai, and Asahel. And Asahel was as light on foote as a wilde roe.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

and take thee: It seems that Asahel wished to get the armour of Abner as a trophy.

armour: or, spoil, Judges 14:19

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 2:19 - turned

Cross-References

Genesis 15:12
When the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Avram. Now terror and great darkness fell on him.

Genesis 15:12
And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.

Genesis 15:12
And it happened, as the sun went down, then a deep sleep fell upon Abram and, behold, a great terrifying darkness fell upon him.

Genesis 15:12
As the sun was going down, Abram fell into a deep sleep. While he was asleep, a very terrible darkness came.

Genesis 15:12
When the sun went down, Abram fell sound asleep, and great terror overwhelmed him.

Genesis 15:12
When the sun was setting, a deep sleep overcame Abram; and a horror (terror, shuddering fear, nightmare) of great darkness overcame him.

Genesis 15:12
Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, terror and great darkness fell upon him.

Genesis 15:12
And when the sunne went downe, there fell an heauie sleepe vpon Abram: and loe, a very fearefull darkenes fell vpon him.

Genesis 15:12
Now it happened that when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, terror and great darkness fell upon him.

Genesis 15:12
As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and everything became dark and frightening.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Abner said unto him,.... Having a respect for him, and consulting his good, and however fearing his brother Joab should he slay him:

turn thee aside to thy right or to thy left; he does not advise him to go back, which would have been to his disgrace, having engaged in the pursuit, but to turn to the right or left, as if pursuing some other person and not Abner:

and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his armour; one of the common soldiers, or an attendant on Abner, a young man like himself, whom he might be able to cope with, and take him a prisoner and disarm him, when he was not a match for such an old experienced officer as he was; and this Abner seems to speak as a friend, consulting the young man's safety and his honour too.

But, Asahel would not turn aside from following him; fired with the ambition of taking him, and not content with any prey short of him; and perhaps was the more animated by what he said, as supposing it arose from fear of him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

His armour - Rather, as in the margin; i. e. content thyself with the spoil of some inferior soldier for a trophy.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 2:21. Take thee his armour. — It seems Asahel wished to get the armour of Abner as a trophy; this also was greatly coveted by ancient heroes. Abner wished to spare him, for fear of exciting Joab's enmity; but as Asahel was obstinate in the pursuit, and was swifter of foot than Abner, the latter saw that he must either kill or be killed, and therefore he turned his spear and ran it through the body of Asahel. This turning about that he might pierce him is what we translate "the hinder end of his spear." This slaying of Asahel cost Abner his life, as we shall find in the next chapter.