John Gill's Exposition on 2 Samuel 2:18

A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.

Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.

And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, etc.] 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, (<092606>1 Samuel 26:6,7); 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, (<131126>1 Chronicles 11:26); was a very great qualification for a warrior f29. So Achilles, in Homer f30, 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 f31 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 <220207>Song of Solomon 2:7,17 8:14); one sort of which, called “kemas”, is said to run as swift as a tempest f32.

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