2 Samuel 2:18

WEB

The three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild gazelle.

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.

Commentary

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, Sa1 26:6 ; 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, Ch1 11:26 ; was a very great qualification for a warrior (e). So Achilles, in Homer (f), 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 (g) 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 Sol 2:7 ; one sort of which, called "kemas", is said to run as swift as a tempest (h). (e) Cornel. Nepos, Epaminond. l. 2. (f) , Iliad. 1. lin. 15. (g) Rapin's History of England, vol. 1. p. 128. (h) Aelian. Hist. de Animal, l. 14. c. 14.