2 Samuel 2:23 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him in the stomach with the butt of his spear, so that the spear came out at his back. And he fell there and died where he was. And all who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, stood still.

NIV: But Asahel refused to give up the pursuit; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into Asahel’s stomach, and the spear came out through his back. He fell there and died on the spot. And every man stopped when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.

NASB: However, he refused to turn aside; so Abner struck him in the belly with the butt end of the spear, so that the spear came out at his back. And he fell there and died on the spot. And it happened that all who came thereafter to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, stood still.

CSB: But Asahel refused to turn away, so Abner hit him in the stomach with the butt of his spear. The spear went through his body, and he fell and died right there. As they all came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, they stopped,

NLT: But Asahel refused to turn back, so Abner thrust the butt end of his spear through Asahel’s stomach, and the spear came out through his back. He stumbled to the ground and died there. And everyone who came by that spot stopped and stood still when they saw Asahel lying there.

KJV: Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.

NKJV: However, he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him in the stomach with the blunt end of the spear, so that the spear came out of his back; and he fell down there and died on the spot. So it was that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died, stood still.

This extended scene comes to a dramatic conclusion. Abner, the commander of Ish-bosheth's forces, ran for his life after his men were badly defeated by Joab's fighters. Joab's brother, however, sees Abner go and takes off after him (2 Samuel 2:17–19). As Asahel closes the distance between them, Abner eventually recognizes the younger man, whom he knows, and begins to shout back warnings to Asahel to stop chasing him. Asahel will not relent (2 Samuel 2:20–22).

Finally, Asahel is so close that he can almost reach out and grab Abner. Abner seems to stop suddenly and drive the spear he's still carrying backwards without turning it around to give Asahel time to react. The butts of spears during this era often had metal end caps that were sharpened to an edge (2 Samuel 26:7). Abner's sudden motion drives the spear all the way through Asahel's body and out the other side, killing the younger man.

Abner keeps running, but all who come after him stop when they reach Asahel's body, perhaps in disbelief that he is dead. Not only was Asahel Joab's brother and famous for his speed, but he was also named as one of David's mightiest men for his heroic deeds in battle (2 Samuel 23:24; 1 Chronicles 11:26).

Second Samuel 2:18–23 describes how Abner kills Asahel. The men of Judah have made David king of their tribe; Abner, Saul's general, has made Ish-bosheth king of the rest of Israel (2 Samuel 2:1–4, 8–11). The civil war begins with twelve duels (2 Samuel 2:12–17) and devolves into open warfare. Abner is losing and flees. Asahel, the brother of David's commander Joab, gives chase. Abner reluctantly kills Asahel. Abner convinces Joab to call off the fight (2 Samuel 2:24–28), for now. Within two years, Abner will betray Ish-bosheth and give David Israel, and Joab will avenge his Asahel (2 Samuel 3).

David returns to Israel, where he is anointed king over Judah, and settles in Hebron. Abner declares Saul's son Ish-bosheth king over Israel. David blesses the men of Jabesh-gilead for burying Saul's remains. Abner, leading Ish-bosheth's men, faces off against Joab, leading David's fighters, at Gibeon. In a fierce, one-sided battle, Abner kills Joab's brother, but David's men overwhelm Abner's Benjaminite fighters, losing twenty but killing 360. Abner and the survivors prepare for a last stand on the hill of Ammah, but Joab calls off the battle when Abner pleads with him to stop. Both sides return home.

Saul and three of his sons are dead (1 Samuel 31:1–4). David becomes king of Judah, and Saul's son Ish-bosheth is king of the remaining tribes. When the two sides meet in battle, Ish-bosheth's army fares poorly. David continues to grow stronger over two years of fighting. Ish-bosheth's general Abner appears to make a futile attempt to take the crown from his king, then starts the work to peacefully hand David the crown of Israel (2 Samuel 3:1–12).