Asahel

He said, it will not be well with you, Joab.

And then he killed Amasa, the one who killed his brother Asahel.

It was already in time of peace.

But he took the man aside, killed him.

He was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three, and David set him over his bodyguard.

Asahel, the brother of Joab, was one of the thirty.

Elhanan, the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, Shammah of Herod, Elika of Herod, Helez the Paltite, Era the son of Ikesh of Tekoa, Abiezor of Anathoth, Mibunai the Hushethite, Zalmon the Ahohite, Mahari of Netepha, Helob the son of Bena of Netepha, Itai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the people of Benjamin, Benea of Perithon, Hidai of the brooks of Gash, Abielbon, the Arbethite, Asmapheth, of Bahurim, Eliabah, the Shalbanite, the sons of Jason, Jonathan, Shammah, the Hararite, Ahayim, the son of Sherar, the Hararite, Eliphelet, the son of Ahashbi, of Maka.

Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilanite, Hezro of Carmel, Parai the Arbite, Egal the son of Nathan of Zoba, Bani the Gadite, Zelek the Ammonite, Nahari of Beroth, the armor-bearer of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, Era the Ithrite, Gereb the Ithrite, Uriah the Hittite, 37 in all.

All right, verse number 22, and behold...

the servants of david and joab came from pursuing a troop and brought in a great spoil with them but abner was not with david in hebron for he had sent him away and he was gone in peace when joab and all the hosts that was with him were come they told joab saying abner the son of nur came to the king and he had sent him away and he is gone in peace now wait a minute joab and abner did not like each other abner killed joab's younger brother remember that azl at the battle of gibeon it was joab and abner so joab never forgave abner for doing that so now joab comes back and he hears that abner has been there All right.

And verse 24 says, So Joab does not trust Abner at all.

And he's really got cause to not trust him.

He's sending out messengers as though this is official communication from David, asking Abner to return.

And it says, when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly.

and smote him there under the fifth rib that he died, for the blood of Aziel his brother.

So Joab kills Abner to revenge or avenge the death of his brother Aziel.

When Joab came out from David's presence, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern of Sirah.

But David did not know about it, and when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him privately, and there he struck him in the stomach so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother.

Afterward, when David heard of it, he said, I and my kingdom are forever guiltless before the Lord for the blood of Abner the son of Ner.

May it fall upon the head of Joab, and upon all his father's house, and may the house of Joab never be without one who has a discharge, or who is leprous, or who holds a spindle, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.

So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon.

Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and mourn before Abner.

And King David followed the beer.

And Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.

And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel.

Now Asahel was as swift a foot as a wild gazelle.

And Asahel pursued Abner, and as he went he turned neither to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.

Then Abner looked behind him and said, Is it you, Asahel? And he answered, It is I.

Abner said to him, Turn aside to your right hand or to your left and seize one of the young men and take his spoil.

But Asahel would not turn aside from following him.

And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn aside from following me.

In verse number 18, the Bible takes us here to this struggle that is sort of being fought within the greater context of the battle.

And it tells us that there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab and Abishai and Azahel.

And Azahel was as light afoot as a wild roe.

So these are David's sons.

nephews that are involved in the battle.

Joab is the commander and then his younger brothers are in the battle as well.

The Bible mentions that his youngest nephew, Azahel, was fleet of foot.

He is fast.