Yhdistynyt kuningaskuntaWarriorOne of David's thirty mighty menCommander of the fourth monthly divisionc. 1040–1007 BC
Asahel was the son of Zeruiah and brother to Joab and Abishai, and thus nephew of King David. He distinguished himself through his extraordinary speed, which was compared to a gazelle on the plain, and was counted among David's thirty mighty men. In addition, he served as commander of the fourth monthly division. After the battle at Gibeon, he pursued Abner, Saul's army commander, but was killed when Abner struck him with the back end of his spear. Asahel's death triggered a bloody feud between Joab and Abner that would characterize David's early kingdom. The episode illustrates the tension between personal honor and clan-based blood vengeance on one side, and the need for political stability in the young Israelite kingdom on the other.
21Abner said to him, "Turn aside to your right or your left; take on one of the young men and strip him of his gear." But Asahel would not stop chasing him.
Despite Abner's repeated warnings to give up the pursuit, Asahel continued. Abner struck him with the back end of his spear so that it went through his body, and Asahel died on the spot.
23But he refused to turn aside, so Abner struck him in the stomach with the butt of his spear, and the spear came out through his back. He fell there and died on the spot. And everyone who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died stopped there.
32They carried Asahel away and buried him in his father's tomb at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night, and daybreak found them at Hebron.
Asahel's death was later avenged when his brother Joab tricked Abner aside at the gate of Hebron and killed him. This created major political problems for King David, who publicly condemned the murder.
27When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the gateway as though to speak with him privately, and there he struck him in the stomach, and he died—in revenge for the blood of Joab's brother Asahel.