Original Word: עֲשָׂהאֵל
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: `Asah'el
Pronunciation: ah-sah-HEL
Phonetic Spelling: (as-aw-ale')
KJV: Asahel
NASB: Asahel
Word Origin: [from H6213 (עָשָׂה - To do) and H410 (אֵל - God)]

1. God has made
2. Asahel, the name of four Israelites

Asahel

From asah and 'el; God has made; Asahel, the name of four Israelites -- Asahel.

see HEBREW asah

see HEBREW 'el

Word Origin
from asah and el
Definition
"God has made," four Isr.
NASB Translation
Asahel (18).

עֲשָׂהאֵל₁₈ proper name, masculine Ασαηλ, ᵐ5^L Ασσαηλ (on this and following compare אֶלְעָשָׂה); —

1 brother of Joab and Abishai 2 Samuel 2:18 (twice in verse) + 7 t. 2, + 2 Samuel 3:27,30; 2 Samuel 23:24; 1 Chronicles 2:16; 1 Chronicles 11:26; 1 Chronicles 27:7.

2 Levites:

a.2Chronicles 17:8 (Ιασειηλ,Ασιηλ).

b.2Chronicles 31:13.

3 post-exile name Ezra 10:15.

Meaning and Family Lineage

Asahel, son of Zeruiah and nephew of David, belonged to the tribe of Judah through Jesse of Bethlehem (1 Chronicles 2:13–16). His brothers Joab and Abishai rose to become commanders in David’s army; together the three sons of Zeruiah formed the core of David’s early military leadership. The family connection to David helps explain why Asahel is always portrayed at the forefront of the king’s interests and campaigns.

Early Valor and Reputation for Speed

Scripture introduces Asahel as exceptionally swift: “Asahel was as swift-footed as a wild gazelle” (2 Samuel 2:18). His speed was not merely athletic but strategic, enabling him to serve as a runner, scout, and shock-troop fighter—a coveted skill set in the fluid warfare of David’s rise. By the time David’s kingdom was established, Asahel’s name stood among the elite warriors called “the Thirty” (2 Samuel 23:24; 1 Chronicles 11:26).

The Pursuit of Abner

The defining episode of Asahel’s life occurs during the clash between Israelite factions at Gibeon. After initial skirmishes, Abner, commander under Ish-bosheth, retreated northward. “Asahel pursued Abner, turning neither to the right nor to the left” (2 Samuel 2:19). Abner twice urged him to seek another target and spare himself (2 Samuel 2:21–22). Still Asahel pressed on, driven by zeal, ambition, or perhaps the conviction that ending Abner’s leadership would hasten the reunification of Israel under David. Abner “struck him in the stomach with the butt of his spear… Asahel fell there and died” (2 Samuel 2:23). The text records a moment of stunned silence: “All who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, stood still.” Asahel’s single-minded pursuit illustrates both courage and the perils of unbridled resolve.

Burial and Immediate Aftermath

Joab ended the day’s pursuit only after Abner appealed for an end to bloodshed (2 Samuel 2:26–30). Asahel’s body was carried to Bethlehem, where “they buried Asahel in his father’s tomb” (2 Samuel 2:32). His loss was deeply felt: “In addition to Asahel, nineteen of David’s servants were missing” (2 Samuel 2:30). The burial location underscores family honor while foreshadowing David’s own Bethlehemite identity.

Blood Vengeance and Political Consequences

Ancient Israelite custom allowed the “avenger of blood” to seek justice for slain kin. Joab and Abishai eventually murdered Abner in Hebron: “Joab stabbed him in the stomach, so Abner died for the blood of Asahel his brother” (2 Samuel 3:27, 30). David publicly distanced himself from the act (2 Samuel 3:31–39) to maintain political integrity before the northern tribes. Yet the vengeance reveals how Asahel’s death continued shaping inter-tribal relations and Davidic statecraft. The event also highlights the limitations of human justice, driving attention to divine sovereignty overruling human schemes.

Military Appointment under David

Asahel’s prowess secured him command of the standing army’s fourth division: “The fourth, for the fourth month, was Asahel, the brother of Joab, and his son Zebadiah after him; in his division were twenty-four thousand” (1 Chronicles 27:7). Though listed posthumously (the roster reflects David’s full administration), the appointment recognizes Asahel’s pre-decease stature, and Zebadiah’s succession honors the fallen commander’s household.

Other Men Named Asahel

1. A teacher sent by King Jehoshaphat to instruct Judah in the Law (2 Chronicles 17:8). His inclusion among priests and Levites suggests a gifted expositor who advanced covenant faithfulness.
2. A Levite appointed by Hezekiah over temple treasuries (2 Chronicles 31:13). He helped manage the surge of tithes during the king’s reforms, safeguarding integrity in worship.
3. An ancestor of Jonathan who dissented from Ezra’s proposal to dismiss foreign wives (Ezra 10:15). The objection illustrates legitimate debate within post-exilic restoration while not impeding overall repentance.

These later Asahels show the name persisting among both royal administrators and religious servants, each positioned during periods of renewal.

Theological and Ministry Significance

• Zeal tempered by wisdom: Asahel’s relentless chase of Abner exemplifies holy zeal yet warns against impulsiveness that disregards counsel (Proverbs 19:2).
• The sanctity of justice: Joab’s avenging blood echoes Numbers 35:19, yet the splintered motives demonstrate how human vengeance can threaten unity that only God’s righteous rule secures.
• Legacy beyond life: Burial in Bethlehem links Asahel’s memory to messianic geography, and his inclusion among the Thirty grounds the ideal of fearless devotion to God’s anointed.
• Service across generations: Subsequent Asahels underscore how a name associated with devotion continues serving God’s purposes—whether through teaching, stewardship, or earnest engagement in covenant reform.
• Anticipation of the perfect King: The tragedies surrounding Asahel and Abner highlight the need for a ruler whose justice and mercy flawlessly coincide, ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, Son of David.

Key References

2 Samuel 2:18–23; 2 Samuel 2:30–32; 2 Samuel 3:27–30; 2 Samuel 23:24

1 Chronicles 2:15–16; 1 Chronicles 11:26; 1 Chronicles 27:7

2 Chronicles 17:8; 2 Chronicles 31:13

Ezra 10:15

אֵ֖ל אֵ֥ל אֵל֙ אל וַעֲשָׂה־ וַעֲשָׂהאֵ֑ל וַעֲשָׂהאֵ֜ל וַעֲשָׂהאֵ֡ל וַעֲשָׂהאֵל֙ ועשה־ ועשהאל עֲשָׂהאֵ֑ל עֲשָׂהאֵ֔ל עֲשָׂהאֵ֖ל עֲשָׂהאֵ֛ל עֲשָׂהאֵ֧ל עשהאל ‘ă·śā·h·’êl ‘ăśāh’êl ’êl asahEl el vaasah vaasahEl wa‘ăśāh- wa‘ăśāh’êl wa·‘ă·śā·h·’êl wa·‘ă·śāh-Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts