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

And there were the three sons of Sarvia there, Joab, and Abisai, and Asael: now Asael was a most swift runner, like one of the roes that abide in the woods.

And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was swift of foot, as one of the gazelles that are in the field.

And there are there three sons of Zeruiah, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel, and Asahel is light on his feet, as one of the roes which are in the field,

There were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab and Abishai and Asahel: and Asahel was as quick-footed as a roe of the fields.

And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel; and Asahel was as light of foot as one of the roes that are in the field.

Now the three sons of Zeruiah were in that place: Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel. And Asahel was a very swift runner, like one of the deer that lives in the forest.

Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe - To be swift of foot was deemed a great accomplishment in the heroes of antiquity; ποδας ωκυς Αχιλλευς, the swift-footed Achilles, is an epithet which Homer gives to that hero no less than thirty times in the course of the Ilias. It has a qualification also among the Roman soldiers; they were taught both to run swiftly, and to swim well.

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, 1-Samuel 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, 1-Chronicles 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 Song 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.

Death often comes by ways we least suspect. We are often betrayed by the accomplishments we are proud of! Asahel's swiftness, which he presumed so much upon, did him no service, but hastened his end.