¹⁶ And their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. ^(A)The sons of Zeruiah: Abishai, Joab, and Asahel, three.

⁶ Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Joab's brother ^(A)Abishai the son of Zeruiah, ^(B)“Who will go down with me into the camp to Saul?” And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.”

²² But David said, ^(A)“What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be as an adversary to me? ^(B)Shall anyone be put to death in Israel this day? For do I not know that I am this day king over Israel?”

⁹ Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this ^(A)dead dog ^(B)curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head.” ¹⁰ But the king said, ^(C)“What have I to do with you, ^(D)you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’” ¹¹ And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, ^(E)my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to.

³⁹ And I was gentle today, though anointed king. ^(A)These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are more severe than I. ^(B)The Lord repay the evildoer according to his wickedness!”

¹⁸ And the ^(A)three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was ^(B)as swift of foot as a wild gazelle. ¹⁹ And Asahel pursued Abner, and as he went, he turned neither to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner. ²⁰ Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Is it you, Asahel?” And he answered, “It is I.” ²¹ 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. ²² And Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I lift up my face to your brother Joab?” ²³ But he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him ^(C)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.