And Abner looked behind him, and said: Art thou Asael? And he answered: I am.

And Abner looketh behind him, and saith, 'Art thou he, Asahel?' and he saith, 'I am.'

Then Abner, looking back, said, Is it you, Asahel? And he said, It is I.

And so, Abner looked behind his back, and he said, "Are you not Asahel?" And he responded, "I am."

Then Abner looked behind him,.... Perceiving one at his heels, and making haste up to him.
And said, art thou Asahel? for it seems he knew him personally, being well acquainted with his family:
and he answered, I am; so that they were very near to each other, as to discourse together, and be heard and understood by each other.

Then Abner turned round, asked him whether he was Asahel, and said to him, "Turn to thy right hand or to thy left, and seize one of the young men and take his armour for thyself," i.e., slay one of the common soldiers, and take his accoutrements as booty, if thou art seeking for that kind of fame. But Asahel would not turn back from Abner. Then he repeated his command that he would depart, and added, "Why should I smite thee to the ground, and how could I then lift up my face to Joab thy brother?" from which we may see that Abner did not want to put the young hero to death, out of regard for Joab and their former friendship.