וַיְמָאֵ֣ן לָס֗וּר וַיַּכֵּ֣הוּ אַבְנֵר֩ בְּאַחֲרֵ֨י הַחֲנִ֜ית אֶל־הַחֹ֗מֶשׁ וַתֵּצֵ֤א הַֽחֲנִית֙ מֵאַחֲרָ֔יו וַיִּפָּל־שָׁ֖ם וַיָּ֣מָת תחתו [תַּחְתָּ֑יו] וַיְהִ֡י כָּל־הַבָּ֣א אֶֽל־הַמָּקוֹם֩ אֲשֶׁר־נָ֨פַל שָׁ֧ם עֲשָׂהאֵ֛ל וַיָּמֹ֖ת וַֽיַּעֲמֹֽדוּ׃
Howbeit he refused to turn aside; wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him in the groin, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place; and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.
Guide for the Perplexed
THE Hebrew term aḥor is a homonym. It is a noun, signifying “back.” Comp. “Behind (aḥare) the tabernacle” (Exod. 26:12); “The spear came out behind him (aḥarav)” (2 Sam. 2:23). It is next used in reference to time, signifying “after”; “neither after him (aḥarav) arose there any like him” (2 Kings 23:25) “After (aḥar) these things” (Gen. 15:1). In this sense the word occurs frequently.