Reference: Abishai
American
A son of Zeruiah, David's sister, brother of Joab and Asahel, one of the bravest of David's mighty men, 1Ch 2:16, and always faithful to his royal uncle. He went with him alone to the tent of Saul, 1Sa 26:7-11; and was a leader in the war with Ish-bosheth, 2Sa 2.18,24, in the war with the Edomites, 1Ch 18:12-13, and with the Syrians and Ammonites,
2Sa 10:10. In a battle with the Philistines, he rescued David, and slew Ishbi-benob the giant, 2Sa 21:16-17. He lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, 2Sa 23:18; and was with David in the affairs of Shimei, Absalom, and Sheb, 2Sa 16:9; 18:2; 20:6-7.
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That night, David and Abishai came to the troops, and Saul was lying there asleep in the inner circle of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. Abner and the troops were lying around him. Then Abishai said to David, "Today God has handed your enemy over to you. Let me thrust the spear through him into the ground just once. I won't [have to strike] him twice!" read more. But David said to Abishai, "Don't destroy him, for who can lift a hand against the Lord's anointed and be blameless?" David added, "As the Lord lives, the Lord will certainly strike him down: either his day will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. However, because of the Lord, I will never lift my hand against the Lord's anointed. Instead, take the spear and the water jug by his head, and let's go."
He placed the rest of the forces under the command of his brother Abishai who lined up in battle formation to engage the Ammonites.
Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut his head off!"
He then sent out the troops, one third under Joab, one third under Joab's brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and one third under Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the troops, "I will also march out with you."
So David said to Abishai, "Sheba son of Bichri will do more harm to us than Absalom. Take your lord's soldiers and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and elude us." So Joab's men, the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the warriors marched out under Abishai's command; they left Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.
Then Ishbi-benob, one of the descendants of the giant, whose bronze spear weighed about eight pounds and who wore new armor, intended to kill David. But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid, struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then David's men swore to him: "You must never again go out with us to battle. You must not extinguish the lamp of Israel."
Abishai, Joab's brother and son of Zeruiah, was leader of the Three. He raised his spear against 300 [men] and killed them, gaining a reputation among the Three.
Their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. Zeruiah's three sons: Abishai, Joab, and Asahel.
Easton
father of (i.e., "desirous of") a gift, the eldest son of Zeruiah, David's sister. He was the brother of Joab and Asahel (2Sa 2:18; 1Ch 2:16). Abishai was the only one who accompanied David when he went to the camp of Saul and took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's bolster (1Sa 26:5-12). He had the command of one of the three divisions of David's army at the battle with Absalom (2Sa 18:2,5,12). He slew the Philistine giant Ishbi-benob, who threatened David's life (2Sa 21:15-17). He was the chief of the second rank of the three "mighties" (2Sa 23:18-19; 1Ch 11:20-21); and on one occasion withstood 300 men, and slew them with his own spear (2Sa 23:18). Abishai is the name of the Semitic chief who offers gifts to the lord of Beni-Hassan. See illustration facing page 10.
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Immediately, David went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw the place where Saul and Abner son of Ner, the general of his army, had lain down. Saul was lying inside the inner circle of the camp with the troops camped around him. Then David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Joab's brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, "Who will go with me into the camp to Saul?" "I'll go with you," answered Abishai. read more. That night, David and Abishai came to the troops, and Saul was lying there asleep in the inner circle of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. Abner and the troops were lying around him. Then Abishai said to David, "Today God has handed your enemy over to you. Let me thrust the spear through him into the ground just once. I won't [have to strike] him twice!" But David said to Abishai, "Don't destroy him, for who can lift a hand against the Lord's anointed and be blameless?" David added, "As the Lord lives, the Lord will certainly strike him down: either his day will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. However, because of the Lord, I will never lift my hand against the Lord's anointed. Instead, take the spear and the water jug by his head, and let's go." So David took the spear and the water jug by Saul's head, and they went their way. No one saw them, no one knew, and no one woke up; they all remained asleep because a deep sleep from the Lord came over them.
The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was a fast runner, like one of the wild gazelles.
He then sent out the troops, one third under Joab, one third under Joab's brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and one third under Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the troops, "I will also march out with you."
The king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, "Treat the young man Absalom gently for my sake." All the people heard the king's orders to all the commanders about Absalom.
The man replied to Joab, "Even if I had the weight of 1,000 pieces of silver in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the king's son. For we heard the king command you, Abishai, and Ittai, 'Protect the young man Absalom for me.'
The Philistines again waged war against Israel. David went down with his soldiers, and they fought the Philistines, but David became exhausted. Then Ishbi-benob, one of the descendants of the giant, whose bronze spear weighed about eight pounds and who wore new armor, intended to kill David. read more. But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid, struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then David's men swore to him: "You must never again go out with us to battle. You must not extinguish the lamp of Israel."
Abishai, Joab's brother and son of Zeruiah, was leader of the Three. He raised his spear against 300 [men] and killed them, gaining a reputation among the Three.
Abishai, Joab's brother and son of Zeruiah, was leader of the Three. He raised his spear against 300 [men] and killed them, gaining a reputation among the Three. Was he not the most honored of the Three? He became their commander even though he did not become one of the Three.
Fausets
("father of gifts".) Nephew of David by his sister Zeruiah; brother of Joab and Asahel. Joab was more of the experienced general, Abishai the devoted champion for David. Thus, when David proposed to Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai the perilous visit to Saul's camp, Abishai instantly volunteered, reckless of personal danger. His impulsive nature needed occasional checking, in his zeal for David. We find the consistency of character maintained throughout the history; the same spirit prompting the request at Hachilah," Let me smite Saul" (1Sa 26:8), as subsequently at Bahurim, when Shimei cursed David, prompted his exclamation "Why should this dead dog curse my Lord the king? let me take off his head" (2Sa 16:9).
He commanded one third of David's army at the battle with Absalom (2 Samuel 18), and rescued David when waxing faint and in imminent peril from the giant Ishbi-benob (2Sa 21:15-17). In the same war probably he, as chief of the three "mighties," chivalrously broke through the Philistine host to procure water for David from the well of his native Bethlehem (2Sa 23:14-17). Once he withstood 300 and slew them with his spear. In 2Sa 8:13 the victory over the 15,000 Edomites or Syrians in the Valley of Salt is ascribed to David; in 1Ch 18:12, to Abishai. Probably the commander in chief was David, but the victory actually gained by Abishai.
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Then Abishai said to David, "Today God has handed your enemy over to you. Let me thrust the spear through him into the ground just once. I won't [have to strike] him twice!"
Then Abishai said to David, "Today God has handed your enemy over to you. Let me thrust the spear through him into the ground just once. I won't [have to strike] him twice!"
David made a reputation for himself when he returned from striking down 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
David made a reputation for himself when he returned from striking down 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut his head off!"
Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut his head off!"
The Philistines again waged war against Israel. David went down with his soldiers, and they fought the Philistines, but David became exhausted.
The Philistines again waged war against Israel. David went down with his soldiers, and they fought the Philistines, but David became exhausted. Then Ishbi-benob, one of the descendants of the giant, whose bronze spear weighed about eight pounds and who wore new armor, intended to kill David.
Then Ishbi-benob, one of the descendants of the giant, whose bronze spear weighed about eight pounds and who wore new armor, intended to kill David. But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid, struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then David's men swore to him: "You must never again go out with us to battle. You must not extinguish the lamp of Israel."
But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid, struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then David's men swore to him: "You must never again go out with us to battle. You must not extinguish the lamp of Israel."
At that time David was in the stronghold, and a Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem
At that time David was in the stronghold, and a Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem David was extremely thirsty and said, "If only someone would bring me water to drink from the well at the city gate of Bethlehem!"
David was extremely thirsty and said, "If only someone would bring me water to drink from the well at the city gate of Bethlehem!" So three of the warriors broke through the Philistine camp and drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem. They brought it back to David, but he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out to the Lord.
So three of the warriors broke through the Philistine camp and drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem. They brought it back to David, but he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out to the Lord. David said, "Lord, I would never do such a thing! Is this not the blood of men who risked their lives?" So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three warriors.
David said, "Lord, I would never do such a thing! Is this not the blood of men who risked their lives?" So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three warriors.
Hastings
Son of Zeruiah, David's step-sister (2Sa 17:25; 1Ch 2:16). His brothers were Joab and Asahel (2Sa 2:18). He was a hot-tempered, ruthless soldier. Accompanying David into Saul's camp, he would fain have killed the sleeper (1Sa 26:7). An editorial addition (2Sa 3:30) associates him with Joab in the blood-revenge taken on Abner. Abishai was second in command of the army (2Sa 10; 18), and if we make a slight necessary correction at 2Sa 23:18 f., we find that he was first of the famous thirty. He is credited with the slaughter of three hundred foes, and David once owed his life to Abishai's interposition (2Sa 23:18; 21:16 f.). Notwithstanding their relationship and their usefulness, there was a natural antipathy between the king and the two brothers (2Sa 3:39).
J. Taylor.
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That night, David and Abishai came to the troops, and Saul was lying there asleep in the inner circle of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. Abner and the troops were lying around him.
The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was a fast runner, like one of the wild gazelles.
Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon.
As for me, even though I am the anointed king, I have little power today. These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too fierce for me. May the Lord repay the evildoer according to his evil!"
Now Absalom had appointed Amasa over the army in Joab's place. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra the Israelite;Ithra had married Abigail daughter of Nahash. Abigail was a sister to Zeruiah, Joab's mother.
Then Ishbi-benob, one of the descendants of the giant, whose bronze spear weighed about eight pounds and who wore new armor, intended to kill David.
Abishai, Joab's brother and son of Zeruiah, was leader of the Three. He raised his spear against 300 [men] and killed them, gaining a reputation among the Three.
Abishai, Joab's brother and son of Zeruiah, was leader of the Three. He raised his spear against 300 [men] and killed them, gaining a reputation among the Three.
Morish
Abish'ai
Son of David's sister Zeruiah, and brother of Joab. He was one of David's officers and served him many years. He accompanied David into Saul's camp while he slept. 1Sa 26:6-9. With Joab he slew Abner. 2Sa 3:30. In his zeal for David he asked permission to slay Shimei. 2Sa 16:9; 19:21. In the rebellion of Absalom he commanded a third of David's army. 2Sa 18:2. He rescued David from Ishbi-benob the giant. 2Sa 21:17. He was captain of the second three of David's 'mighty men,' and slew three hundred men. 2Sa 23:18. To him is attributed the slaughter of eighteen thousand Syrians or Edomites in the valley of salt. 1Ch 18:12; 2Sa 8:13.
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Then David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Joab's brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, "Who will go with me into the camp to Saul?" "I'll go with you," answered Abishai. That night, David and Abishai came to the troops, and Saul was lying there asleep in the inner circle of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. Abner and the troops were lying around him. read more. Then Abishai said to David, "Today God has handed your enemy over to you. Let me thrust the spear through him into the ground just once. I won't [have to strike] him twice!" But David said to Abishai, "Don't destroy him, for who can lift a hand against the Lord's anointed and be blameless?"
Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon.
Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut his head off!"
He then sent out the troops, one third under Joab, one third under Joab's brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and one third under Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the troops, "I will also march out with you."
Abishai son of Zeruiah asked, "Shouldn't Shimei be put to death for this, because he ridiculed the Lord's anointed?"
But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid, struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then David's men swore to him: "You must never again go out with us to battle. You must not extinguish the lamp of Israel."
Abishai, Joab's brother and son of Zeruiah, was leader of the Three. He raised his spear against 300 [men] and killed them, gaining a reputation among the Three.
Watsons
ABISHAI, the son of Zeruiah, David's sister, who was one of the most valiant men of his time, and one of the principal generals in David's armies.