Abishai אֲבִישַׁי
David's nephew, one of his mighty men and commanders
Biography
Abishai was the son of Zeruiah, King David's sister, making him David's nephew (1Ch.2.16). He was the brother of Joab and Asahel, two other prominent figures in David's military ranks (2Sa.2.18). Abishai was one of David's mighty men and a trusted commander in his army.
During David's flight from King Saul, Abishai accompanied him and showed his loyalty by offering to kill Saul when they found him sleeping in the camp (1Sa.26.6-9). However, David refused to allow Abishai to harm the Lord's anointed (1Sa.26.9-11).
Abishai played a significant role in many of David's military campaigns. He fought alongside Joab against Abner and the forces of Ish-bosheth (2Sa.2.24). After Abner killed Asahel, Joab and Abishai pursued him but were convinced to halt their pursuit (2Sa.2.24-28). Later, Abishai supported Joab in avenging Asahel's death by killing Abner (2Sa.3.30).
In the battle against the Ammonites, Abishai led a division of the army and helped secure victory for Israel (2Sa.10.10-14; 1Ch.19.11-15). He also accompanied David during the rebellion of Absalom and was one of the three commanders of David's forces (2Sa.18.2,5,12).
Abishai intervened to save David's life when a giant named Ishbi-benob threatened to kill the king (2Sa.21.17). He was also known for his bravery and military exploits, being credited with killing three hundred men with his spear (2Sa.23.18; 1Ch.11.20).
Throughout David's reign, Abishai remained a loyal and trusted commander, playing a crucial role in maintaining David's kingdom and defending Israel against its enemies.
Family
Parents
In Scripture
3 biblical books1 Samuel 4 verses
- 1 Samuel 26:6
"Then David answered and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, saying, “Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp?” Abishai said, “I will go down with you.”"
- 1 Samuel 26:7
"So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the place of the wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people lay around him."
- 1 Samuel 26:8
"Then Abishai said to David, “God has delivered up your enemy into your hand today. Now therefore please let me strike him with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time.”"
- 1 Samuel 26:9
"David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against Yahweh’s anointed, and be guiltless?”"
2 Samuel 5 verses
- 2 Samuel 2:18
"The three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild gazelle."
- 2 Samuel 2:24
"But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. The sun went down when they had come to the hill of Ammah, that lies before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon."
- 2 Samuel 3:30
"So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle."
- 2 Samuel 10:10
"The rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother; and he put them in array against the children of Ammon."
- 2 Samuel 10:14
"When the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians had fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, and entered into the city. Then Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem."
1 Chronicles 5 verses
- 1 Chronicles 2:16
"and their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. The sons of Zeruiah: Abishai, Joab, and Asahel, three."
- 1 Chronicles 11:20
"Abishai, the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three; for he lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name among the three."
- 1 Chronicles 18:12
"Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah struck eighteen thousand of the Edomites in the Valley of Salt."
- 1 Chronicles 19:11
"The rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother; and they put themselves in array against the children of Ammon."
- 1 Chronicles 19:15
"When the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians had fled, they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem."
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Strong's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | אֲבִישַׁי | H0052 |
Abishai
wo (2Sa 2:18). He was chief of the second group of three among David's "mighty men" (2Sa 23:18).
He first appears with David, who was in the Wilderness of Ziph, to escape Saul. When David called for a volunteer to go down into Saul's camp by night, Abishai responded, and counseled the killing of Saul when they came upon the sleeping king (1Sa 26:6-9). In the skirmish between the men of Ishbosheth and the men of David at Gibeon, in which Asahel was killed by Abner, Abishai was present (2Sa 2:18,24). He was with and aided Joab in the cruel and indefensible murder of Abner, in revenge for their brother Asahel (2Sa 3:30).
In David's campaign against the allied Ammonites and Syrians, Abishai led the attack upon the Ammonites, while Joab met the Syrians; the battle was a great victory for Israel (2Sa 10:10-14). He was always faithful to David, and remained with him, as he fled from Absalom. When Shimei, of the house of Saul, cursed the fleeing king, Abishai characteristically wished to kill him at once (2Sa 16:8,9); and when the king returned victorious Abishai advised the rejection of Shimei's penitence, and his immediate execution (2Sa 19:21).
In the battle with Absalom's army at Mahanaim Abishai led one division of David's army, Joab and Ittai commanding the other two (2Sa 18:2). With Joab he put down the revolt against David of Sheba, a man of Benjamin (2Sa 20:6,10), at which Joab treacherously slew Amasa his cousin and rival, as he had likewise murdered Abner, Abishai no doubt being party to the crime. In a battle with the Philistines late in his life, David was faint, being now an old man, and was in danger of death at the hands of the Philistine giant Ishbihenob when Abishai came to his rescue and killed the giant (2Sa 21:17). In the list of David's heroes (2Sa 23) Abishai's right to leadership of the "second three" is based upon his overthrowing three hundred men with his spear (2Sa 23:18). He does not appear in the struggle of Adonijah against Solomon, in which Joab was the leader, and therefore is supposed to have died before that time.
He was an impetuous, courageous man, but less cunning than his more famous brother Joab, although just as cruel and relentless toward rival or foe. David understood and feared their hardness and cruelty. Abishai's best trait was his unswerving loyalty to his kinsman, David.
Edward Mack
a-bish'-a-lom: Variant of ABSALOM, which see.
a-bish'-u-a, abi-shoo'-a ('abhishua`, uncertain, perhaps "father of wealth," or "my father i