Abishai

Abishai is David’s nephew, the brother of Joab, and a fighter who seems always at David’s side. When Shimei curses the fleeing king, Abishai asks leave to go and “take off his head,” and David holds him back (2 Samuel 16:9). In the list of David’s mighty men, he is named chief of the three, remembered for lifting his spear against three hundred. That same chapter tells of three soldiers who broke through enemy lines for water from Bethlehem’s well, and of David’s refusal to drink it. Read 1 Chronicles 11:15-19 for that scene.

8 verses

2 Samuel

2 Samuel 2:24

Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.

2 Samuel 16:9

Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.

1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 11:15

Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

1 Chronicles 11:16

And David was then in the hold, and the Philistines' garrison was then at Bethlehem.

1 Chronicles 11:17

And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate!

1 Chronicles 11:18

And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD,

1 Chronicles 11:19

And said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this thing: shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? for with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mightiest.

1 Chronicles 11:20

And Abishai the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three: for lifting up his spear against three hundred, he slew them, and had a name among the three.

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

Father of (i.e., “desirous of”) a gift, the eldest son of Zeruiah, David’s sister. He was the brother of Joab and Asahel (2 Sam. 2:18; 1 Chr. 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 (1 Sam. 26:5-12). He had the command of one of the three divisions of David’s army at the battle with Absalom (2 Sam. 18:2,5,12). He slew the Philistine giant Ishbi-benob, who threatened David’s life (2 Sam. 21:15-17). He was the chief of the second rank of the three “mighties” (2 Sam. 23:18, 19; 1 Chr. 11:20,21); and on one occasion withstood 300 men, and slew them with his own spear (2 Sam. 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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From Smith's Bible Dictionary

William Smith, 1884

(father of a gift), The eldest of the three sons of Zeruiah, David’s sister, and brother to Joab and Asahel. (1 Chronicles 2:16) Like his two brothers he was the devoted follower of David. He was his companion in the desperate night expedition to the camp of Saul. (1 Samuel 26:6-9) (B.C. 1055.) On the outbreak of Absalom’s rebellion he remained true to the king,a nd commanded a third part of the army in the decisive battle against Absalom. He rescued David from the hands of the gigantic Philistine, Ishbi-benob. (2 Samuel 21:17) His personal prowess on this, as on another occasion, when he fought singlehanded against three hundred, won for him a place as captain of the second three of David’s mighty men. (2 Samuel 23:18; 1 Chronicles 11:20)