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Abishai

Original Hebrew / Aramaic / Greek connected to this term

How to read this: there is rarely one magic “true meaning” hidden behind an English word. A lexicon records a word’s semantic range. The intended meaning is narrowed by grammar, sentence, author, historical usage and context.

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H52

אֲבִישַׁי

a.vi.shay — Abishai

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.26.6 and Zeruiah (H6870); brother of: Joab (H3097) and Asahel (H6214) § Abishai = "my father is Jesse" or "my father is a gift" grandson of Jesse, nephew of David via his sister Zeruiah, brother of Joab

24 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H3097

יוֹאָב

yo.av — Joab

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.26.6; his mother was Zeruiah (H6870); brother of: Abishai (H0052) and Asahel (H6214) § Joab = "Jehovah is father" 1) son of David's sister Zeruiah and general of David's army 2) a Judaite descendant of Kenaz 3) a post exilic family

123 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H6870

צְרוּיָה

tse.ru.yah — Zeruiah

A woman living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.26.6; daughter of: Jesse (H3448) and Nahash (H5176I); sister of: David (H1732), Eliab (H0446I), Abinadab (H0041I), Nethanel (H5417H), Raddai (H7288), Ozem (H0684), Abigail (H0026H)(?) and Elihu (H0453J), Shimeah (H8093) § Zeruiah = "balsam" sister of David and mother of the 3 leading heroes of David's army-Abishai, Joab, and Asahel

25 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H6214

עֲשָׂהאֵל

a.sa.h.el — Asahel

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.2.18; his mother was Zeruiah (H6870); brother of: Abishai (H0052) and Joab (H3097); father of: Zebadiah (H2069K) § Asahel = "God-made" 1) nephew of David, son of David's sister Zeruiah, and brother of Joab and Abishai; swift of foot he was killed by Abner when he pursued him in battle and caught him 2) a Levite in the reign of king Jehoshaphat of Judah who went through the kingdom giving instruction in the law 3) a Levite in the reign of king Hezekiah of Judah in charge of the tithes and dedicated things in the temple 4) a priest, father of Jonathan, in the time of Ezra

17 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H3430

יִשְׁבּוֹ בְּנֹב

yish.bo b.nov — Ishbi-benob

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at 2Sa.21.16; son of: Rapha (H7497A); brother of: Goliath (H1555), Saph (H5593), Lahmi (H3902) and huge_man (H4060A) § Ishbi-benob = "his dwelling is in Nob" son of Rapha, one of the nation of Philistine giants who attacked David in battle and was slain by Abishai

1 tagged verse occurrence · see every occurrence →

Historical dictionary entry

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.

Scripture references

Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897). Historical dictionary wording reflects the scholarship and language of its era.

Compare other reference traditions

Look up Abishai in Smith’s Bible Dictionary and ISBE →