5. The son of Abiathar, and high-priest in the time of David, according to the Masoretic text of 1 Chron. xviii, 10 [see Abi-], where, however, we should prob- ably read (with the Sept., Syr., Arab.,Vulg., Targums, and many MSS.) Ahimelech (as in the parallel pas- sage, 2 Sam. viii, 17). See Abiathar.
Abin'adab (Heb. Abinadab' , Snrnx, father of nobleness, i. e. noble ; Sept. everywhere 'Afiivadd[3, Vulg. Abinadab. Josephus ' ' AfiivaSafioc, Ant. viii, 2, 3), the name of four men.
1. A Levite of Kirjath-jearim, in whose house, which was on a hill [see Gibeah], the ark of the covenant was deposited, after being brought back from the land of the Philistines (1 Sam. vii, 1), B.C. 1124. It was committed to the special charge of his son Eleazar ; and remained there eighty years, until it was removed by David (2 Sam. vi, 3, 4 ; 1 Chron. xiii, 7). See Ark.
2. The second of the eight sons of Jesse, the father of David (1 Sam. xvi, 8 ; 1 Chron. ii, 13), and one of the three who followed Saul to the campaign against the Philistines in which Goliath defied the army (1 Sam. xvii, 13), B.C. 1063.
3. The third named of the four sons of King Saul (1 Chron. viii, 33 ; ix, 39), and one of the three who perished with their father in the battle at Gilboa (1 Sam. xxxi, 2 ; 1 Chron. x, 2), B.C. 1053. His name appears to be omitted in the list in 1 Sam. xiv, 49.
4. The father of one of Solomon's purveyors (or rather Ben-Abintdab is to be regarded as the name of the purveyor himself), who presided over the dis- trict of Dor, and married Taphath, Solomon's daughter (1 Kings iv, 11), B.C. ante 1014.
Abin'oam (Heb. Abino'dm, bSb^SX, father of grace, i. e. gracious; Sept. A/3ivwe/n), the father of Barak the judge (Judg. iv, 6, 12 ; v, 1, 12). B.C. ante 1409.
Abi'ram (Heb. Abiram', dT^S, father of height, i. e.proud^, the name of two men.
1. (Sept. 'A/3f(.o(.jj', Vulg. Abiron, Josephus 'Afii- papoc, Ant. iv, 2, 2.) One of the sons of Eliab of the family-heads of Reuben, who, with his brother, Dathan, and with On of the same tribe, joined Korah the Le- vite in a conspiracy against Moses and Aaron, which resulted in their being swallowed up with all their families and possessions (except the children of Korah) by an earthquake (Num. xvi, 1-27; xxvi, 9; Deut. xi, 6 ; Psa. cvi, 17), B.C. cir. 1620. See Korah.
2. (Sept. 'AJ3tpti)V, Vulg. Abiram.) The eldest sen of Iliel the Bethelite, who is remarkable as having died prematurely (for such is the evident import of the statement), for the presumption or ignorance of his father, in fulfilment of the doom pronounced upon his posterity who should undertake to rebuild Jericho (1 Kings xvi, 34), B.C. post 905. See Hiel.
Abi'ron (*A/3£ipwv), the Grtccized form (Ecclus. xl, 18) of the name of the rebellious Abiram (q. v.).
Abis. See Caphar-abis.
Abis'ei [many Abise'i] (Lat. Abisei, for the Greek text is not extant), an incorrect form (2 [Vulg. 4] Esdr. i, 2) of the name of the priest Abishua (q. v.).
Ab'ishag (Heb. Abishag' ', Z^^fatJier of\\. e. given in] error, i. q. inconsiderate ; Sept. 'Afiiady), a beautiful young woman of Shunem, in the tribe of Issachar, who was chosen by the servants of David to be introduced into the royal harem, for the special purpose of ministering to him and cherishing him in his old age, B.C. cir. 1015. She became his wife, but the marriage was never consummated (1 Kings i, 3-15). Some time after the deatli of David, Adonijah, his eldest son, persuaded Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon, to entreat the king that Abishag might be given to him in marriage, B.C. cir. 1013. But as lights and privileges peculiarly regal were associated
ABISHAI
21
ABLUTION
with the control and possession of the harem (q. v.) of deceased kings (2 Sam. xiit 8>, Solomon detected in this application a fresh aspiration to the throne, which lie visited with death (1 Kings ii, 17-22; Jose- phus, ' AfiijaciKi], Ant. vii, 14, 3). See Adonijaii.
Ab'ishai [many Abish'a'i~\ (Heb.Abishay', "lia",2S, father [i. e. desirous] of a gift; Sept. 'Afiiffat, hut 'Afitrrcd in 1 Sam. xxvi, C, 7, 8, 1) ; 1 Chron. xix, 11, 15 ; 'Ajiiaaa in 1 Chron. ii, 10 ; 'Afitooui in 1 Chron. xi, 20 ; 'Ajiiaa in 1 Chron. xviii, 12 ; and 'Aftiact in 2 Sam. xx, G; also contracted Abshag', "I1I33K, in the text of 2 Sam. x, 10; 1 Chron. ii, 1G ; xi, 20 , xviii, 12 ; xix, 11, 15 ; Josephus 'A/3t<T«7or), a nephew of David (by an unknown father, perhaps a foreigner) through his sister Zeruiah, and brother of Joab and Asahel (2 Sam. ii, 18 ; 1 Chron. ii, 16). The three brothers devoted themselves zealously to the interests of their uncle during his wanderings. Though David had more reliance upon the talents of Joab, he appears to have given more of his private confidence to Abishai, who seems to have attached himself in a peculiar manner to his person, as we ever find him near, and ready for council or action, on critical occasions (2 Sam. ii, 24 ; 1 Chron. xix, 11). Abishai, indeed, was rather a man of action than of council ; and, although David must have been gratified by his devoted and uncompromising attachment, he had more generally occasion to check the impulses of his ardent tempera- ment than to follow his advice (2 Sam. iii, 30). Abish- ai was one of the two persons whom David asked to accompany him to the camp of Saul, and ho alone accepted the perilous distinction (1 Sam. xxvi, 5-9), B.C. 1055. The desire he then expressed to smite the sleeping king identities him as the man who afterward burned to rush upon Shimei and slay him for his abuse .of David (2 Sam. xvi, 0, 11 ; xix, 21). When the king lied beyond the Jordan from Absalom, Abishai was by his side ; and he was intrusted with the command of one of the three divisions of the army which crushed that rebellion (2 Sam. xviii, 2-12)^ B.C. cir. 1023. When the insurrection of Sheba occurred David sent him, in connection with Joab, to quicken the tardy preparations of Amasa in gathering troops against the rebel (2 Sam. xx, 6-10), B.C. cir. 1022. During the last war with the Philistines David was in immi- nent peril of his life from a giant named Ishbi-benob, but was rescued by Abishai, who slew the giant (2 Sam. xxi, 15-17), B.C. cir. 1018. Ho was also the chief of the second rank (2 Sam. xxiii, 10 ; 1 Chron. xi, 20) of the three "mighties," who, probably in some earlier war, performed the chivalrous exploit of breaking through the host of the Philistines to pro- cure David a draught of water from the well of his native Bethlehem (2 Sam. xxiii, 14-17). Among the exploits of this hero it is mentioned (2 Sam. xxiii, 18) that he withstood 300 men, and slew them with his spear; but the occasion of this adventure, and the time and manner of his death, are equally unknown. In 2 Sam. viii, 13, the victory over the Edomites in the Valley of Salt tB.C. cir. 1037) is ascribed to Da- vid, but in 1 Chron. xviii, 12, to Abishai. It is hence probable that the victor}' was actually gained by Abishai, in connection with Joab (1 Kings xi, 16), but is ascribed to David as king and commander-in-chief (comp. 2 Sam. x, 10, 14).— Kitto, s. v. See David.