Abishai was a military leader under the biblical King David. He was the eldest son of David's sister Zeruiah. According to Josephus (Antiquities, VII, 1, 3) his father was called Suri.[1] The meaning of his name is "Father of a gift".[2] He was the brother of Joab and Asahel.[3]
Abishai was the only one who accompanied David when he went to the camp of Saul and took the spear and water bottle from Saul as he slept.[4]
After a battle between Judah and Israel, his brother Asahel chased the northern army's general Abner, and was killed by the back of Abner's spear.[5] Joab and Abishai were enraged at the death of Asahel, and later murdered Abner. David disowned responsibility for the murder, led a national lament for Abner, and pronounced a curse on Joab and Abishai, saying, "these men the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me; the LORD reward the evildoer according to his wickedness."[6]
Abishai had the command of one of the three divisions of David's army at the battle with Absalom.[7] He was the commander and "most honoured" of the second rank of David's officers, below the three "mighty men".[8] On one occasion, he withstood 300 men and slew them with his own spear.[9]
Abishai slew the Philistine giant Ishbi-benob, who threatened David's life.[10] In the Haggadah, this incident is elaborated with miraculous details.[11] The Sanhedrin tractate in the Talmud says that Orpah (mother of Goliath and Ishbi-benob)was killed by King David's general Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, with her own spindle.[12]
Other people with the name Abishai
editAbisha or Abishai is also the name of the Semitic chief who offers gifts to the lord of Beni-Hassan in an inscription at that site in Middle Egypt.[13]
References
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- ^ Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquaties, VII, 1, 3.
- ^ Cheyne and Black (1899), Encyclopaedia Biblica, entry for Abishai.
- ^ 2 Sam 2:18; 1 Chr 2:16
- ^ 1 Sam 26:5–12
- ^ 2 Sam 2:11–24
- ^ 2 Sam 3:26–39
- ^ 2 Sam 18:2,5,12
- ^ 2 Sam 23:18,19; 1 Chr 11:20,21
- ^ 2 Sam 23:18
- ^ 2 Sam 21:15–17
- ^ Kent, Charles Foster; Ginzberg, Louis (1901–1906). "Abishai or Abshai". In Singer, Isidore; et al. (eds.). The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
- ^ Talmud Sanhedrin 95a
- ^ Bard, Kathryn A. An Introduction To The Archaeology Of Ancient Egypt. Oxford, United Kingdom: Blackwell Ltd, 2008. p. 190.
- Attribution
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Easton, Matthew George (1897). "Abishai". Easton's Bible Dictionary (New and revised ed.). T. Nelson and Sons.