the Week of Proper 5 / Ordinary 10
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Bible Dictionaries
Abishai
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible
or ABISHAI . Son of Zeruiah, David’s step-sister ( 2 Samuel 17:25 , 1 Chronicles 2:16 ). His brothers were Joab and Asahel ( 2 Samuel 2:18 ). He was a hot-tempered, ruthless soldier. Accompanying David into Saul’s camp, he would fain have killed the sleeper ( 1 Samuel 26:7 ). An editorial addition ( 2 Samuel 3:30 ) associates him with Joab in the blood-revenge taken on Abner. Abishai was second in command of the army ( 2 Samuel 10:1-19; 2 Samuel 18:1-33 ), and if we make a slight necessary correction at 2 Samuel 23:18 f., we find that he was first of the famous thirty. He is credited with the slaughter of three hundred foes, and David once owed his life to Abishai’s interposition ( 2 Samuel 23:18; 2 Samuel 21:16 f.). Notwithstanding their relationship and their usefulness, there was a natural antipathy between the king and the two brothers ( 2 Samuel 3:39 ).
J. Taylor.
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Hastings, James. Entry for 'Abishai'. Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/hdb/a/abishai.html. 1909.
