Difference between revisions of "Abishai"

<p> [[Abishai]] (''A-Bĭsh'A-Î'' or ''A-Bĭ-Shâ'I'' ), ''Father Of A Gift,'' eldest son of Zeruiah, David's sister, brother of Joab and Asahel, one of the bravest of David's "mighty men," &nbsp;1 Chronicles 2:16, always faithful to his royal uncle, and usually a personal attendant. He went with him alone to the tent of Saul, &nbsp;1 Samuel 26:6-12, and was a leader in the war with Ish-bosheth, &nbsp;2 Samuel 2:18; &nbsp;2 Samuel 2:24, in the war with the Edomites, &nbsp;1 Chronicles 18:12-13, and with the Syrians and Ammonites. &nbsp;2 Samuel 10:10; &nbsp;2 Samuel 10:14. In a battle with the [[Philistines]] he rescued David, and slew [[Ish]] bi-benob the giant, &nbsp;2 Samuel 21:16-17. He broke through their host around Bethlehem, and lifted up his spear against 300, and slew them, &nbsp;2 Samuel 23:14-18 : and was with David in the matters of Shimei, Absalom, and Sheba. &nbsp;2 Samuel 16:9; &nbsp;2 Samuel 18:2; &nbsp;2 Samuel 19:21; &nbsp;2 Samuel 20:6-7. </p>

<p> [many Abish' ai] (Heb. Abishay', אֲבַישִׁי '', Father'' [i.e. [[Desirous]] ] ''Of A Gift;'' Sept. Ἀβισαϊ v, but Ἀβεσσά in &nbsp;1 Samuel 26:6-9; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 19:11; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 19:15; Ἀβισσά in &nbsp;1 Chronicles 2:16; Ἀβεσσαί in &nbsp;1 Chronicles 11:20; Ἀβισά in &nbsp;1 Chronicles 18:12; and Ἀμεσά in &nbsp;2 Samuel 20:6; also contracted Abshay',אִבשִֻׁי '','' in the text of &nbsp;2 Samuel 10:10; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 2:16; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 11:20; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 18:12; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 19:11; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 19:15; [[Josephus]] Ἀβισαῖος), a nephew of David (by an unknown father, perhaps a foreigner) through his sister Zeruiah, and brother of Joab and Asahel (&nbsp;2 Samuel 2:18; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 2:16). 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 (&nbsp;2 Samuel 2:24; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 19:11). 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 temperament than to follow his advice (&nbsp;2 Samuel 3:30). Abishai was one of the two persons whom David asked to accompany him to the camp of Saul, and he alone accepted the perilous distinction (&nbsp;1 Samuel 26:5-9), B.C. 1055. The desire he then expressed to smite the sleeping king identifies him as the man who afterward burned to rush upon Shimei and slay him for his abuse of David (&nbsp;2 Samuel 16:9; &nbsp;2 Samuel 16:11; &nbsp;2 Samuel 19:21). When the king fled 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 (&nbsp;2 Samuel 18:2-12), 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 (&nbsp;2 Samuel 20:6-10), B.C. cir. 1022. During the last war with the Philistines David was in imminent peril of his life from a giant named Ishbi-benob, but was rescued by Abishai, who slew the giant (&nbsp;2 Samuel 21:15-17), B.C. cir. 1018. He was also the chief of the second rank (&nbsp;2 Samuel 23:19; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 11:20) of the three "mighties," who, probably in some earlier war, performed the chivalrous exploit of breaking through the host of the Philistines to procure David a draught of water from the well of his native Bethlehem (&nbsp;2 Samuel 23:14-17). Among the exploits of this hero it is mentioned (&nbsp;2 Samuel 23:18) 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 &nbsp;2 Samuel 8:13, the victory over the Edomites in the Valley of Salt (B.C. cir. 1037) is ascribed to David, but in &nbsp;1 Chronicles 18:12, to Abishai. It is hence probable that the victory was actually gained by Abishai, in connection with Joab (&nbsp;1 Kings 11:16), but is ascribed to David as king and commander-in-chief (comp. &nbsp;2 Samuel 10:10; &nbsp;2 Samuel 10:14). (See [[David]]). </p>

<p> '''''ab´i''''' -'''''shı̄''''' , '''''a''''' -'''''bı̄´shı̄''''' ( אבישׁי , <i> ''''''ăbhı̄shaı̄''''' </i> , in Ch אבשׁי , <i> ''''''abhshaı̄''''' </i> ; meaning is doubtful, probably "my father is Jesse," <i> BDB </i> ): Son of Zeruiah, David's sister, and one of the three famous brothers, of whom Joab and Asahel were the other two (&nbsp;2 Samuel 2:18 ). He was chief of the second group of three among David's "mighty men" (&nbsp;2 Samuel 23:18 ). He first appears with David, who was in the [[Wilderness]] of Ziph, to escape Saul. When David called for a volunteer to go down into Saul's camp by night, Abishai responded, and counseled the killing of Saul when they came upon the sleeping king (&nbsp;1 Samuel 26:6-9 ). In the skirmish between the men of [[Ishbosheth]] and the men of David at Gibeon, in which Asahel was killed by Abner, Abishai was present (&nbsp;2 Samuel 2:18 , &nbsp;2 Samuel 2:24 ). He was with and aided Joab in the cruel and indefensible murder of Abner, in revenge for their brother Asahel (&nbsp;2 Samuel 3:30 ). In David's campaign against the allied [[Ammonites]] and Syrians, Abishai led the attack upon the Ammonites, while Joab met the Syrians; the battle was a great victory for [[Israel]] (&nbsp;2 Samuel 10:10-14 ). He was always faithful to David, and remained with him, as he fled from Absalom. When Shimei, of the house of Saul, cursed the fleeing king, Abishai characteristically wished to kill him at once (&nbsp;2 Samuel 16:8 , &nbsp;2 Samuel 16:9 ); and when the king returned victorious Abishai advised the rejection of Shimei's penitence, and his immediate execution (&nbsp;2 Samuel 19:21 ). In the battle with Absalom's army at [[Mahanaim]] Abishai led one division of David's army, Joab and [[Ittai]] commanding the other two (&nbsp;2 Samuel 18:2 ). With Joab he put down the revolt against David of Sheba, a man of [[Benjamin]] (&nbsp;2 Samuel 20:6 , &nbsp;2 Samuel 20:10 ), at which Joab treacherously slew Amasa his cousin and rival, as he had likewise murdered Abner, Abishai no doubt being party to the crime. In a battle with the Philistines late in his life, David was faint, being now an old man, and was in danger of death at the hands of the Philistine giant Ishbihenob when Abishai came to his rescue and killed the giant (&nbsp;2 Samuel 21:17 ). In the list of David's heroes (2 Sam 23) Abishai's right to leadership of the "second three" is based upon his overthrowing three hundred men with his spear (&nbsp;2 Samuel 23:18 ). He does not appear in the struggle of [[Adonijah]] against Solomon, in which Joab was the leader, and therefore is supposed to have died before that time. </p> <p> He was an impetuous, courageous man, but less cunning than his more famous brother Joab, although just as cruel and relentless toward rival or foe. David understood and feared their hardness and cruelty. Abishai's best trait was his unswerving loyalty to his kinsman, David. </p>