Abishai

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

(father of gift). (1) Eldest son of David’s sister Zeruiah and brother of Joab (1 Chron. 2:1616Whose sisters were Zeruiah, and Abigail. And the sons of Zeruiah; Abishai, and Joab, and Asahel, three. (1 Chronicles 2:16)); one of the chiefs of David’s mighty men (2 Sam. 2:1818And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe. (2 Samuel 2:18)). Counseled David to take Saul’s life (1 Sam. 26:5-125And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him. 6Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee. 7So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him. 8Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time. 9And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed, and be guiltless? 10David said furthermore, As the Lord liveth, the Lord shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish. 11The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the Lord's anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go. 12So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon them. (1 Samuel 26:5‑12)). Associated with Joab in assassination of Abner (2 Sam. 3:3030So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle. (2 Samuel 3:30)). A co-general of David’s army (2 Sam. 10:14; 18:214And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, then fled they also before Abishai, and entered into the city. So Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem. (2 Samuel 10:14)
2And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also. (2 Samuel 18:2)). Rescued David from the giant Ishbi-benob (2 Sam. 21:16-1716And Ishbi-benob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David. 17But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succored him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel. (2 Samuel 21:16‑17)).

Concise Bible Dictionary:

Son of David’s sister Zeruiah, and brother of Joab. He was one of David’s officers and served him many years. He accompanied David into Saul’s camp while he slept (1 Sam. 26:6-96Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee. 7So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him. 8Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time. 9And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed, and be guiltless? (1 Samuel 26:6‑9)). With Joab he slew Abner (2 Sam. 3:3030So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle. (2 Samuel 3:30)). In his zeal for David he asked permission to slay Shimei (2 Sam. 16:9; 19:219Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head. (2 Samuel 16:9)
21But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord's anointed? (2 Samuel 19:21)). In the rebellion of Absalom he commanded a third of David’s army (2 Sam. 18:22And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also. (2 Samuel 18:2)). He rescued David from Ishbibenob the giant (2 Sam. 21:1717But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succored him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel. (2 Samuel 21:17)). He was captain of the second three of David’s mighty men, and slew three hundred men (2 Sam. 23:1818And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three. (2 Samuel 23:18)). To him is attributed the slaughter of eighteen thousand Syrians or Edomites in the valley of salt (1 Chron. 18:1212Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah slew of the Edomites in the valley of salt eighteen thousand. (1 Chronicles 18:12); 2 Sam. 8:1313And David gat him a name when he returned from smiting of the Syrians in the valley of salt, being eighteen thousand men. (2 Samuel 8:13)).

Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew Words:

Number:
52 (find all occurrences in KJV Bible)
Transliteration:
’Abiyshay
Phonic:
ab-ee-shah’ee
Meaning:
or (shorter) Abshay {ab-shah'ee}; from 1 and 7862; father of a gift (i.e. probably generous); Abishai, an Israelite
KJV Usage:
Abishai

Potts’ Bible Proper Names:

Father’s gift; or, father’s sacrifice; generous:―son of Zeruiah, 1 Sam. 26:6. {Patris donum}

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