Abishai (biblical figure)

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An 1873 illustration of Abishai (centre) encouraging David (right) to strike Saul. David and Abishai at Saul's camp.jpg
An 1873 illustration of Abishai (centre) encouraging David (right) to strike Saul.

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

Abisha 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]

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Shimei ben Gera is a Biblical figure from the Book of II Samuel and the Book of I Kings. He was from the tribe of Benjamin and was related to King Saul. II Samuel relates that when King David was fleeing from his son Absalom, Shimei cursed him as he passed through the village of Bahurim:

5. And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, there came out thence a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he came out, and kept on cursing as he came. 6. And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David; and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. 7. And thus said Shimei when he cursed: 'Begone, begone, thou man of blood, and base fellow; 8. the Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the Lord hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son; and, behold, thou art taken in thine own mischief, because thou art a man of blood.'

References

https://sarata.com/bible/chapter/Chronicles-1.2.html#2:16

  1. Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquaties, VII, 1, 3.
  2. Cheyne and Black (1899), Encyclopaedia Biblica, entry for Abishai.
  3. 2 Sam 2:18; 1 Chr 2:16
  4. 1 Sam 26:5–12
  5. 2 Sam 2:11–24
  6. 2 Sam 3:26–39
  7. 2 Sam 18:2,5,12
  8. 2 Sam 23:18,19; 1 Chr 11:20,21
  9. 2 Sam 23:18
  10. 2 Sam 21:15–17
  11. Kent, Charles Foster; Ginzberg, Louis (1901–1906). "Abishai or Abshai". In Singer, Isidore; et al. (eds.). The Jewish Encyclopedia . New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
  12. Talmud Sanhedrin 95a
  13. Bard, Kathryn A. An Introduction To The Archaeology Of Ancient Egypt. Oxford, United Kingdom: Blackwell Ltd, 2008. p. 190.
Attribution

Wikisource-logo.svg 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.