2 Samuel 23:18

2 Samuel 23:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And 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.
• New International Version (NIV)Abishai the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three. He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty. And he wielded his spear against three hundred men and killed them and won a name beside the three.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now Abishai the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of another three. He lifted his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name among these three.

Context of 2 Samuel 23:18

16So the three fighting men burst into the Philistine camp and drew water from the well. They brought it to David, but he refused to drink it. He poured it out ⌞as an offering⌟ to the Lord and said, 17“It’s unthinkable that I would do this, Lord. This is the blood of men who risked their lives!” So he refused to drink it. These are the things which the three fighting men did. Joab’s brother Abishai, Zeruiah’s son, was the leader of the thirty. He used his spear to kill 300 men. He was as famous as the three 19and was honored more than they were. So he became their captain, but he didn’t become a member of the three. 20Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, was from Kabzeel and was a brave man who did many things. He killed two distinguished soldiers from Moab. He also went into a pit and killed a lion on the day it snowed.

2 Samuel 23:18 word by word

וַאֲבִישַׁ֞י אֲחִ֣י׀ יוֹאָ֣ב בֶּן־צְרוּיָ֗ה ה֚וּא רֹ֣אשׁ הַשְּׁלֹשָׁ֔ה וְהוּא֙ עוֹרֵ֣ר אֶת־חֲנִית֔וֹ עַל־שְׁלֹ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת חָלָ֑ל וְלוֹ־שֵׁ֖ם בַּשְּׁלֹשָֽׁה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Abishaiאֲבִישַׁי'ăbîyshay 'abshay · AbishaiH52
• the brotherאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
• of Joabיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
• the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of Zeruiahצְרוּיָהtserûyâh · ZeruiahH6870
• was chiefרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: leaderH7218
• among threeשְׁלִישִׁיshelîyshîy · thirdH7992
• And he lifted upעוּר‛ûr · to rouseH5782
• his spearחֲנִיתchănîyth · spearH2595
• against threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
• hundredמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
• slewחָלָלchâlâl · slain: killedH2491
• and had the nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 23:18

• 2 Samuel 2:18Zeruiah’s three sons were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was as fast on his feet as a wild gazelle.
• 2 Samuel 3:30(Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.)
• 2 Samuel 10:10He put his brother Abishai in charge of the rest of the troops. Abishai organized them for combat against the Ammonites.
• 2 Samuel 18:2David put a third of the troops under Joab’s command, another third under Joab’s brother Abishai (Zeruiah’s son), and the last third under Ittai from Gath. “I am going ⌞into battle⌟ with you,” the king said to the troops.
• 2 Samuel 20:10Amasa wasn’t on his guard against the sword in Joab’s ⌞left⌟ hand. Joab stabbed him in the stomach, and his intestines poured out on the ground. (He died without being stabbed again.) Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba, son of Bichri.
• 1 Samuel 26:6David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai, who was Zeruiah’s son and Joab’s brother, “Who will go with me to Saul in the camp?” Abishai answered, “I’ll go with you.”
• 1 Chronicles 2:16Their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. Zeruiah’s three sons were Abishai, Joab, and Asahel.
• 1 Chronicles 11:20Joab’s brother Abishai was the leader of the thirty. He used his spear to kill 300 men, but he was not one of the three,

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 23:18

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18Three - “The three” 2 Samuel 23:22. It was Abishai‘s prowess on this occasion that raised him to be chief of this triad.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-39Verses 8-39 David once earnestly longed for the water at the well of Bethlehem. It seems to be an instance of weakness. He was thirsty; with the water of that well he had often refreshed himself when a youth, and it was without due thought that he desired it. Were his valiant men so forward to expose themselves, upon the least hint of their prince's mind, and so eager to please him, and shall not we long to approve ourselves to our Lord Jesus, by ready…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-23Here are examples of the skills of Abishai and Benaiah. Abishai was very aggressive toward David’s enemies, especially Saul (1 Samuel 26:6–9) and Saul’s relative Shimei (2 Samuel 16:9–11). Abishai saved David’s life during a Philistine war (2 Samuel 21:16–17). Benaiah first appeared as the commander of the mercenaries who were David’s bodyguards. These men were separate from the regular army (2 Samuel 8:18; 20:23). He also led a 24,000-man division of the…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 23:18

• Abishai
• Armies

In the dictionaries

• Joab
• Abishai
• Giants
• Sure
• Troop
• Amasai
• Genealogy
• Joshaphat
• Joshaviah
• Mecherathite

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings