1 Chronicles 11:20

1 Chronicles 11:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Abishai the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three: for lifting up his spear against three hundred, he slew them, and had a name among the three.
• New International Version (NIV)Abishai the brother of Joab 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, was chief of the thirty. And he wielded his spear against 300 men and killed them and won a name beside the three.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Abishai the brother of Joab was chief of another three. He had lifted up his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name among these three.

Context of 1 Chronicles 11:20

18So the three elite warriors broke through the Philistine forces and drew some water from the cistern in Bethlehem near the city gate. They carried it back to David, but David refused to drink it. He poured it out as a drink offering to the Lord 19and said, “God forbid that I should do this! Should I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives?” Because they risked their lives to bring it to him, he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three elite warriors. Abishai the brother of Joab was head of the three elite warriors. He killed three hundred men with his spear and gained fame along with the three elite warriors. 21From the three he was given double honor and he became their officer, even though he was not one of them. 22Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a brave warrior from Kabzeel who performed great exploits. He struck down the two sons of Ariel of Moab; he also went down and killed a lion inside a cistern on a snowy day.

1 Chronicles 11:20 word by word

וְאַבְשַׁ֣י אֲחִֽי־יוֹאָ֗ב ה֤וּא הָיָה֙ רֹ֣אשׁ הַשְּׁלוֹשָׁ֔ה וְהוּא֙ עוֹרֵ֣ר אֶת־חֲנִית֔וֹ עַל־שְׁלֹ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת חָלָ֑ל וְלוֹ שֵׁ֖ם בַּשְּׁלוֹשָֽׁה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Abishaiאֲבִישַׁי'ăbîyshay 'abshay · AbishaiH52
• the brotherאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
• of Joabיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
• he was chiefרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: leaderH7218
• of the threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
• for lifting upעוּר‛ûr · to rouseH5782
• his spearחֲנִיתchănîyth · spearH2595
• hundredמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
• he slewחָלָלchâlâl · slain: killedH2491
• and had a nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034

Cross-references for 1 Chronicles 11:20

• 1 Chronicles 2:16Their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. Zeruiah’s three sons were Abshai, Joab, and Asahel.
• 1 Samuel 26:6David said to Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, “Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?” Abishai replied, “I will go down with you.”
• 2 Samuel 2:18The three sons of Zeruiah were there – Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. (Now Asahel was as quick on his feet as one of the gazelles in the field.)
• 2 Samuel 18:2David then sent out the army – a third under the leadership of Joab, a third under the leadership of Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under the leadership of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the troops, “I too will indeed march out with you.”
• 2 Samuel 20:6Then David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba son of Bicri will cause greater disaster for us than Absalom did! Take your lord’s servants and pursue him. Otherwise he will secure fortified cities for himself and get away from us.”
• 2 Samuel 21:17But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to David’s aid, striking the Philistine down and killing him. Then David’s men took an oath saying, “You will not go out to battle with us again! You must not extinguish the lamp of Israel!”
• 2 Samuel 23:18Abishai son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, was head of the three. He killed three hundred men with his spear and gained fame among the three.

Commentaries on 1 Chronicles 11:20

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-47Verses 10-47 An account is given of David's worthies, the great men who served him. Yet David reckoned his success, not as from the mighty men that were with him, but from the mighty God, whose presence is all in all. In strengthening him, they strengthened themselves and their own interest, for his advancement was theirs. We shall gain by what we do in our places for the support of the kingdom of the Son of David; and those that are faithful to Him…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10-47This story about David's mighty warriors shows that Israel's best and bravest men supported him, along with all of Israel (compare 2 Samuel 23:8–39).Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Chronicles 11:20

• Abishai
• Armies

In the dictionaries

• Joab
• Chief of the three
• Abishai
• Chief
• Giants
• Amasai
• Chronicles, Books of
• Genealogy
• Text of the Old Testament
• Abishai, or Abishai

Commentaries on 1 Chronicles 11

• 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