Abishai - father of (i.e., "desirous of") a gift, the eldest son of
Zeruiah,
David's sister. He was the brother of
Joab and
Asahel[?]
(2 Sam. 2:18; 1 Chr. 2:16). Abishai was the only one who
accompanied
David when he went to the camp of
Saul and took the
spear and the cruse of water from
Saul's bolster (1 Sam.
26:5-12). He had the command of one of the three divisions of
David's army at the battle with
Absalom (2 Sam. 18:2,5,12). He
slew the
Philistine giant Ishbi-benob[?], who threatened
David's
life (2 Sam. 21:15-17). He was the
chief[?] of the second rank of
the three "mighties" (2 Sam. 23:18, 19; 1 Chr. 11:20,21); and on
one occasion withstood 300 men, and slew them with his own spear
(2 Sam. 23:18).
Abishai is the name of the Semitic chief who
offers gifts to the lord of Beni-Hassan.
From Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
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