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2 Samuel 23:18

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does 2 Samuel 23:18 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred and slew them, and had a name among the three.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred and slew them, and had a name among the three.
2 Samuel 23:18 — American Standard Version

Context — 2 Samuel 23

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
15And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate!
16And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto Jehovah.
17And he said, Be it far from me, O Jehovah, that I should do this: [shall I drink] the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.
18And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred and slew them, and had a name among the three.
19Was he not most honorable of the three? therefore he was made their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the [first] three.
20And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, he slew the two [sons of] Ariel of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow.
21And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian`s hand, and slew him with his own spear.
← 2 Samuel 23:172 Samuel 23:19 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among the three, etc.] Another triumvirate, of which he was the head: and he lifted up his spear against three hundred, [and] slew [them]; Josephus f396 says six hundred; this seems to confirm the reading of (<102308>2 Samuel 23:8), that the number eight hundred is right, for if it was only three hundred, Abishai would have been equal to one, even the first, of the former three; which yet is denied him in (<102319>2 Samuel 23:19): and had the name among three; of which he was one; and he had the chief name among them, or was the most famous of them.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Three - “The three” 2 Samuel 23:22. It was Abishai’s prowess on this occasion that raised him to be chief of this triad. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“23:18-23 Here are examples of the prowess of Abishai and Benaiah. Elsewhere, Abishai was intensely combative toward David’s enemies, especially Saul (1 Sam 26:6-9) and Saul’s kinsman Shimei (2 Sam 16:9-11). Abishai had saved David’s life during one of the Philistine wars (21:16-17). • Benaiah appeared first as the commander of the mercenaries who served as David’s bodyguard, independent of the regular army (8:18; 20:23). He was also the leader of a 24,000-man division of the regular army that served the king in the third month of every year (1 Chr 27:5-6). He played a major role in Solomon’s ascension to the throne (1 Kgs 1:32-49) and became the commander of Solomon’s army, as Joab was for…”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Abishai: Sa2 2:18, Sa2 3:30, Sa2 10:10, Sa2 10:14, Sa2 18:2, Sa2 20:10; Sa1 26:6-8; Ch1 2:16, Ch1 11:20, Ch1 11:21 and slew them: Heb. slain 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 23:19”
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Related study paths

Read 2 Samuel 23 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification