Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Three - “The three” 2 Samuel 23:22. It was Abishai‘s prowess on this occasion that raised him to be chief of this triad.

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible

THE PROMINENCE OF ABISHAI; JOAB'S BROTHER

"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 slew them, and won a name besides the three. He was the most renowned of the thirty; but he did not attain to the three."

Abishai was indeed a great soldier for David. He accompanied David into Saul's camp when David took Saul's spear; he once saved David's life, and he was ready to Execute Shimei if David had allowed it.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among the three,.... Another triumvirate, of which he was the head:

and he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them; Josephus^F5Antiqu. l. 7. c. 12. sect. 4. says six hundred; this seems to confirm the reading of 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 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.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

2 Samuel 23:18 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.

Ver. 18. Against three hundred.] Josephus saith six hundred; but he is out in this count, as he is oft, seeking the honour of his nation.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

He fought with and killed three hundred men in one battle.

Had the name among the three, i.e. was the most famous and eminent among them.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

18.Chief among three — Rather, a chief among the captains, as the same words are rendered in 2 Samuel 23:8. All the thirty-seven mentioned in this chapter were chiefs of distinguished rank.

Lifted up his spear against three hundred — His great feat resembled that of Jashobeam, though it was not so celebrated.

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

Three. Septuagint (Alexandrian) and Josephus read "six hundred," (Haydock) against all the rest.

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

Abishai. Mentioned in 2 Samuel 10:10, 2 Samuel 10:14; 2 Samuel 16:9; 2 Samuel 18:2; 2 Samuel 19:21, 1 Samuel 26:6-9.

was the [was].

among = of.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

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.

No JFB commentary on this verse.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(18) Among three.—The Hebrew margin has “the three,” and so also the text in the following clause. “The three” are the triad of heroes just mentioned, of whom Abishai was first, Benaiah second, with an unnamed third. A somewhat similar feat of daring is told of Abishai in 1 Samuel 26:6-12.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Abishai

2:18; 3:30; 10:10,14; 18:2; 20:10; 1 Samuel 26:6-8; 1 Chronicles 2:16; 11:20,21

and slew them

Heb. slain.