2 Samuel 23:18

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

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.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַאֲבִישַׁ֞י אֲחִ֣י ׀ יוֹאָ֣ב בֶּן־צְרוּיָ֗ה ה֚וּא רֹ֣אשׁ *השלשי **הַשְּׁלֹשָׁ֔ה וְהוּא֙ עוֹרֵ֣ר אֶת־חֲנִית֔וֹ עַל־שְׁלֹ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת חָלָ֑ל וְלוֹ־שֵׁ֖ם בַּשְּׁלֹשָֽׁה

Transliteration

And ʾĂḇîšay ʾăḥî Yôʾāḇ ben-Ṣərûyāh, he was rōʾš haššəlōšāh; and he ʿôrēr ʾeṯ-ḥănîṯô against three mēʾôṯ ḥālāl, and to him a šēm in the šəlōšāh

Grammar Details

*wa-*: conjunction - and
*ʾĂḇîšay*: proper noun - Abishai
*ʾăḥî*: noun, masculine singular construct - brother of
*Yôʾāḇ*: proper noun - Joab
*ben*: noun, masculine singular construct - son of
*Ṣərûyāh*: proper noun - Zeruiah
*hûʾ*: pronoun, 3rd person masculine singular - he
*rōʾš*: noun, masculine singular construct - head/chief of
*ha-*: definite article - the
*šəlōšāh*: number - three
*wə-*: conjunction - and
*ʿôrēr*: polel perfect, 3rd person masculine singular - he brandished
*ʾeṯ*: direct object marker
*ḥănîṯô*: noun, feminine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix - his spear
*ʿal*: preposition - against
*šəlōš*: number - three
*mēʾôṯ*: noun, feminine plural - hundreds
*ḥālāl*: noun, masculine singular - slain
*lô*: preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix - to him
*šēm*: noun, masculine singular - name
*ba-*: preposition + definite article - in the

Word Meanings

*rōʾš*: head/chief/commander of
*ʿôrēr*: brandished/lifted/wielded
*ḥānîṯ*: spear/javelin/lance
*ḥālāl*: slain/killed/wounded
*šēm*: name/reputation/renown

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

2 Sam 10:10 : 10 And the rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother; and he put them in array against the children of Ammon.
2 Sam 10:14 : 14 And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, and entered into the city. Then Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.
2 Sam 18:2 : 2 And David sent forth the people, a third part under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also.
1 Chr 11:20-21 : 20 And Abishai, the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three; for he lifted up his spear against three hundred and slew them, and had a name among the three. 21 Of the three, he was more honorable than the two, and was made their captain: howbeit he attained not to the [first] three.
1 Sam 26:6-8 : 6 Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee. 7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the place of the wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people lay round about him. 8 Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered up thine enemy into thy hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not smite him the second time.
2 Sam 2:18 : 18 And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.
2 Sam 3:30 : 30 So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.
2 Sam 20:10 : 10 But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab's hand: so he smote him therewith in the body, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. And Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.
1 Chr 2:16 : 16 and their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. And the sons of Zeruiah: Abishai, and Joab, and Asahel, three.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

1 Chr 11:19-21
3 verses
96%
19and said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this: shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? for with [the jeopardy of] their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.
20And Abishai, the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three; for he lifted up his spear against three hundred and slew them, and had a name among the three.
21Of the three, he was more honorable than the two, and was made their captain: howbeit he attained not to the [first] three.
2 Sam 23:19
82%
19Was he not most honorable of the three? therefore he was made their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the [first] three.
1 Chr 11:11
81%
11And this is the number of the mighty men whom David had: Jashobeam, the son of a Hachmonite, the chief of the thirty; he lifted up his spear against three hundred and slew them at one time.
2 Sam 3:29-30
2 verses
78%
29let it fall upon the head of Joab, and upon all his father's house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth by the sword, or that lacketh bread.
30So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.
2 Sam 23:21-24
4 verses
77%
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.
22These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had a name among the three mighty men.
23He was more honorable than the thirty, but he attained not to the [first] three. And David set him over his guard.
24Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem,
1 Chr 11:23-25
3 verses
75%
23And he slew an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high; and in the Egyptian's hand was a spear like a weaver's beam; and 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.
24These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had a name among the three mighty men.
25Behold, he was more honorable than the thirty, but he attained not to the [first] three: and David set him over his guard.
2 Sam 2:31
74%
31But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, so that three hundred and threescore men died.
2 Sam 18:14-15
2 verses
73%
14Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.
15And ten young men that bare Joab's armor compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.
2 Sam 23:16-17
2 verses
73%
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.
1 Sam 26:6-8
3 verses
73%
6Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee.
7So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the place of the wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people lay round about him.
8Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered up thine enemy into thy hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not smite him the second time.
1 Chr 18:12
72%
12Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah smote of the Edomites in the Valley of Salt eighteen thousand.
1 Chr 2:16
72%
16and their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. And the sons of Zeruiah: Abishai, and Joab, and Asahel, three.
2 Sam 21:16-17
2 verses
72%
16and Ishbibenob, who was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear was three hundred [shekels] of brass in weight, he being girded with a new [sword], thought to have slain David.
17But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succored him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the lamp of Israel.
1 Sam 17:13
72%
13And the three eldest sons of Jesse had gone after Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the first-born, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.
2 Sam 18:2
72%
2And David sent forth the people, a third part under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also.
1 Chr 12:3
71%
3The chief was Ahiezer; then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite, and Jeziel, and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth, and Beracah, and Jehu the Anathothite,
1 Kgs 2:32
70%
32And Jehovah will return his blood upon his own head, because he fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, and my father David knew it not, [to wit], Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.
2 Sam 2:17-18
2 verses
70%
17And the battle was very sore that day: and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.
18And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.
2 Sam 23:8
70%
8These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite, against eight hundred slain at one time.
1 Chr 12:9
70%
9Ezer the chief, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,
2 Sam 21:21
69%
21And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimei, David's brother, slew him.
2 Sam 3:27
69%
27And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there in the body, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.
1 Chr 20:7
69%
7And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea David's brother slew him.
2 Sam 23:13
69%
13And three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.
1 Chr 12:29
69%
29And of the children of Benjamin, the brethren of Saul, three thousand: for hitherto the greatest part of them had kept their allegiance to the house of Saul.
2 Sam 3:6
69%
6And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong in the house of Saul.
2 Sam 16:9
69%
9Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.
2 Sam 2:15
69%
15Then they arose and went over by number: twelve for Benjamin, and for Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.
2 Sam 1:15
68%
15And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him, so that he died.
2 Sam 23:31
68%
31Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
1 Sam 17:57
68%
57And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.
2 Sam 18:12
68%
12And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand [pieces of] silver in my hand, yet would I not put forth my hand against the king's son; for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.
2 Sam 20:11
68%
11And there stood by him one of Joab's young men, and said, He that favoreth Joab, and he that is for David, let him follow Joab.
1 Chr 19:11
68%
11And the rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother; and they put themselves in array against the children of Ammon.
2 Sam 3:38
68%
38And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?
2 Sam 3:9
68%
9God do so to Abner, and more also, if, as Jehovah hath sworn to David, I do not even so to him;