Abishai son of Zeruiah אֲבִישַׁי בֶּן־צְרוּיָה
Joab's brother; twice he asked leave to kill, and twice was held back
Son of Zeruiah, David's sister, and brother of Joab. A commander whose courage the text never questions: he was chief of the thirty and "won a name" (II Samuel 23:18).
Twice held back. In Saul's camp, by night, he says: "God has delivered your enemy into your hand today; let me pin him to the ground with the spear at one stroke, and I will not do it twice"—and hears: "Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the Lord's anointed and be guiltless?" (I Samuel 26:8–9). Years later, when Shimei son of Gera curses the fleeing king, Abishai says almost the same—"let me go over and take off his head"—and is refused again (II Samuel 16:9).
And once he saved. In the war with the Philistines, when David grew faint and Ishbi-benob thought to kill him, "Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his help and struck the Philistine down and killed him" (II Samuel 21:17). After that David's men swore he would go out with them to war no more.
On the timeline
Related
Sources
Tanakh
- Shmuel I 26:6–9 — the spear at Saul's head and David's refusal
- Shmuel II 21:15–17 — the rescue of David from Ishbi-benob
- Shmuel II 23:18 — chief of the thirty
Basis: stated in the Tanakh.