Abishai (Hebrew *Abīfai*)

ABISAI (Heb. Abīfai). - Nephew of David, son, like Joab, of his sister Sarvia. A faithful collaborator of his uncle, he accompanied him by night into the camp of the enemy Saul (I Sam. 26, 6-9), preserved him from the deadly blow of the heavy spear of the Philistine Jesbibenob (II Sam. 21, 15-17), and followed him in his flight from Jerusalem after Absalom’s coup. During the flight he was barely restrained from killing the Benjaminite Semei for the insults hurled at the king (ibid. 16, 9 ff.; 19, 21 ff.). For the boldness with which he rushed against and routed 300 enemies, he was included in the second triad of David’s heroes and deserved command of part of the Davidic army against the Ammonites (ibid. 10, 9-14), against Absalom (ibid. 18, 2 ff.), against Seba (ibid. 20, 6 ff.), and against the Idumeans (I Par. 18, 12). Because of Joab’s personal enmity toward Abner, he helped his brother eliminate the enemy general, who had already been reconciled with David (II Sam. 3, 30). Faustino Salvoni