About
Abishai was King David’s nephew and Joab and Asahel’s brother (1 Chronicles 2:16). He was one of David’s Mighty Men and a commander of David’s troops (2 Samuel 10:10, 18:2, 23:18).
Backstory
Abishai was a brave young man who distinguished himself early by volunteering to accompany David on a reconnaissance mission to Saul’s camp (1 Samuel 26). On that same trip, he showed how impulsive he could be. when he saw Saul, he quickly proclaimed that God had created the opportunity and asked David if he could strike him down. David brought things back into perspective by reminding Abishai of Saul’s position and saying God himself would remove him if he chose to.
Later, Abishai offered to cut off the head of a Shimei, a man who was cursing David as he fled Jerusalem after Absalom’s takeover (2 Samuel 16:9-11, 19:21-23). Again, David stopped him and renounced his behavior.
Abishai was with Joab when he pursued and killed Abner (2 Samuel 3:26-30) and may have been with him later when he killed Amasa (2 Samuel 20:6-10).
David counted on Abishai for certain missions and he rescued David in battle. In fact, he once struck down 18,000 enemy combatants in battle (1 Chronicles 18:12). Abishai also saved his life when he went out to fight his last in-person battle against the Philistines (2 Samuel 21:17).
But David could not trust him completely because, as hard as he worked and as much talent as he had, he did not share David’s vision or ethos.