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II Samuel 20:6

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And David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lord’s servants and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and elude us.”

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Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.

Matthew Henry Bible Commentaryv. 6

How do the clouds return after the rain! No sooner is one of David's troubles over than another arises, as it were out of the ashes of the former, wherein the threatening is fulfilled, that the sword should never depart from his house. I. Before he reaches Jerusalem a new rebellion is raised by Sheba (Sa2 20:1, Sa2 20:2). II. His first work, when he comes to Jerusalem, is to condemn his concubines to perpetual imprisonment (Sa2 20:3). III. Amass, whom he entrusts to raise an army against Sheba, is too slow in his motions, which puts him into a fright (Sa2 20:4-6). IV. One of his generals barbarously murders the other, when they are taking the field (Sa2 20:7-13). V. Sheba is at length shut up in the city of Abel (Sa2 20:14, Sa2 20:15), but the citizens deliver him up to Joab, and so his rebellion is crushed (Sa2 20:16-22). The chapter concludes with a short account of David's great officers (Sa2 20:23-26).

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Original language

The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).

Strong's Concordancev. 6

דָּוִד (Dâvid, H1732) — David, the youngest son of Jesse אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) אֲבִישַׁי (ʼĂbîyshay, H52) — Abishai, an Israelite שֶׁבַע (shebaʻ, H7652) — Sheba, the name of a place in Palestine, and of two Israelites בֵּן (bên, H1121) — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative… בִּכְרִי (Bikrîy, H1075) — Bikri, an Israelite יָרַע (yâraʻ, H3415) — properly, to be broken up (with any violent action) i.e. (figuratively) to fear אֲבִישָׁלוֹם (ʼĂbîyshâlôwm, H53) — Abshalom, a son of David; also (the fuller form) a later Israelite לָקַח (lâqach, H3947) — to take (in the widest variety of applications) אָדוֹן (ʼâdôwn, H113) — sovereign, i.e. controller (human or divine) עֶבֶד (ʻebed, H5650) — a servant רָדַף (râdaph, H7291) — to run after (usually with hostile intent; figuratively (of time) gone by) אַחַר (ʼachar, H310) — properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various… מָצָא (mâtsâʼ, H4672) — properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or…

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Cross-references

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II Samuel 11:11rank 4

Uriah answered, “The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my master Joab and his soldiers are camped in the open field. How can I go to my house to eat and drink and sleep with my wife? As surely as you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do such a thing!”

I Kings 1:33rank 4

“Take my servants with you,” said the king. “Set my son Solomon on my own mule and take him down to Gihon.

II Samuel 21:17rank 4

But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid, struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, “You must never again go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel may not be extinguished.”

II Samuel 23:18rank 2

Now Abishai, the brother of Joab and son of Zeruiah, was chief of the Three, and he lifted his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name along with the Three.

II Samuel 2:18rank 2

The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was fleet of foot like a wild gazelle,

II Samuel 19:7rank 2

Now therefore get up! Go out and speak comfort to your servants, for I swear by the LORD that if you do not go out, not a man will remain with you tonight. This will be worse for you than all the adversity that has befallen you from your youth until now!”

II Samuel 10:14rank 2

When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they too fled before Abishai, and they entered the city. So Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.

I Chronicles 11:20rank 2

Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the Three, and he lifted his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name along with the Three.

I Samuel 26:6rank 2

And David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, “Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?” “I will go with you,” answered Abishai.

II Samuel 3:30rank 2

(Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.)

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