Abishai Abishai was a powerful and successful warrior and a leader in David’s army. He was David’s nephew, a son of David’s sister Zeruiah and the brother of Joab and Asahel (1 Chr 2:13-16). Abishai was completely devoted to David and quick to suggest violence against David’s enemies. When God allowed David and Abishai to penetrate Saul’s war camp while the troops were sleeping, Abishai wanted to assassinate Saul, but David restrained him. Later, when the revolt of Absalom required that David leave Jerusalem, the king was cursed by Shimei, a member of Saul’s family, and Abishai wanted to execute Shimei (2 Sam 16:5-9). David twice rejected that proposal (2 Sam 16:10-13; 19:18-23). The vengeful spirit of Abishai and his brothers also came out in an earlier conflict: After Saul’s general, Abner, killed Abishai’s brother Asahel in self-defense, Joab and Abishai took revenge by killing Abner (3:22-30). Abishai was brave and very capable. He once killed three hundred soldiers in a single battle. For this, he was made leader of the Thirty, a group of especially skillful warriors surpassed only by the Three (1 Chr 11:20-21). Abishai also won a major victory over the Edomites (1 Ch...

Absalom Absalom, son of David, was a handsome prince (2 Sam 14:25-26). When his sister Tamar was raped by their half brother Amnon and then discarded, Absalom took her in (13:1-20). He might have expected David to punish Amnon, but David said nothing (13:21). For two years of suppressed rage and growing hatred (13:22), Absalom plotted revenge. Then he murdered Amnon and fled to his grandfather, King Talmai of Geshur (13:23-39). After three years, Joab convinced David to bring Absalom back, but David neither punished him nor was reconciled to him. Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years with privilege and unresolved alienation. Then he insisted on seeing the king. The two met and made at least a show of reconciliation (14:28-33). But for Absalom, the meeting might have been a maneuver toward the throne. Afterward, he put on a public-relations campaign to undermine the people’s confidence in David (15:1-6). Eventually, Absalom’s underhanded tactics bore the fruit he had hoped for: He launched a coup and gathered supporters in Hebron from all over Israel. By the time news of Absalom’s conspiracy reached David, the king was unable to do anything but flee Jerusalem (15:13-37; see...