Was he not more honored than the Three? And he became their commander, even though he was not included among the Three.
Parallel translations
- WEB Wasn’t he most honorable of the three? therefore he was made their captain. However he wasn’t included as one of the three.
- KJV Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three.
- NKJV Was he not the most honored of three? Therefore he became their captain. However, he did not attain to the first three.
- NASB He was the most honored among the thirty, so he became their commander; however, he did not attain to the reputation of the three.
- NLT Abishai was the most famous of the Thirty and was their commander, though he was not one of the Three.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Though most honored of his group and made their commander, Abishai did not rank among the elite three.
Overview
The text carefully distinguishes ranks of honor without diminishing Abishai's worth. This precision teaches that God assigns differing measures of gifting and recognition, and each servant is honored in his proper place within the whole.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Matt 13:8Still other seed fell on good soil and produced a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.
- Matt 13:23But the seed sown on good soil is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and produces a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.”
- 2 Sam 23:16So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to the LORD,
- 2 Sam 23:13At harvest time, three of the thirty chief men went down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a company of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.
- 1 Cor 15:41The sun has one degree of splendor, the moon another, and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.
- 1 Chr 11:25He was most honored among the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. And David appointed him over his guard.
- 2 Sam 23:9Next in command was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty men, he went with David to taunt the Philistines who had gathered for battle at Pas-dammim. The men of Israel retreated,
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Christ at the center
God's covenant with David — a son whose throne and kingdom would last forever (7:12–16) — finds its yes in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns without end.
How 2 Samuel 23:19 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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