Bible Strands
1 Chronicles 2:16
Their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. And the three sons of Zeruiah were Abishai, Joab, and Asahel.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Chronicler compiles a genealogy of Jesse’s family, listing David’s sisters and specifying Zeruiah as the mother of three named sons.
The words — צְרוּיָ֣ה (tze.ru.Yah) identifies Zeruiah, and וּ/בְנֵ֣י (u./ve.Nei) literally translates “and the sons of,” immediately preceding the names Abishai, Joab, and Asahel.
The thread — This lineage is repeated in 1 Samuel 26:6, 2 Samuel 2:18, and 2 Samuel 3:39, where the same three men are consistently identified as Zeruiah’s offspring.
Why it lands — The passage records a biological and social connection, requiring the reader to trace how David’s kinship network later intersects with military command and court conflict.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Whose sisters were Zeruiah, and Abigail. And the sons of Zeruiah; Abishai, and Joab, and Asahel, three.
Cross-references
- 1 Samuel 26:6 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.
- 2 Samuel 2:18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was fleet of foot like a wild gazelle,
- 2 Samuel 3:39 And I am weak this day, though anointed as king, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too fierce for me. May the LORD repay the evildoer according to his evil!”
- 2 Samuel 16:9 Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head!”
- 2 Samuel 19:22 And David replied, “Sons of Zeruiah, what have I to do with you, that you should be my adversaries today? Should any man be put to death in Israel today? Am I not indeed aware that today I am king over Israel?”