The Meaning of 2 Samuel 23:18 Explained

2 Samuel 23:18

KJV: And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three.

YLT: And Abishai brother of Joab, son of Zeruiah, he is head of three, and he is lifting up his spear against three hundred -- wounded, and he hath a name among three.

Darby: And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was the chief of three; and he brandished his spear against three hundred and slew them; and he had a name among the three.

ASV: And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred and slew them, and had a name among the three.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Abishai,  the brother  of Joab,  the son  of Zeruiah,  was chief  among three.  And he lifted up  his spear  against three  hundred,  [and] slew  [them], and had the name  among three. 

What does 2 Samuel 23:18 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 23:18-39 - Men With A Record
What marvels may be wrought by the inspiration of a single life! We remember the hour when an unknown youth stepped out of the affrighted hosts of Israel to face Goliath. Alone, so far as human help went, David encountered and defeated that terrible antagonist; but after some fourteen or fifteen years had run their course, he no longer stood alone. Scores of heroes, animated by his spirit and exercising his faith, stepped forth on the new path which he had opened.
Thus the lives of great men light up and inspire the lives of others. They mold their contemporaries. Wesley's career has raised a great army of preachers and evangelists. The enthusiasm of a Brainerd, a Finney, a Moody, has stirred tens of thousands with kindred passion for the souls of men. The companions of our Lord became His Apostles (His missionaries). His own life of sacrifice for men has become the beacon-fire which has summoned myriads from the sloth and indulgence of the valleys to the surrender, the self-denial, the anguish of His Cross, if only they might be permitted to follow in His steps. Is there anything in our lives that is inspiring others? [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 23

1  David, in his last words, professes his faith in God's promises
6  The different state of the wicked
8  A catalogue of David's mighty men

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 23:18 mean?

Now Abishai the brother of Joab the son of Zeruiah was chief of three [another] three And He lifted - his spear against three hundred [men] killed [them] and won a name among [these] three
וַאֲבִישַׁ֞י אֲחִ֣י ׀ יוֹאָ֣ב בֶּן־ צְרוּיָ֗ה ה֚וּא רֹ֣אשׁ [השלשי] (הַשְּׁלֹשָׁ֔ה) וְהוּא֙ עוֹרֵ֣ר אֶת־ חֲנִית֔וֹ עַל־ שְׁלֹ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת חָלָ֑ל וְלוֹ־ שֵׁ֖ם בַּשְּׁלֹשָֽׁה

וַאֲבִישַׁ֞י  Now  Abishai 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִישַׁי 
Sense: grandson of Jesse, nephew of David via his sister Zeruiah, brother of Joab.
אֲחִ֣י ׀  the  brother 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
יוֹאָ֣ב  of  Joab 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄואָב  
Sense: son of David’s sister Zeruiah and general of David’s army.
בֶּן־  the  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
צְרוּיָ֗ה  of  Zeruiah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: צְרוּיָה  
Sense: sister of David and mother of the 3 leading heroes of David’s army—Abishai, Joab, and Asahel.
רֹ֣אשׁ  chief 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
[השלשי]  of  three 
Parse: Article, Number, ordinal masculine singular
(הַשְּׁלֹשָׁ֔ה)  [another]  three 
Parse: Article, Number, masculine singular
Root: שְׁלִישִׁי 
Sense: third, one third, third part, third time.
וְהוּא֙  And  He 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
עוֹרֵ֣ר  lifted 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עוּר 
Sense: to rouse oneself, awake, awaken, incite.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
חֲנִית֔וֹ  his  spear 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֲנִית  
Sense: spear.
עַל־  against 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
שְׁלֹ֥שׁ  three 
Parse: Number, feminine singular construct
Root: מִשְׁלֹשׁ 
Sense: three, triad.
מֵא֖וֹת  hundred  [men] 
Parse: Number, feminine plural
Root: מֵאָה 
Sense: hundred.
חָלָ֑ל  killed  [them] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חָלָל 
Sense: slain, fatally wounded, pierced.
וְלוֹ־  and  won 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, third person masculine singular
שֵׁ֖ם  a  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
בַּשְּׁלֹשָֽׁה  among  [these]  three 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Number, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁלֹשׁ 
Sense: three, triad.