Lexical Summary Tseruyah: Zeruiah Original Word: צְרוּיָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Zeruiah Feminine passive participle from the same as tsriy; wounded; Tserujah, an Israelitess -- Zeruiah. see HEBREW tsriy NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as tsori Definition an Isr. woman NASB Translation Zeruiah (26). Brown-Driver-Briggs צְרוּיָה proper name, feminine Σαρουια: mother of Abishai, Joab and Asahel; — ׳צ 1 Samuel 26:6 +, צְרֻיָה 2 Samuel 14:1; 2 Samuel 16:10; 2 Samuel 23:37; — according to 1 Chronicles 2:16 a she was David's sister; called אֵם יוֺאָב 2 Samuel 17:25; elsewhere after construct בֶּןֿ (בְּנֵי): ׳בֶּןצֿ of Abishai 1 Samuel 26:6; 2 Samuel 16:9; 2 Samuel 18:2; 2 Samuel 19:22; 2 Samuel 21:17; 1 Chronicles 18:12; of Joab 2 Samuel 2:13; 2 Samuel 8:16 = 1 Chronicles 18:15; 2 Samuel 14:1; 2 Samuel 23:18 and 2 Samuel 23:37 = 1 Chronicles 11:39; 1 Kings 1:7; 1 Kings 2:5,22; 1 Chronicles 11:6; 1 Chronicles 26:28; 1 Chronicles 27:24; plural of all three 2 Samuel 2:18; 1 Chronicles 2:16; Abishai and Joab 2 Samuel 3:39; 2 Samuel 16:10; 2 Samuel 19:23. Topical Lexicon Identity and Genealogy Zeruiah appears exclusively in the historical books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles. She is the sister of David (1 Chronicles 2:16–17) and the mother of three of his most prominent field commanders—Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Nothing is said of her husband, but Scripture repeatedly identifies her sons by her name (“son of Zeruiah”) rather than by their father’s, underscoring her personal prominence in the narrative. Distribution of References (approximately twenty-six) Zeruiah’s name is found once in 1 Samuel, eighteen times in 2 Samuel, three times in 1 Kings, and four times in 1 Chronicles. Every occurrence is tied to her sons’ exploits or David’s interaction with them. Zeruiah and David’s Family Network The books of Samuel frequently contrast David’s gracious leadership with the forceful instincts of the “sons of Zeruiah.” David’s repeated phrase, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah?” (2 Samuel 16:10; 2 Samuel 19:22), signals an ongoing tension between royal mercy and raw military pragmatism. Zeruiah’s household, therefore, becomes a literary foil highlighting David’s commitment to covenant principles over personal vengeance. Military Influence through Her Sons 1. Asahel’s swiftness and death (2 Samuel 2:18–23) introduce the hard realities of civil war. Through these men, Zeruiah’s line shapes nearly every military decision of David’s reign. They rescue the king (2 Samuel 21:17), command divisions (2 Samuel 18:2), and quash rebellions (2 Samuel 20:7–22). Key Narrative Moments • 2 Samuel 3:39 – David laments that Joab and Abishai are “too strong” for him after Joab murders Abner. Each scene stresses the tension between David’s covenant faithfulness and the sons of Zeruiah’s warrior code—a tension traced back to their maternal line. Theological Reflections 1. Covenant versus Expediency: Zeruiah’s sons often seek immediate justice; David models dependence on the Lord’s timing. Legacy Zeruiah herself never speaks, yet her name endures as a marker of both valor and volatility. By attaching the military history of Israel’s golden age to a maternal figure, Scripture affirms women’s indirect but potent impact on redemptive history. For students of the Word, Zeruiah’s account urges vigilance over the impulses we bequeath to the next generation and confidence that God’s purposes prevail even through imperfect human instruments. Forms and Transliterations צְרֻיָ֑ה צְרֻיָֽה׃ צְרוּיָ֑ה צְרוּיָ֔ה צְרוּיָ֖ה צְרוּיָ֗ה צְרוּיָ֜ה צְרוּיָ֣ה צְרוּיָֽה׃ צְרוּיָה֙ צרויה צרויה׃ צריה צריה׃ ṣə·ru·yāh ṣə·rū·yāh ṣəruyāh ṣərūyāh tzeruYahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Samuel 26:6 HEB: אֲבִישַׁ֨י בֶּן־ צְרוּיָ֜ה אֲחִ֤י יוֹאָב֙ NAS: the son of Zeruiah, Joab's KJV: the son of Zeruiah, brother INT: Abishai the son of Zeruiah brother Joab's 2 Samuel 2:13 2 Samuel 2:18 2 Samuel 3:39 2 Samuel 8:16 2 Samuel 14:1 2 Samuel 16:9 2 Samuel 16:10 2 Samuel 17:25 2 Samuel 18:2 2 Samuel 19:21 2 Samuel 19:22 2 Samuel 21:17 2 Samuel 23:18 2 Samuel 23:37 1 Kings 1:7 1 Kings 2:5 1 Kings 2:22 1 Chronicles 2:16 1 Chronicles 2:16 1 Chronicles 11:6 1 Chronicles 11:39 1 Chronicles 18:12 1 Chronicles 18:15 1 Chronicles 26:28 26 Occurrences |
    |