zeruiah Summary and Overview
Bible Dictionaries at a Glance
zeruiah in Easton's Bible Dictionary
stricken of the Lord, David's sister, and the mother of Abishai, Joab, and Asahel (1 Chr. 2:16), who were the three leading heroes of David's army, and being his nephews, they were admitted to the closest companionship with him.
zeruiah in Smith's Bible Dictionary
(balsam), the mother of the three leading heroes of David's army --Abishai, Joah and Asahel-- known as the "sons of Zeruiah." Of Zeruiah's husband there is no mention in the Bible. (B.C. before 1046.)
zeruiah in Schaff's Bible Dictionary
ZERUI'AH (cleft, wounded), a sister of David, and the mother of Joab. 1 Sam 26:6; 1 Chr 2:16.
zeruiah in Fausset's Bible Dictionary
Mother of Abishai (called so from Ishai = Jesse), Joab, and Asahel, "the sons of Zeruiah"; sister of Abigail and of the sons of Jesse (1 Chronicles 2:13-17). The father of her three sons is nowhere mentioned, because their more famous mother challenged the greater attention. Josephus preserves a tradition that he was named Souri (Ant. 7:1, Section 3). Nahash was father of Zeruiah and Abigail. (See NAHASH.) At his death their mother married Jesse, by whom she bore David (2 Samuel 17:25; 1 Chronicles 2:16). Therefore Zeruiah and Abigail are called "David's (half) sisters," but not Jesse's daughters.