Abishai
Theme:
Bravery vs bravado
Business Application:
Using wisdom to moderate our drive
Who he was:
King David’s nephew and Joab and Asahel’s brother. He was one of the “Mighty Men” and a commander of troops.
Why his story matters:
Abishai demonstrates how the same traits of a brave warrior can turn to impulsive destruction when they aren’t well regulated.
What we can learn from him:
Abishai shows us that just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. Abishai’s bravery made him an outstanding leader in battle. But that same capability led him to make mistakes and get off mission. Like Abishai, we may have a bias toward action, which is a strength. However, we need to keep it in check to avoid unintended consequences.
Where we see his archetype today:
We see Abishai in leaders whose ego causes them to circumvent checks and balances. They may rush to market to beat the competition, but skip the market validation process. Or they may ride on the energy of past successes to overextend themselves or their business.
How we can learn more about him:
Abishai is introduced in 1 Chronicles 2:16 and referenced in 2 Samuel 10:10, 18:2 and 23:18. His military victories are found in 1 Chronicles 18:12 and 2 Samuel 21:17. He is spotlighted in 1 Samuel 26 when he accompanied David on a reconnaissance mission.
When David was exiled and later returned to Jerusalem, Abishai offered to cut off the head of man who cursed the king (2 Samuel 16:9-11; 19:21-23). Abishai was with Joab when he pursued and killed Abner (2 Samuel 3:26-30) and may have been with him later when he killed Amasa (2 Samuel 20:6-10).