2 Samuel 23:18 — Compare Translations

27 translations compared side by side

English (YLT) 1898 Young's Literal Translation by Robert Young

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.

English 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.

English Amplified

Now Abishai the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three. He wielded his spear against 300 men and slew them, and won a name beside the Three.

English Amplified Classic Bible 1987

Now Abishai the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three. He wielded his spear against 300 men and slew them, and won a name beside the Three.

English Berean Standard Bible (BSB) 2025

Now Abishai, the brother of Joab and son of Zeruiah, was chief of the Three, and he lifted his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name along with the Three.

English CSB 2017 - Christian Standard Bible

Abishai, Joab’s brother and son of Zeruiah, was leader of the Three. He wielded his spear against three hundred men and killed them, gaining a reputation among the Three.

English Darby 1890 : Public Domain

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.

English EASY 2024

Abishai was the leader of David's 30 great soldiers. He was the brother of Zeruiah's son Joab. One time, he used his spear to fight 300 men and he killed them all. So he became as famous as the ‘Three Brave Soldiers’.

English ERV 2006 - Only For Website

Abishai was the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah. Abishai was the leader of the Three Heroes. Abishai used his spear against 300 enemies and killed them. He became as famous as the Three.

Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty. And he wielded his spear against three hundred men and killed them and won a name beside the three.

English GNT (Good News Translation)

Joab's brother Abishai (their mother was Zeruiah) was the leader of “The Famous Thirty.” He fought with his spear against three hundred men and killed them, and became famous among “The Thirty.”

English God's Word - GW 1995

Joab's brother Abishai, Zeruiah's son, was the leader of the thirty. He used his spear to kill 300 men. He was as famous as the three

English HCSB 2004 - Copyrighted Only For Website

Abishai, Joab's brother and son of Zeruiah, was leader of the Three. He raised his spear against 300 [men] and killed them, gaining a reputation among the Three.

English KJV 1611

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.

English LSB

Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty. And he swung his spear against three hundred who were slain by him; and he had a name as well as the three.

English MEV 2014 (Modern English Version)

Now Abishai, the brother of Joab and son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty. He wielded his spear against three hundred men and killed them, and won a name beside the three.

English NASB (New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995)

Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty. And he swung his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name as well as the three.

English NASU 1989 - New American Standard Update - Only for Website

Abishai, brother of Joab, son of Zeruiah, was at the head of the Thirty. It was he who brandished his spear over three hundred slain. He was listed among the Thirty

English NET Bible - 2005 (New English Translation)

Abishai son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, was head of the three. He killed three hundred men with his spear and gained fame among the three.

English NIRV 1996 - Copyrighted only for Website

Abishai was chief over the Three. He was the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah. He used his spear against 300 men. He killed all of them. So he became as famous as the Three were.

English NIV

Abishai the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three. He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three.

English NKJ 1982

Now Abishai the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of another three. He lifted his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name among these three.

English NLT

Abishai son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, was the leader of the Thirty. He once used his spear to kill three hundred enemy warriors in a single battle. It was by such feats that he became as famous as the Three.

English NRSV 1989 - Only for website

Now Abishai son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, was chief of the Thirty. With his spear he fought against three hundred men and killed them, and won a name beside the Three.

English RSV (Revised Standard Version)

Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty. And he wielded his spear against three hundred men and slew them, and won a name beside the three.

English TL (The Living Bible) (1971)

Of those three men, Abishai, the brother of Joab (son of Zeruiah), was the greatest. Once he took on three hundred of the enemy single-handed and killed them all.

English Tyndale 1537

Then Abisai the brother of Joab, the son of Saruiah: he was a captain over the three, and he lifted up his spear against three hundredth and slew them, and was named with the three.