H6870 H6870
Zeruiah — David's sister (or half-sister), mother of the warriors Joab, Abishai, and Asahel
Tseruyah is known almost entirely through her famous sons: Joab, David's ruthless general; Abishai, the loyal bodyguard; and Asahel, the fleet-footed warrior slain by Abner. Her 26 occurrences appear overwhelmingly in the construct phrase 'son(s) of Zeruiah,' functioning nearly as a patronymic — unusual in a patrilineal culture, which may suggest her husband was obscure or deceased. According to 1 Chronicles 2:16 she was David's sister, making her sons the king's nephews, a kinship that gave them privileged access to power yet also made their violent independence a constant political headache. David's exasperated cry 'What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah?' (2 Sam 16:10; 19:22) has become proverbial for the tension between royal authority and uncontrollable kinsmen. Spanish renders the name 'Sarvia,' French 'Tseruja,' and German 'Zeruja.'
Senses
1. Zeruiah — A Hebrew proper name designating the mother of Joab, Abishai, and Asahel, and sister of David (1 Chr 2:16). Nearly all 26 occurrences use the construct 'son(s) of Zeruiah' as a virtual patronymic — the maternal identification being unusual and possibly hinting at an absent or unknown father. The phrase colors the Davidic narrative with a recurrent motif of fierce loyalty mixed with insubordination (2 Sam 2:13, 18; 3:39; 16:10; 19:22). The LXX renders her name Sarouia. 26×
AR["صَرويَة", "صَرويَةَ", "صَروُيَةَ", "صَروِيَة", "صَرُويَةَ"]·ben["সরূয়া", "সরূয়ার", "সরূয়ার।"]·DE["Tseruyah", "Zeruiah", "Zeruja"]·EN["Tseruyah", "Zeruiah"]·FR["Tseruja", "[צרויה]"]·heb["צרויה"]·HI["सरूयाह", "सरूयाह-का", "सरूयाह-की", "सरूयाह-के"]·ID["Zeruya"]·IT["Tseruia", "Tseruyah", "Zeruiah"]·jav["Sèruya", "Séruya", "Zeruya", "Zéruya"]·KO["스루야", "스루야의"]·PT["Tseruyah", "Tzeruyah"]·RU["-Церуйи", "Авшай", "Саруи", "Церуи", "Церуйи", "и-Авигаиль"]·ES["Sarvia", "Seruya", "Tseruya", "Tseruyah", "Tseruyá"]·SW["Seruya", "wa-Seruya", "wa-majeshi"]·TR["Tseruya", "Tseruya'nın"]·urd["صرویاہ-کا", "صرویاہ-کی", "صرویاہ-کے", "صرویہ", "صرویہ-کا", "صرویہ-کے", "ضرویاہ-کا", "ضرویاہ-کے"]
1 Sam 26:6, 2 Sam 2:13, 2 Sam 2:18, 2 Sam 3:39, 2 Sam 8:16, 2 Sam 14:1, 2 Sam 16:9, 2 Sam 16:10, 2 Sam 17:25, 2 Sam 18:2, 2 Sam 19:21, 2 Sam 19:22 (+14 more)
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† צְרוּיָה n.pr.f. Σαρουια: mother of Abishai, Joab and Asahel;—צ׳ 1 S 26:6 +, צְרֻיָה 2 S 14:1; 16:10; 23:37;—according to 1 Ch 2:16 a she was David’s sister; called אֵם יוֹאָב 2 S 17:25; elsewhere after cstr. בֶּן־ (בְּנֵי): בֶּן־צ׳ of Abishai 1 S 26:6; 2 S 16:9; 18:2; 19:22; 21:17; 1 Ch 18:12; of Joab 2 S 2:13; 8:16 = 1 Ch 18:15; 2 S 14:1; 23:18 and v 37 = 1 Ch 11:39; 1 K 1:7; 2:5, 22; 1 Ch 11:6; 26:28; 27:24; pl. of all three 2 S 2:18; 1 Ch 2:16; Abishai and Joab 2 S 3:39; 16:10; 19:23.