Zeruiah
Encyclopedia
Zeruiah (צרויה, sometime transliterated Tzruya or Zeruya), daughter of King Nahash (2 Samuel 17:25) and stepdaughter of Jesse
of the Tribe of Judah, was an older sister of King David
. Zeruiah had three sons, Abishai
, Joab
, and Asahel
, all of whom were soldiers in David's army.
Very little is told of her. However, her sons are invariably mentioned with the matronymic
"son of Zeruiah", in marked contrast to most other Biblical characters (and people in many other cultures) who are known by a patronymic
. This seems to indicate that she was an exceptionally strong or important woman, though the specific circumstances are not given.
Her name is used - though not very frequently - as a female given name in contemporary Israel (see Tzruya Lahav, Zeruya Shalev
).
Jesse
Jesse, Eshai or Yishai, is the father of the David, who became the king of the Israelites. His son David is sometimes called simply "Son of Jesse" ....
of the Tribe of Judah, was an older sister of King David
David
David was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible and, according to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, an ancestor of Jesus Christ through both Saint Joseph and Mary...
. Zeruiah had three sons, Abishai
Abishai (Bible)
Abishai was the eldest son of Zeruiah, sister of the Biblical King David. His name means father of a gift. He was the brother of Joab and Asahel , and a military leader under David....
, Joab
Joab
Joab the son of Zeruiah, was the nephew of King David and the commander of his army, according to the Hebrew Bible.- Name :...
, and Asahel
Asahel
Asahel was the youngest son of Zeruiah, daughter of Jesse. The name means "Made by God." Asahel was the nephew of King David, as well as the younger brother of both Abishai, David's General, and of Joab...
, all of whom were soldiers in David's army.
Very little is told of her. However, her sons are invariably mentioned with the matronymic
Matronymic
A matronymic is a personal name based on the name of one's mother, grandmother, or any female ancestor. It is the female equivalent of a patronymic. In patriarchal societies, matronymic surnames are far less common than patronyms. In the past, matronymic last names were often given to children of...
"son of Zeruiah", in marked contrast to most other Biblical characters (and people in many other cultures) who are known by a patronymic
Patronymic
A patronym, or patronymic, is a component of a personal name based on the name of one's father, grandfather or an even earlier male ancestor. A component of a name based on the name of one's mother or a female ancestor is a matronymic. Each is a means of conveying lineage.In many areas patronyms...
. This seems to indicate that she was an exceptionally strong or important woman, though the specific circumstances are not given.
Her name is used - though not very frequently - as a female given name in contemporary Israel (see Tzruya Lahav, Zeruya Shalev
Zeruya Shalev
Zeruya Shalev is a bestselling Israeli author.Zeruya Shalev was born on Kibbutz Kinneret. She has an MA in Bible studies and works as a literary editor at Keshet publishing house...
).