^{17 Ref} And he said, Be it far from me, O Jehovah, that I should do this: `shall I drink' the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.

^{18 Ref} 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.

^{19 Ref} Was he not most honorable of the three? therefore he was made their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the `first' three.