Mother of Abishai (called so from Ishai = Jesse), Joab, and Asahel, "the sons of Zeruiah"; sister of Abigail and of the sons of Jesse (1 Chronicles 2:13-17). The father of her three sons is nowhere mentioned, because their more famous mother challenged the greater attention. Josephus preserves a tradition that he was named Souri (Ant. 7:1, Section 3). Nahash was father of Zeruiah and Abigail. (See NAHASH.) At his death their mother married Jesse, by whom she bore David (2 Samuel 17:25; 1 Chronicles 2:16). Therefore Zeruiah and Abigail are called "David's (half) sisters," but not Jesse's daughters.