Skip to content
mannafest.faith
Read

1 Kings 2:5

in 1 Kings 2

Moreover, you know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether, the two commanders of the armies of Israel. He killed them in peacetime to avenge the blood of war. He stained with the blood of war the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did unto me, even what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet.

KJV

Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet.

⋯

This verse in 1 Kings 2

Commentary

4 notes on this verse

A commentator

Ishodad of Merv

BOOKS OF SESSIONS 1 KINGS 2:5-6 · Written before 850.

on 1 Kings 2:5-6

[David] orders Solomon to punish [Joab], not out of viciousness or hatred for him but because he knew that he was wicked and that, if he had acted with hostility against him who was a mature man, he would act even worse against a young …

This site's exposition

Joab the son of Zeruiah

on 1 Kings 2:5-6

Joab the son of Zeruiah carries a weight the reader has watched build since 2 Samuel 3:39, where David called the sons of Zeruiah too hard for him even as king; the debt for Abner and Amasa comes due only now. Both captains were killed under a truce, the blood of war put on a belt and shoes worn in peace, and David leaves the settling of it to Solomon's own wisdom rather than acting himself. The charge names no method, only that Joab's hoar head not go down to the grave in peace, the same phrase used of Shimei two verses later.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

Magistrates are the avengers of the blood of those they have the charge of. It aggravated Joab's crime that he was neither ashamed of the sin nor afraid of the punishment, but daringly wore the girdle and shoes that were stained with innocent blood, in defiance of the justice both of God and the king.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
In his directions with respect to certain important persons, David, anxious for the security of his young successor’s kingdom, allows old animosities to revive, and is willing to avenge himself indirectly and by deputy, though he had been withheld by certain scruples from taking vengeance in his own person. We must not expect Gospel morality from the saints of the Old Testament. They were only the best men of their several ages and nations.

The words behind it

36 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וְגַ֣םand also

    vegamH1571 →769 times

  • אַתָּ֣הyou

    ʾatahH859 →1094 times

  • יָדַ֡עְתָּyou know

    yada'taH3045 →945 times

  • אֵת֩<obj.>

    ʾetH853 →10935 times

  • אֲשֶׁר־[that] which

    ʾasher-H834 →5497 times

  • עָ֨שָׂהhe did

    ʾasahH6213 →2628 times

  • לִ֜יto me

    li

  • יוֹאָ֣בJoab

    yoavH3097 →144 times

  • בֶּן־[the] son of

    ben-H1121 →4930 times

  • צְרוּיָ֗הZeruiah

    tzeruyahH6870 →26 times

  • אֲשֶׁ֣ר[that] which

    ʾasherH834 →5497 times

  • עָשָׂ֣הhe did

    ʾasahH6213 →2628 times

  • לִשְׁנֵֽי־to [the] two

    lishnei-H8147 →768 times

  • שָׂרֵ֣י[the] commanders of

    sareiH8269 →421 times

  • צִבְא֣וֹת[the] armies of

    tzivotH6635 →485 times

  • יִ֠שְׂרָאֵלIsrael

    yisraelH3478 →2507 times

  • לְאַבְנֵ֨רto Abner

    leavnerH74 →

  • בֶּן־[the] son of

    ben-H1121 →4930 times

  • נֵ֜רNer

    nerH5369 →

  • וְלַעֲמָשָׂ֤אand to Amasa

    velaamasa'H6021 →

  • בֶן־[the] son of

    ven-H1121 →4930 times

  • יֶ֙תֶר֙Jether

    yeterH3500 →

  • וַיַּ֣הַרְגֵ֔םand he killed them

    vaiyahargemH2026 →167 times

  • וַיָּ֥שֶׂםand he put

    vaiyasemH7760 →584 times

  • דְּמֵֽי־blood<s> of

    demei-H1818 →360 times

  • מִלְחָמָ֖הwar

    milchamahH4421 →320 times

  • בְּשָׁלֹ֑םin peace

    beshalomH7965 →236 times

  • וַיִּתֵּ֞ןand he put

    vaiyitenH5414 →2011 times

  • דְּמֵ֣יblood<s> of

    demeiH1818 →360 times

  • מִלְחָמָ֗הwar

    milchamahH4421 →320 times

  • בַּחֲגֹֽרָתוֹ֙on belt his

    bachagoratoH2290 →

  • אֲשֶׁ֣רwhich

    ʾasherH834 →5497 times

  • בְּמָתְנָ֔יו[was] on loins his

    bematenavH4975 →47 times

  • וּֽבְנַעֲל֖וֹand on sandal[s] his

    uvenaaloH5275 →

  • אֲשֶׁ֥רwhich

    ʾasherH834 →5497 times

  • בְּרַגְלָֽיו׃[was] on feet his

    beraglavH7272 →247 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

2 Samuel 3:27When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died on account of the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel.8 works2 Samuel 20:10Amasa was not on guard against the dagger in Joab’s hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach and spilled out his intestines on the ground. And Joab did not need to strike him again, for Amasa was dead. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri.6 works2 Samuel 18:5Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “Treat the young man Absalom gently for my sake.” And all the people heard the king’s orders to each of the commanders regarding Absalom.4 works2 Samuel 18:12The man replied, “Even if a thousand shekels of silver were weighed out into my hands, I would not raise my hand against the son of the king. For we heard the king command you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.’4 works2 Samuel 3:39And I am weak this day, though anointed as king, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too fierce for me. May the LORD repay the evildoer according to his evil!”3 works2 Samuel 18:14But Joab declared, “I am not going to wait like this with you!” And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak tree.3 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
1 Kings 2:32The LORD will bring his bloodshed back upon his own head, for without the knowledge of my father David he struck down two men more righteous and better than he when he put to the sword Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army.3 works2 Samuel 17:25Absalom had appointed Amasa over the army in place of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra, the Ishmaelite who had married Abigail, the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah the mother of Joab.3 works1 Kings 1:7So Adonijah conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, who supported him.2 works1 Kings 1:18–19But now, behold, Adonijah has become king, and you, my lord the king, did not know it.2 works2 Samuel 19:5–7Then Joab went into the house and said to the king, “Today you have disgraced all your servants who have saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters, of your wives, and of your concubines.2 worksJeremiah 6:15Are they ashamed of the abomination they have committed? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; when I punish them, they will collapse,” says the LORD.2 worksJeremiah 2:34Moreover, your skirts are stained with the blood of the innocent poor, though you did not find them breaking in. But in spite of all these things2 works2 Samuel 2:18The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was fleet of foot like a wild gazelle,2 worksEzekiel 24:7–8For the blood she shed is still within her; she poured it out on the bare rock; she did not pour it on the ground to cover it with dust.2 worksHosea 6:8Gilead is a city of evildoers, tracked with footprints of blood.2 works1 Chronicles 2:17Abigail was the mother of Amasa, whose father was Jether the Ishmaelite.2 worksIsaiah 5:27None of them grows weary or stumbles; no one slumbers or sleeps. No belt is loose and no sandal strap is broken.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    2 Samuel 3:39

    And I am weak this day, though anointed as king, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too fierce for me. May the LORD repay the evildoer according to his evil!”

    it leads to

    • Psalms 28:4

      Repay them according to their deeds and for their works of evil. Repay them for what their hands have done; bring back on them what they deserve.

    • Psalms 101:8

      Every morning I will remove all the wicked of the land, that I may cut off every evildoer from the city of the LORD.

    • 1 Kings 2:33–34

      Their blood will come back upon the heads of Joab and his descendants forever; but for David, his descendants, his house, and his throne, there shall be peace from the LORD forever.”

    • Proverbs 25:5

      Remove the wicked from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness.

    • Psalms 62:12

      and loving devotion to You, O Lord. For You will repay each man according to his deeds.

  • Through

    2 Samuel 20:10

    Amasa was not on guard against the dagger in Joab’s hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach and spilled out his intestines on the ground. And Joab did not need to strike him…

    it leads to

    • 2 Samuel 2:23

      But Asahel refused to turn away; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into his stomach, and it came out his back, and he fell dead on the spot. And every man paused…

    • 2 Samuel 3:27

      When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died on account of the…

  • Through

    2 Samuel 3:27

    When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died on account of the…

    it leads to

    • 2 Samuel 20:9–10

      “Are you well, my brother?” Joab asked Amasa. And with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him.

About 1 Kings

The Judgment of Solomon — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
The Judgment of Solomon — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
1 Kings: the study guide →Read 1 Kings 2 →

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ishodad of Merv, BOOKS OF SESSIONS 1 KINGS 2:5-6; Keil, The Books of the Kings and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in 1 Kings 2 →