Joab: Jehovah is his father.1. One of the three sons of Zeruiah, David's sister, and "captain
of the host" during the whole of David's reign
(2 Samuel 2:13; 10:7)
(2 Samuel 11:1; 1 Kings 11:15) His father's name is nowhere mentioned,
although his sepulchre at Bethlehem is mentioned
(2 Samuel 2:32)
His two brothers were Abishai and Asahel, the swift of foot, who
was killed by Abner
(2 Samuel 2:13-32) whom Joab afterwards
treacherously murdered
(2 Samuel 3:22-27) He afterwards led the
assault at the storming of the fortress on Mount Zion, and for
this service was raised to the rank of "prince of the king's
army"
(2 Samuel 5:6-10; 1 Chronicles 27:34) His chief military achievements
were,
a. against the allied forces of Syria and Ammon;
b. against Edom
(1 Kings 11:15,16) and
c. against the Ammonites
(2 Samuel 10:7-19; 11:1,11)
His character is deeply stained by the part he willingly took in
the murder of Uriah
(2 Samuel 11:14-25) He acted apparently from a
sense of duty in putting Absalom to death
(2 Samuel 18:1-14) David
was unmindful of the many services Joab had rendered to him, and
afterwards gave the command of the army to Amasa, Joab's cousin
(2 Samuel 20:1-13; 19:13) When David was dying Joab espoused the
cause of Adonijah in preference to that of Solomon. He was
afterwards slain by Benaiah, by the command of Solomon, in
accordance with his father's injunction
(2 Samuel 3:29; 20:5-13) at
the altar to which he had fled for refuge. Thus this hoary
conspirator died without one to lift up a voice in his favour.
He was buried in his own property in the "wilderness," probably
in the north-east of Jerusalem
(1 Kings 2:5,28-34) Benaiah
succeeded him as commander-in-chief of the army.
2. (1 Chronicles 4:14)
3. (Ezra 2:6)
