GENERAL JOAB
A) INTRODUCTION.
B) GENERAL JOAB.
A) INTRODUCTION
Joab means, “Jehovah is his father.” He was one of the three sons of Zeruiah, king David’s sister. He was the oldest according to Second Samuel 2:18, but the second oldest according to First Chronicles 2:16. The reason “oldest” is understood is because generally, in Jewish literate and Scripture, the oldest is always listed first on down the list. However, this discrepancy can be explained in that Joab lost his status as being righteous. And when that happens, the Scriptures will also lower your position. Such as with Noah’s sons, where Shem is listed first because of his status as being in the line of Christ; but he was not the oldest. See my Bible Study: “CHRONOLOGICAL LAYOUT (ADAM TO 2000 A.D.).”
B) GENERAL JOAB
He was also the “captain of the host” during the whole of David’s reign (2Sa. 2:13; 10:7; 11:1; 1Ki. 11:15). However, Joab only first appears after David’s accession to the throne at Hebron, and is first introduced in the narrative of the war with Abner, who supported the claims of Ishbosheth to the throne against those of David (2Sa. 2:8 through 3:1).
His sepulcher at Bethlehem is mentioned (2Sa. 2:32). His two brothers were Abishai and Asahel, with Asahel being regarded as “swift of foot,” Second Samuel 2:18, and who was killed by general Abner (2Sa. 2:13-32), whom general Joab afterwards treacherously murdered (2Sa. 3:22-27), because he was avenging his brother’s death.
Joab afterwards led the assault at the storming of the fortress on Mount Zion; and for this service he was raised to the rank of “prince of the king’s army” (2Sa. 5:6-10; 1Ch. 27:34). His chief military achievements were (certainly there were more than what I can list as Joab is repeatedly spoken of as David’s commander-in-chief; examples: 2Sa. 8:16; 20:22):
(1) against the allied forces of Syria and Ammon (2Sa. 8:12; 10:1-19; 11:1; 12:26-29);
(2) against Absalom (2Sa. 18:5-17);
(3) and against Sheba (2Sa. 20:4-22);
(4.) against Edom (1Ki. 11:15-16);
(5) against the Jebusites (1Ch. 11:6-9).
Joab was shrewd, in that he uses a learned “handmaid” to tell a story to king David, in which causes reconciliation between David and his son Absalom (2Sa. 14:1-21).
His character is also deeply stained by the part he willingly took in the murder of Uriah (2Sa. 11:14-25). Also, he acted apparently from a sense of duty in putting Absalom to death (2Sa. 18:1-14) and therefore this should not be sighted as the same act as above.
So terrible was Joab’s name to Edom, that their prince Hadad did not venture to return from Egypt until he knew, “that Joab the captain of the host was dead,” First Kings 11:21-22. However, David was not unmindful of the many services Joab had rendered to him, (and may have feared his influence upon the army), that he afterwards gave the command of the army to Amasa, Joab’s cousin (2Sa. 20:1-13; 19:13).
When David was dying, Joab espoused the cause of Adonijah in preference to that of Solomon. As such, Joab was afterwards slain by Benaiah, by the command of Solomon, in accordance with his father’s injunction (2Sa. 3:29; 20:5-13), at the altar to which he had fled for refuge. Thus, this hoary conspirator of Solomon died without one to lift up a voice in his favor. He was buried in his own property in the “wilderness,” which was probably in the north-eastern part of Jerusalem (1Ki. 2:5 & 28-34). Therefore, Benaiah succeeded him as commander-in-chief of the army.