2 Samuel 8:16

David’s Cabinet

8:16 Joab son of Zeruiah was general in command of 1  the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was secretary;

2 Samuel 20:23

20:23 Now Joab was the general in command of all the army of Israel. Benaiah the son of Jehoida was over the Kerethites and the Perethites.

2 Samuel 2:30

2:30 Now Joab returned from chasing Abner and assembled all the people. Nineteen of David’s soldiers were missing, in addition to Asahel.

2 Samuel 3:23

3:23 When Joab and all the army that was with him arrived, Joab was told: “Abner the son of Ner came to the king; he sent him away, and he left in peace!”

2 Samuel 3:30

3:30 So Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel in Gibeon during the battle.

2 Samuel 2:13

2:13 Joab son of Zeruiah and the servants of David also went out and confronted them at the pool of Gibeon. One group stationed themselves on one side of the pool, and the other group on the other side of the pool.

2 Samuel 3:22

Abner Is Killed

3:22 Now David’s soldiers 2  and Joab were coming back from a raid, bringing a great deal of plunder with them. Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, for David 3  had sent him away and he had left in peace.

2 Samuel 20:8

20:8 When they were near the big rock that is in Gibeon, Amasa came to them. Now Joab was dressed in military attire and had a dagger in its sheath belted to his waist. When he advanced, it fell out. 4 

2 Samuel 20:10

20:10 Amasa did not protect himself from the knife in Joab’s other hand, and Joab 5  stabbed him in the abdomen, causing Amasa’s 6  intestines to spill out on the ground. There was no need to stab him again; the first blow was fatal. 7  Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bicri.

2 Samuel 20:22

20:22 Then the woman went to all the people with her wise advice and they cut off Sheba’s head and threw it out to Joab. Joab 8  blew the trumpet, and his men 9  dispersed from the city, each going to his own home. 10  Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.

1 tn Heb “was over.”

2 tn Heb “And look, the servants of David.”

3 tn Heb “he”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

3 sn The significance of the statement it fell out here is unclear. If the dagger fell out of its sheath before Joab got to Amasa, how then did he kill him? Josephus, Ant. 7.11.7 (7.284), suggested that as Joab approached Amasa he deliberately caused the dagger to fall to the ground at an opportune moment as though by accident. When he bent over and picked it up, he then stabbed Amasa with it. Others have tried to make a case for thinking that two swords are referred to – the one that fell out and another that Joab kept concealed until the last moment. But nothing in the text clearly supports this view. Perhaps Josephus’ understanding is best, but it is by no means obvious in the text either.

4 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

5 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Amasa) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

6 tn Heb “and he did not repeat concerning him, and he died.”

5 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

6 tn Heb “they”; the referent (Joab’s men) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

7 tn Heb “his tents.”