Joab in Biblical History

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Schaff's Bible Dictionary

Definitions in Biblical History
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Who is Joab?
JO'AB
(whose father is Jehovah). 1. The eldest of the three sons of Zeruiah, David's sister, and the commander-in-chief of his army. 1 Chr 2:10; 1 Chr 11:6. He was evidently a valiant man, but ambitious and revengeful. To revenge the death of his brother Asahel, whom Abner had killed in self-defence, 2 Sam 2:23, he treacherously assassinated this distinguished general. 2 Sam 3:27. He brought about a reconciliation between Absalom and his father after the murder of Amnon; but when Absalom rebelled, Joab adhered to his master, and under his generalship the troops of David, though much inferior in numbers, obtained a complete victory over the army of Absalom, and, contrary to the express orders of David, Joab put him to death with his own hand as he hung suspended from the oak tree. 2 Sam 18:14. After this event David promoted Amasa to be his general-in-chief, by which Joab was deeply offended, and secretly resolved on the death of his rival, and took the first opportunity of assassinating him as he had done Abner. 2 Sam 20:10. David after this seems to have taken him again into favor. 2 Sam 24:2. When David the king had become old, however, Joab combined with Abiathar the priest and others to set Adonijah on the throne in defiance of the will of David, who had, by divine direction, resolved to make Solomon king. 1 Kgs 1:7. The plot was seasonably defeated, and Solomon was proclaimed king the same day. But Joab now seemed to David so evidently an object of the divine displeasure that he solemnly charged Solomon to punish him for all his enormous crimes, and especially for the murder of two valiant men, both better than himself, Abner and Amasa. Joab, conscious that his life was forfeited, sought an asylum at the horns of the altar, which position he absolutely refused to relinquish, and Benaiah, now advanced to be the captain of the host, slew him by the altar, agreeably to the command of the young king. He was buried in his own house in the wilderness. 1 Kgs 2:5-34. 2. A descendant of Kenaz. 1 Chr 4:14. 3. One whose posterity returned with Zerubbabel. Ezr 2:6; Rom 8:9; Neh 7:11.

Bibliography Information
Schaff, Philip, Dr. "Biblical Definition for 'joab' in Schaffs Bible Dictionary".
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