Joab

The son of Zeruiah, who was David’s half-sister (1 Chronicles 2:16). Along with his brothers Abishai and Asahel, Joab was well-known for his courage in war while serving Judah (2 Samuel 2:18; compare 1 Samuel 26:6).

Joab became important during the battle of Gibeon. At that time, Saul’s army was led by Abner. David’s army defeated Abner’s forces (2 Samuel 2:8–32). During the battle, Abner killed Asahel, Joab’s brother (verse 23). Later, Joab killed Abner to take revenge (3:26–30). Abner had just joined David’s side (verses 12–19). It is possible that Joab thought Abner would be his political rival.

But was angry about Abner’s death. He honored Abner as a great man (verses 31–39). He also cursed Joab’s family for disobeying him (verses 26–29, 39). This event shows that Joab could be harsh and act without mercy.

Joab led David’s attack on the Jebusite city of Jerusalem. After David made Jerusalem his capital, Joab became the commander of David’s army (2 Samuel 8:16; 11:1; compare 1 Chronicles 11:6–8; 18:15). Joab also stopped a rebellion by the Syrians and Ammonites (2 Samuel 10:7–14; 1 Chronicles 19:8–15). He captured the city of Rabbah (2 Samuel 11–12). During that time, Joab helped arrange the death of Uriah the Hittite. This allowed David to take Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba, for himself.

Joab showed both loyalty to David and strong control of the army during Absalom’s rebellion (2 Samuel 15). Joab defeated the rebels (chapter 18). But he ignored a direct order from David not to kill Absalom (18:5). Joab killed Absalom anyway and did so in a violent way (verses 10–17).

When David mourned for Absalom, Joab warned him that the army could turn against him if he did not speak to them (2 Samuel 19:5–7). Because Joab disobeyed, David replaced him with Amasa as commander (verse 13). But later at Gibeon, Joab also killed Amasa in dishonorable way (20:8–10). Joab still had strong support from the army. He returned to his position as commander (2 Samuel 20:23, 24:2; 1 Kings 1:19).

At the end of David’s life, Joab joined a plot with Adonijah and Abiathar to take control of the kingdom (1 Kings 1:7). David no longer trusted Joab. Before he died, David warned his son Solomon about Joab’s many acts of betrayal (2:5–9).

Solomon needed to deal with these threats to his rule. After David died, Solomon punished Adonijah (verse 23), removed Abiathar (verse 26), and went after Joab (verse 28). Joab ran to the altar to seek safety, but Solomon’s officer Benaiah found him there and killed him (verses 28–35). In this way, Solomon removed Joab’s guilt from his kingdom.

The King James Version translation (“Ataroth, the house of Joab”) of Atroth-beth-joab (1 Chronicles 2:54).

A man from the tribe of Judah. He was the son of Seraiah and came from the family of Kenaz. He was an ancestor of those living in the valley of craftsmen (1 Chronicles 4:14).

An ancestor of a clan of Jews who returned to Palestine with Zerubbabel following the exile in Babylon (Ezra 2:6; Nehemiah 7:11).

The ancestor of a family group mentioned in Ezra 8:9. Two hundred nineteen of its members returned to the land of Judah with Ezra after the exile in Babylon. He might be the same person as #4 above.