Joab

Joab (יוֹאָב "The Lord is father", Standard Hebrew Yoʾav, Tiberian Hebrew Yôʾāḇ) was the nephew of King David, the son of Zeruiah in the Bible. He was made the captain of David's army (2 Samuel 8:16; 20:23; 1 Chronicles 11:6; 18:15; 27:34). He had two brothers, Abishai and Asahel. Asahel was killed by Abner, for which Joab took revenge by treacherously murdering Abner (2 Samuel 2:13-32; 3:27). After leading the assault on the fortress of Mount Zion, he was promoted to the rank of General (1 Chronicles 27:34). He led the army against Syria, Ammon, Moab and Edom. He also took part in David's murder of Uriah (2 Samuel 11:14-25).

Blood fued with Abner

Joab first comes on the scene during the period of biblical history in which King Saul has recently been killed in battle, David rules as the over the Tribe of Judah and Ish-boshesth, son of Saul, rules over the northern tribes in Saul's place as king of "Gilead, Asher, and Jezreel; and also over Ephraim, Benjamin and all Israel." (2 Sam. 2:9) In a moment of apparent peace between the two camps, Joab meets Abner, Ishbosheth's general at the pool of Gibeon. Abner proposes that their men engage in hand-to-hand combat, twelve against twelve. The fighting turns serious, with Joab's men gaining the upper hand. Joab's fleet-footed brother Asahel chases Abner, who does not want to engage him for fear of creating bad blood with Joab. Whe Ashael refuses to give up the chase, Abner turns and slays him with a spear thrust. Joab's forces now pursue Abner to exact vengeance, and the tribe of Benjamin rallies to Abner's defense. Abner offers a truce, and Joab accepts. The causulaties among Joab's forces are counted at 19 missing, while the number of dead among Abner's allies is 360.

Although few details are given concening the ongoing war between David and Ish-Bosheth, the struggle continued for several years. A major event in David's favor occurred when Abner, Ish-Bosheth's top military commander, went over to David's side after a scandal involving his affair with the concubine of King Ish-Bosheth's father, Saul. (2 Sam. 3) As proof of Abner's good faith, David demanded that he bring with him Michal, the daughter of Saul who had been David's first love wife but had later been given by Saul to another man. The fearful Ish-Bosheth is portrayed as agreeing to allow both Michal and Abner go over to David's side. Abner came then to David at Hebron, bringing not only Michal, but also 20 soldiers and a pledge of loyalty from the entire Tribe of Benjamin and elements of other northern tribes who had lost faith in Ish-Bosheth's leadership. David then dispatched Abner north to garner additional support for David's cause.

Joab, learning of Abner's visit to Hebron, immediately sent messengers to recall him. When Abner dutifully returned, ostensibly "to avenge the blood of his brother Asahel, Joab stabbed him in the stomach," but no doubt because he also sense in Abner a threat to his own position. David publicly declared himself innocent of the crime, cursing Joab's family and ordering Joab to publicly repent for the murder, but did nothing to demote or otherwise punish him for his act. Ish-Bosheth, meanwhile would soon be assassinated. Although David benefited greatly from this act, he again disassociated himself from it, and ordered the assasins to be executed.

Commander of David's armies

With Ish-Bosheth out of the way, David was able to consolidate power and soon became the monarch of what history calls the United Kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Joab remained his top miliatry commander, helping him to win crucial victories against the Philistines, Moabites, Syrians, and Edomites. (2. Sam. 8) With his brother Abishai, Joab also won a brilliant victory against a combined Ammonite and Syrian forces, after which Ammon became a vassal state of David's kingdom. (2 Sam. 10)

During the Israelite seige of the Ammonite town of Rabbah, one of the commanders under Joab was the warrior Uriah the Hittite, the unknowing husband of David's lover Bathsheba. During the long seige, Bathsheba became pregnant and Uriah was unexpectedly recalled to Jerusalem in order that David could claim that Uriah had been with Bathsheba at a plausible time of conception. When this plan was foiled by Uriah's soldierly refusal to stay at his home with Bathsheba while his men fought on the front line, Uriah soon returned to Joab with a sealed message from David. Joab must have been taken aback when he read David's orders:

"Put Uriah in the front line where the fighting is fiercest.

Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die."

Joab dutifully did as David instructed, and the innocent Uriah died as Joab's men left him unprotected in harm's way.

Joab and Absalom

Joab also played a key role in king David's treatment of his son Absalom, who had killed his brother Amnon and fled. Absalom, the heir apparent to David's throne, had slain Amnon after Amnon had raped their sister Tamar. He was widely popular not only for his handsome appearance but also for taking action against the criminal when his father had been indecisive. For three years, David remained in a state of despondency over the matter. It was not until Joab conspired with a "wise woman" of Tekoa to manipulate David into bringing Absalom back that the king finally came to himself. AFter two more years, with Absalom back in Jerusalem but still banished fromthe king's presence, it was Joab—under serious pressure from Absalom—who faciliated a reconciliation between them. (2 Sam. 15)

Within three years, however, Absalom had gained enough support to mount a serious rebellion against David, causing the king to flee Jerusalem as Absalom approached from Hebron with "all the men of Israel." (2 Sam. 16:15) Joab, perhaps demoted by David on account of his earlier support of a Absalom, was place in charge of one third of David's forces, another third given each to Joab's brother Abishai and a Philistine ally of David's named Ittai. David gave orders that, in the fighting, Absalom must not be intentionally harmed.

It was soon reported to Joab that Absalom's long hair had been caught in a tree as he rode past on horseback. Jaob promptly found the place and slew the helpless Absalom with javelins. David, rather than celebrating the victory for which his troops had risked their lives, only mourned Absalom's death until Joab courageously confronted him, saying:

Today you have humiliated all your men, who have just saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters and the lives of your wives and concubines. You love those who hate you and hate those who love you... Now go out and encourage your men. I swear by the Lord that if you don't go out, not a man will be left with you by nightfall. This will be worse for you than all the calamities that have come upon you from your youth till now." (2 Sam 19:5-7)

Once again coming to his senses only through Joab's intervention, David immediately went out and took his public place among his men.

Later career

Soon, David faced another rebellion of the northern tribes under the leader Sheba son of Bicri. David placed one Amasa—the commander of the army that had supported Absalom—in charge of the expedition to put down the rebels. When he delayed, the king sent Abishai and Joab ahead, with Abishai now in command. When Amasa joined them, Joab took the opportunity to slay Amasa. He and Abishai then rallied the troops and persued the rebel Sheba to the town of Abel Beth Maacah, when the armies of Judah again used seige tactics to force the rebels to capitulate. Here, Joab once again employed a "wise woman" who agreed to use her influence betray Sheba in excahnge for the lifting of the seige. Soon, the head of Sheba son of Bicri was thrown down from the town's wall, and the seige was lifting. Immediately, a narrator tells us that Joab is again "over Israel's entire army." (2 Sam. 20:23)

Joab played a pivotal role as the commander of David's forces during Absalom's rebellion. Absalom, one of David's sons, rallied much of Israel in rebellion against David, who was forced to flee with only his most trusted men. However, David could not bring himself to harm his son, and ordered that none of his men should kill Absalom during the ensuing battle. However, when a man reported that Absalom had been found, alive, caught in a tree, Joab ordered his men to kill him (2 Samuel 18:1-33). In addition to the murder of Absalom, Joab also murdered Abner son of Ner against David's wishes (2 Samuel 3). David later replaced him as commander of the army with his nephew, Amasa (2 Samuel 17:25; 19:13). Joab later killed Amasa (2 Samuel 20:8-13; 1 Kings 2:5). Near David's death, he told Solomon to have Joab killed citing Joab's past betrayals and the blood that he was guilty of, and for this Solomon ordered his death by the hand of Benaiah (1 Kings 2:29-34), who then replaced him as commander of the army. Joab was buried in 'the wilderness' (1 Kings 2:34). It is interesting to note that Joab fled to the Holy Temple and told Benaiah that he will die there. Benaiah, as ordered by King Solomon, kills Joab in the House of the Lord. The name Yoav (Joab) may also be attributed to the district of Moav (Moab in Latin transcription), eastern bank of the Jordan, where Ruth the Moabite stemmed from. Yoav is pronounced like Yo+Av

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This entry incorporates text from the public domain Easton's Bible Dictionary, originally published in 1897.

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