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).

Biblical Account

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.

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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