2:28 When the news reached Joab (for Joab had supported 3 Adonijah, although he had not supported Absalom), he 4 ran to the tent of the Lord and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar. 5 2:29 When King Solomon heard 6 that Joab had run to the tent of the Lord and was right there beside the altar, he ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada, 7 “Go, strike him down.” 2:30 When Benaiah arrived at the tent of the Lord, he said to him, “The king says, ‘Come out!’” But he replied, “No, I will die here!” So Benaiah sent word to the king and reported Joab’s reply. 8
1 tn Heb “the horn of oil.” This has been specified as olive oil in the translation for clarity.
sn A horn filled with oil. An animal’s horn was used as an oil flask in the anointing ceremony.
2 tn Or “anointed.”
3 tn Heb “turned after” (also later in this verse).
4 tn Heb “Joab.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
5 sn Grabbed hold of the horns of the altar. The “horns” of the altar were the horn-shaped projections on the four corners of the altar (see Exod 27:2). By going to the holy place and grabbing hold of the horns of the altar, Joab was seeking asylum from Solomon.
6 tn Heb “and it was related to King Solomon.”
7 tn Heb “so Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, saying.”
8 tn Heb “saying, “In this way Joab spoke and in this way he answered me.”