Discovery Box1 Kings 2:5-6 
Context2:5 “You know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me – how he murdered two commanders of the Israelite armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. 1 During peacetime he struck them down like he would in battle; 2 when he shed their blood as if in battle, he stained his own belt and the sandals on his feet. 3 2:6 Do to him what you think is appropriate, 4 but don’t let him live long and die a peaceful death. 5
1 Kings 2:28-34
Context2:28 When the news reached Joab (for Joab had supported 6 Adonijah, although he had not supported Absalom), he 7 ran to the tent of the Lord and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar. 8 2:29 When King Solomon heard 9 that Joab had run to the tent of the Lord and was right there beside the altar, he ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada, 10 “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. 11 2:31 The king told him, “Do as he said! Strike him down and bury him. Take away from me and from my father’s family 12 the guilt of Joab’s murderous, bloody deeds. 13 2:32 May the Lord punish him for the blood he shed; 14 behind my father David’s back he struck down and murdered with the sword two men who were more innocent and morally upright than he 15 – Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army. 2:33 May Joab and his descendants be perpetually guilty of their shed blood, but may the Lord give perpetual peace to David, his descendants, his family, 16 and his dynasty.” 17 2:34 So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and executed Joab; 18 he was buried at his home in the wilderness.
1 tn Heb “what he did to the two commanders…and he killed them.”
2 tn Heb “he shed the blood of battle in peace.”
3 tn Heb “and he shed the blood of battle when he killed which is on his waist and on his sandal[s] which are on his feet.” That is, he covered himself with guilt and his guilt was obvious to all who saw him.
4 tn Heb “according to your wisdom.”
5 tn Heb “and do not bring down his grey hair in peace [to] Sheol.”
6 tn Heb “turned after” (also later in this verse).
7 tn Heb “Joab.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
8 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.
9 tn Heb “and it was related to King Solomon.”
10 tn Heb “so Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, saying.”
11 tn Heb “saying, “In this way Joab spoke and in this way he answered me.”
12 tn Heb “house.”
13 tn Heb “take away the undeserved bloodshed which Joab spilled from upon me and from upon the house of my father.”
14 tn Heb “The
15 tn Heb “because he struck down two men more innocent and better than he and he killed them with the sword, and my father David did not know.”
16 tn Heb “house.”
17 tn Heb “his throne.”
18 tn Heb “struck him and killed him.” The referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
