Who was Joab in the Bible?

Son of Zeruiah the sister of David. He was a bold and successful warrior, and was made David's commander-in-chief; but he is not mentioned as associated with David until he was established at Hebron, and he is not classed among David's valiant men. He treacherously slew Abner in cold blood, avowedly because Abner had killed Asahel, Joab's brother; but the latter had been slain in battle. 2 Sam. 3:23-27. He was the unscrupulous instrument of David's sin in causing the death of Uriah. 2 Sam. 11:14-17. The return of Absalom was brought about by his means, but when Absalom revolted Joab remained faithful to David, and with his own hand slew Absalom. 2 Sam. 18:11-15. Though David on this occasion needed to be reminded that his life and throne had been saved, yet Joab's arrogant and threatening language to the king was unjustifiable; and Amasa was made captain of the host in the room of Joab.

This roused the jealousy of Joab, and he craftily slew Amasa and resumed his place at the head of the army. 2 Sam. 20:4-10. David had said before this, "These men, the sons of Zeruiah, be too hard for me;" but his own sin in the matter of Uriah made him feeble in the presence of Joab's murder of Amasa.

When David wished the people to be numbered, Joab endeavoured to dissuade him from it. The worldly wisdom in which he always acted, and not in faith, perceived the impolicy of the act. 2 Sam. 24:1-4. His aiding Adonijah led to his ruin. When Solomon was declared king, David reminded him of what Joab had done to him, and how he had slain two captains in time of peace, and asked that his hoar head should not go down to the grave in peace. 1 Kings 2:5-6. When Joab heard of the failure of Adonijah's cause, he saw his danger, fled to the tabernacle, and caught hold of the horns of the altar. Refusing to leave when summoned, he was put to death at the altar. Thus punishment for the murders he had committed, though long delayed, fell now in righteous judgement upon him. 1 Kings 2:33-34.

Joab was nephew of David (1 Chronicles 2:18), and commander-general of his forces. He showed much warlike courage, but was revengeful, and all through seems not to have been in communion with the king's mind. He treacherously assassinated Abner to revenge his brother Asahel, whom he had killed in self-defence (2 Sam. 2:23), and he also slew Amasa, whom David had promoted to be his general-in-chief, out of jealousy of his being his rival. (2 Sam. 20:10.) These, according to Solomon, were better men, and more righteous, than he; and these assassinations, as well as his slaying Absalom with his own hand contrary to the express command of the king, were matters of great sorrow to David. However, Joab went on for many years outwardly and officially espousing David's cause. When many in Israel fell away in the time of Absalom's conspiracy, Joab remained with the king; but in after years, when the king grew old and feeble, he sided with the self-willed Adonijah, contrary to the will of God, and the express desire of the king. Instead therefore of Joab being in the list of David's worthies (though his brother Asahel and Joab's armour-bearer were there), this man of rank and power, of celebrity too among men, fell under the judgment of Solomon when he took unto him his great power, and ruled the kingdom in righteousness. According to righteous judgment he had not been true to David, "had shed the blood of war in peace," so that his hoar head was not allowed to go down to the grave in peace. Thus was he humbled instead of being honoured.

Joab, the chief and captain of all, had a path of extraordinary success. Among the mighty men of David he stood head and shoulders above every one for military prowess and zeal. The Jebusites held the key position in the land. The fortress of Zion was in their hands. Joab took it from them; and, according to the word of David, this secured for him the chief place among the mighties. The importance of this capture was great, for it is the chosen centre of government on earth; and, in a future day, which will eclipse the brightest of the past “out of Zion shall go forth the law,” and then men shall “learn war no more.” Along with government, joy and songs of praise are to characterize Zion. Strange to say, it was the stronghold of the “treaders down,” for that is the meaning of the name Jebusites. The “blind and the lame” were there, and they became the hated of David’s soul, for he was taunted that they could defend the castle successfully against him, because of its strength. There are always those who hold key positions that tread down God’s heritage; and they are usually accompanied by those whose sight and walk are both wrong. Government they may attempt like Diotrephes and others, but joy and praise wither away under their oppressive influence.

Even with Joab himself there was a serious lack. Zeal, ability, diligence, devotedness to David’s interests and quick perception plentifully marked him; but he never learned anything of David’s grace. He conducted many a brilliant campaign, and often marched from victory to victory; but whoever stood in the way of what he thought necessary for David’s honour, had to go under at all costs. The greater conquests he did not understand. His repugnance to numbering the people of God was right, but He was a stranger to moral triumphs over self; and David’s victories through forgiveness, reconciliation and grace, he was therefore sadly in opposition to. He killed Abner after his reconciliation to David; and when he had slain Absalom contrary to his father’s wish, he reproved David’s grief over the death of his son. The feelings of the king’s heart Joab never seemed to appreciate. He slew Amasa whom David had called to his service, and ended his days by being slain himself at the command of Solomon, after rebelling against David’s wishes concerning his successor to the throne. Up to that time he had been a tireless soldier for David—a mighty man indeed, but he was graceless. “Too hard!” were the words of David concerning Joab and the other sons of his sister Zeruiah. Their father he did not mention. The natural element seemed to dominate; for this appears to be the force of David’s language: “These men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me.”

Not yet has the king reached Jerusalem before there appears the shadow of that which. little more than a generation later was to be the beginning of the end for Israel's independence. The strife between Israel and Judah breaks out in the very presence of the king; and Sheba the son of Bichri, a Benjamite, heads a fresh revolt against David. The men of Israel, gathered to do honor to David, follow him; and the spark of rebellion thus kindled threatens to grow into a speedy flame. The king calls Amasa to gather the tribe of Judah in pursuit of Sheba; but he is tardy, where everything depends on speed: David therefore entrusts Abishai with the commission to pursue Sheba at the head of his standing guard. The special troop of the dispossessed Joab goes with the rest, and Joab at the head of these. Here was at once material for discord again, and the murder of Amasa restores Joab to his old place at the head of the troops, where his success in the capture of Sheba keeps him. Politic and brave as he is unscrupulous, the figure of Joab dominates all this latter part of David's reign.

But soon we find Abner and Joab coming into opposition and collision. Only now is the name of Joab first heard of during these sorrowful scenes in Israel. There does this politic and bold man begin to take a very leading part. There are only two occasions perhaps when Joab ever appears; one is when there was anything bad to be done, another is when there was anything great to be won. Joab was a man as far as possible from the faith of David, and to suffer the prominence and allow the influence of such a chief was one of the fatal weaknesses of David's kingdom — that is, of God's kingdom in the hands of man, not merely man's kingdom in the presence of God's anointed, but, as has been remarked, God's kingdom confided to man, and there failing.

The wily Joab accordingly caused great distress to David, though without hesitation taking part with him. He was a man of sufficient penetration to know who would gain the day, not to speak also of a family connection with David, which naturally gave him a certain interest in his success. It is to be feared that a principle of nobler, of less selfish, character never wrought in Joab. At any rate we see him in a most unhappy light on this occasion; for the result was that, in the conflict that ensued, Joab gains the day by treachery and violence, accomplishing by murder the downfall of those whom he too was desirous to see put out of his ambitious way. He wished to stand without a rival in the day of triumph and glory which he well knew would soon come to king David.

In the chapter (2 Samuel 3) that follows the Spirit of God marks the progress of things. "There was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker." This gives occasion for showing out the end of Abner's history, as well as of Ish-bosheth's, in the next chapter. The continual fighting furnished at last what Joab had long wished for — the opportunity to take Abner aside and speak with him quietly, thus lawlessly to avenge the blood of his brother, while he got rid of a great opponent disposed for peace with his master. But David bore witness in his fasting and tears how deeply he felt Abner's death, and how truly he judged Joab's iniquity, though alas! his power was not equal to his heart. Hence he could do no more at present than say "to Joab and all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David himself followed the bier."

2 Samuel 14 shows us how Joab succeeds in winning David over to himself. We have already noted that Joab never does anything that does not serves his self-interest. If he is embracing David's cause his motive is not affection although he does demonstrate a certain attachment to his master, but because he thinks that David's side is more likely to advance his ambitions. These ambitions did not go so far as to covet the kingdom. Joab was sufficiently shrewd to know that access to the throne was closed to him; his ambition was limited to desiring the place of a “generalissimo,” to be minister of war and the king's counselor. If any obstacle to his plans should arise he was quick to overcome it, and if need be even commit a crime.

Above all, Joab sought to make himself indispensable. The best way to achieve this was to cater to the king's weaknesses. When David rid himself of Urijah by placing him in Joab's hands, Joab did not speak a single word of reproach; he acted without hesitation. Guilty David had gained a discreet accomplice, but he is an accomplice who through this very discretion becomes David's master. From now on the king's reputation depends on Joab. Only, Joab's plans are thwarted by divine intervention. God speaks and David acknowledges his guilt; the leprosy, spiritually speaking, instead of remaining hidden is publicly manifested and acknowledged in humiliation and tears not only before God but also before men.

Now Joab was, in modern language, a consummate politician. He was nephew to the king, and thus the king's honour was in some sense his honour, and that he knew and valued and sought to retain; and therefore he never seeks to disturb the throne as now settled in the house of Jesse, his grandfather. He was content to be the second in the kingdom, for that his worldly wisdom tell him he might be in safety, but more than that he knew he could not seek without hazard. He could get both Abner and Amasa out of his way, when he thought they were intruding into that place, which he had eyed for himself; but the first place he would leave with David, and therefore never conspires against him, but is ever watchful of his interest, ever ready to let David take the principal post of honour (2 Sam. 12:28), and is even quicker than David himself (2 Sam. 24) to discern and provide for the stability of the throne.

Such an one could not but be busy at such a moment as this. He knew the softness of David's heart, and easily calculated that any device to help him to bring back his banished child would be acceptable; and to do this acceptable service to the king, and thus to have a fresh claim to be the second round his throne, sets Joab in motion now. He did not much care for Absalom's exile, but in some sense "he carried the bag and bare what was put therein."

The fact that Joab is elevated to be head of the army is one of the most unfortunate events of David's reign, and here we see the king's weakness. A single word not dictated by the Holy Spirit and which stirred up fleshly rivalry brought such consequences in its wake. How easily man abuses the power which God has entrusted to him, using it in an independent manner! This fact should make us reflect. A fleshly word often results in more dangerous fruit than does an evil act.

Abishai, the brother of Joab, has a significant place as chief of these three men. Sadly, Joab himself is not mentioned as being given any honor at all in this final summation of David's mighty men. He was a capable warrior who gained many victories, but his one fatal flaw was the fact that his motives were proven to be selfish. It was not God's honor that he sought, but his own. David knew this, and advised Solomon that Joab must be put to death (1 Kings 2:5-6). Joab's treachery could not be ignored because of his many victories.

When news came to Joab of Adonijah's execution and of Abiathar's banishment, Joab knew he could not escape punishment since he had defected to Adonijah. He went to the tabernacle and took hold of the horns of the altar (v.28) as Adonijah had done at first (ch.1:51). This was the desperate act of a man clinging to religious ritual, but having no knowledge of God. Solomon sent Benaiah to execute Joab, which Benaiah was hesitant to do while Joab was clinging to the horns of the altar, but at Solomon's word, since Joab would not leave the altar, Benaiah carried out this unpleasant task, and Joab was buried in his wilderness house.

It was necessary for the establishment of Solomon's kingdom that the innocent blood of Abner and Amasa should be avenged on Joab, blood that Joab had shed without the knowledge of David (vs.32-33). Joab had stood by David until his defection to Adonijah, but his defection manifested the fact that his motives were not truly those of love for David, but rather of seeking his own advantage. His motives in killing Abner and Amasa were selfish too. Joab's execution symbolizes the fact that the millennial kingdom of the Lord Jesus will be established in righteousness, which brings peace.

Benaiah therefore killed Joab, "and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness" (v.34). Solomon then made Benaiah general of the army in Joab's place, and Zadok replaced Abiathar as priest.