Podcast: Solomon kills Joab so he removes innocent blood from his kingdom

 

 

 

One of the early acts done by Solomon when he was made king of Israel, was to kill Joab, the captain of David's army.

Joab had shed innocent blood out of his own desire to avenge his dead brother.

Abner, captain of Saul's army, tried to get Joab's brother to quit following him in one of the battles.  But the brother would not do this and continued with his plan to kill Abner.  So Abner killed this brother.

II Samuel 2

18 And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.

19 And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.

20 Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he answered, I am.

21 And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him.

22 And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?

23 Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.

Abner causes the battle to cease.

26 Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren?

28 So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.

Bitterness and vengeance in the heart of Joab:

II Samuel 3

1 Now 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.

Saul is killed by the Philistines and his captain Abner first tries to make one of Saul's sons king but then Abner turns to David and pledges to follow David and help David.

II Samuel 3

17 And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David in times past to be king over you:

18 Now then do it: for the LORD hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save MY people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.

19 And Abner also spake in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin.

20 So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men that were with him a feast.

21 And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a league with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thine heart desireth. 

And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.

Joab, David's captain, hates Abner and follows to kill Abner.  David does not know Joab is doing this.

27 And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

28 And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner:

29 Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father's house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth on the sword, or that lacketh bread.

30 So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

David mourned in front of all the people for Abner.  So the people know it was not of David to kill Abner.  The tribes of Israel are then united with David as king and war ends between the tribes.

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Solomon reigns over the kingdom after the death of David and God gives Solomon wisdom above all men.

When you begin a kingdom, often a person will try to do that which makes him look good in the sight of other humans.  This was not the case with Solomon for God had given Solomon HIS own wisdom.

In God's wisdom, Solomon kills Joab.  This removes innocent blood from his kingdom and from the kingdom of David.

So Solomon begins his reign with a good foundation for his kingdom!

It was not Solomon's goal to please men.  Solomon was building on wisdom given to him by God HIMSELF.

You cannot build upon evil but must put away the evil that came before you.

I Corinthians 5

6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

13 ...  Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

We do not kill that evil person with a sword .  We just remove ourselves from that evil person.

 

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