LORD, I have heard the report about You and I fear.
O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the years,
In the midst of the years make it known;
In wrath remember mercy.
Habakkuk 3:2
There is a phrase oft repeated in conversation amongst Christians, “The path to hell is paved with good intentions.”
I’ve heard it attributed to George Bernard Shaw; God’s word presents a more refined way of saying it, “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” This verse is an apt summary of the tragic legacy of Israel’s greatest warrior: Joab.
Why was Joab’s life a tragedy? The man was obsessed with killing. As much as we may associate Joab with David, and as much as he fought with success, he does not earn the commendation of God’s word. In fact, King David was so conscious of the blood-lust of Joab that one of his last wishes was for Solomon to kill him,
“Deal with him according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace.” (1 Kings 2:6)
Odd, isn’t it? A man earned a death warrant from the same king who used him to lead his army into battle. If only the Bible offered a clear explanation of this curious paradox! Why did David keep him as an official if he had such a huge ax to grind with him? Was David merely using Joab because he wanted to win battles? Did David leave him in his position of power to prevent Joab from inciting a coup d’état? Or perhaps David simply tolerated Joab until David realized that God wouldn’t allow him to build the temple due to the blood on David’s hands? Maybe David wanted to save Solomon from a similar indictment from God?
One thing we know: David and Joab did not agree on war policy.
Think back to the time King Saul, realizing David was going to be the future king, hunts David with 3000 of his men in the wilderness of Engedi. As Saul “takes a break”, he manages to pick the cave David and his men are hiding in order to “do his business” (1 Sam 24:3-7). David is moments from killing the man who wishes to murder him, and he holds himself back. It gets better though:
Now afterward David arose and went out of the cave and called after Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground and prostrated himself. David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men, saying, ‘Behold, David seeks to harm you’? Behold, this day your eyes have seen that the LORD had given you today into my hand in the cave, and some said to kill you, but my eye had pity on you; and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD’S anointed.’ Now, my father, see! Indeed, see the edge of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the edge of your robe and did not kill you, know and perceive that there is no evil or rebellion in my hands, and I have not sinned against you, though you are lying in wait for my life to take it. May the LORD judge between you and me, and may the LORD avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you. As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness’; but my hand shall not be against you. After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog, a single flea? The LORD therefore be judge and decide between you and me; and may He see and plead my cause and deliver me from your hand.”
This act of mercy amidst wartime is not unusual for David – it was habitual. If you read the last post about these guys, you’ll see him do the exact same thing again. Say what you want about the one summer David lazily avoided war with the Philistines, let Joab go out and do the dirty work, and shacked up with Bathsheba…he did go down in history as guilty of adultery; but Scripture is clear to recognize that David was ultimately a man after God’s own heart (1 King 11:4, Acts 13:22). Why? Because he knew and practiced grace.
Why did Joab turn out so differently from David when it came to grace?
Perhaps the most significant difference between Joab and David is that Joab was a professional officer, whereas David was a professional shepherd. During David’s six-and-a-half year reign in the region of Judah (in the city of Hebron), both Joab (2 Sam 2:13) and his brother Abishai (1 Sam 26:6) establish themselves as primary military leaders for David. Throughout his reign as King of Israel, both men stay with David through good times (2 Sam 10:14) and bad (2 Sam 18:2). There is no point at which we see Joab as anything more or less than a military leader. It is significant to note this, because there are many instances throughout David’s reign when he sees a situation from a pastoral perspective, whereas Joab sees the same situation from a defensive, or militaristic perspective. David seeks to mitigate bloodshed at times when Joab finds it crucial. In essence, Joab put the principle of defense first, rather than choosing to be obedient to his king, or reflective of the nature of his God.
How can I prove this? I give three examples:
Joab’s murder of Abner, the son of King Saul.
2 Samuel 3:22-39
David’s graciousness:
Abner said to David, “Let me arise and go and gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may be king over all that your soul desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace. (2 Sam 3:21)
Joab’s rebellion:
Then Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you; why then have you sent him away and he is already gone? You know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive you and to learn of your going out and coming in and to find out all that you are doing.”
When Joab came out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David did not know it. So when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the middle of the gate to speak with him privately, and there he struck him in the belly so that he died on account of the blood of Asahel his brother. ( 2 Sam 3:24-27)
Need more examples of this?
Joab’s murder of Amasa, tardy military commander under David.
2 Samuel 19:11-13, 20:4-10; 1 Kings 2:5Joab’s murder of Absalom, the son of King David.
2 Samuel 18:1-15
Ultimately, I believe Joab suffered from an exclusively self-centered, or Israel-centered view of his job, rather than a God-centered perspective. All his decisions may have had a beneficial element to them. If you investigate each of those instances of murder, you’ll find plenty of potential for rationalizing each one. However, those killings either defied the command of the king, or they were too hasty. The reason David condemned him for them is that David placed his faith in God to secure his personal safety and political power; Joab placed his faith in himself.
~
What’s the point? I think there are four.
Now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require from you, but
(1) to fear the LORD your God,
(2) to walk in all His ways and love Him,
(3) and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
(4) and to keep the LORD’S commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good?
Deuteronomy 10:12-13
1. Fearing the LORD your God: Under no circumstance do we ever see Joab exercise the fear of the LORD his God. He certainly fought for the God, but he did it out of his own desire for defense, battle, or bloodshed.
2. Walk in all His ways and love Him: Joab only walked in some of God’s ways, as were convenient for him. It strikes me that if Joab loved God, he would have had a deeper sense of love for God’s people: Israel, which would have led him to seek to unite them, as David did.
3. Serve the LORD your God with all your heart and all your soul: Again, he certainly obeyed with all his heart and soul at times, but those times when a command went against his opinions about battle, Joab served his own desires.
4. Keep the Lord’s commandments: Exodus 20:13 “You shall not murder.”
~
As I write of Joab, I think of Jesus. Jesus met a man one day who was a lot like Joab. He could obey commandments…except the ones that conflicted with just one thing he desperately clung to; in this case, it wasn’t murder, it was riches.
And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?”
And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
Then he said to Him, “Which ones?”
And Jesus said, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER; YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY; YOU SHALL NOT STEAL; YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS; HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER; and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”
The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?”
Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property.
So what are you holding on to?
better yet…
Who are you holding on to?
So curious this point you make about David’s attitude begin pastoral, compared with Joab’s militaristic attitude. Isn’t this also so much like Jesus’ attitude compared with that of his disciples, before they understood Jesus’ purpose was not a military one.
Very much so! Excellent observation!
Possibly David found dismissing and thus disgracing his nephew – Joab – involved him in family difficulties. David’s sister could have made things uncomfortable for him.
I recently was enjoying the book of Samuel and a review of David’s pre-kingship life. I found myself with many questions about David’s activities. In many activities David did not show the grace and mercy apparent in other aspects of David’s life.
This is what David did while he was living in Ziklag, (I Samuel 27). He went on many raiding parties to nearby towns and killed every man and woman and took all the goods. No one was left alive that could inform on them, so by implications he must have killed the children as well. There is no mention of hostile actions coming from these tribal towns. I know that the societies of that time were much more brutal than we are, but even so, where is the mercy and grace? Nowhere is it mentioned that David inquired of the Lord before making these raids.
Again, when he is told of King Saul’s death, he shows no mercy on the young man, an Amalekite who tells him (possibly lying in the details) about King Saul’s death.
I see why the LORD denied him the building of the temple. Perhaps David is not a man to be admired, but a man to be pitied. Samuel anointed him, he walked with God and received direct and immediate answers from the LORD that enabled many military victories — and yet he had a man killed so that he could steal his beautiful wife. He was such a poor father that his own sons pursued him to kill him and after his death his remaining sons struggle to grab the kingship.
I wonder if we misconstrue the phrase “a man after God’s own heart.”
Joab is throughout represented as a most skilful general and as a model of fidelity. Joab’s loyalty was still more striking when David, yielding to his resentment against him, imprudently transferred the office of commander-in-chief from Joab to Amasa.
So great was Joab’s devotion to David that after he had conquered the royal city or “the city of waters,” he sent messengers to David asking him to come and complete the conquest himself
Joab struggled hard but vainly to dissuade David from numbering the people.
Johanan even declared that Joab was not guilty of Abner’s death, but that he brought him before the Sanhedrin, which, in the gate of the city , condemned Abner for killing Asahel. When Joab had smitten the male children of Edom, David inquired why he had done so; Joab answered, “It is written, ‘Thou shalt blot out the males [“zakar”] of Amalek'” (Deut. xxv. 19). David retorted, “But it is ‘zeker’ [remembrance], not ‘zakar’!” Joab replied that his teacher had made him read “zakar”.
After Joab had fled to the Tabernacle, he was brought before the judges for trial. Declared not guilty of the murder of Abner, as he had only avenged the blood of his brother Asahel, he was condemned for the murder of Amasa; to Joab’s defense that Amasa was a traitor because he had failed to execute David’s order (comp. II Sam. xx. 4-5), the judges objected that Amasa, being occupied with the study of the Law, was not bound to execute the king’s order (Sanh. 49a). When Benaiah went to execute Joab the latter said: “Let not Solomon condemn me to a double punishment; let him either kill me and take on himself the curses which his father uttered against me [II Sam. iii. 29] or let me live and suffer from the curses only.” Solomon took on himself the curses, all of which were fulfilled in his descendants.
i sam 23 :6 in the list of mighty men of david joab is missing , so its very clear david a type of Jesus and GOD never had joab in the list of faithfull men, what i observe is joab was against the mind,heart,body of david.
1. THE MIND OF DAVID- IN THIS CASE , DAVID HAD SOLOMAN IN HIS MIND TO BE THE KING OF ISRAEL, BUT JOAB SIDES WITH ADONIJAH. 1 KINGS 1:6,7
2. THE HEART OF DAVID- IN THIS CASE , DAVID WANTED JOAB AND OTHERS TO TREAT ABSOLOM LIGHTLY SO THAT HE WOULD GET A CHANCE TO RECONCILE HIMSELF WITH GOD AND DAVID,BUT JOAB HAD NO COMPASSION OR MERCY HE WAS HARD HEARTED TO KILL THE CHOSSEN WITHOUT GRACE OR MERCY.
3. THE BODY OF DAVID- READ EPH 2:15 , HAVING ABOLISHED IN THE FLESH THE ENIMITY , DAVID HAS THOUGHTS OF UNITY, Abner said to David, “Let me arise and go and gather ALL ISRAEL to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may be king over all that your soul desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace. (2 Sam 3:21)
BUT JOAB SHED INNOCENT BLOOD OF UNITY.
THE CAPTAIN AND THE COMMANDER JOAB THOUGH FOUGHT MIGHTY BATTLES FOR ISRAEL AND FOR DAVID BROUGHT MAY CROWNS AND VICTRIOUS FOR ISRAEL HAD TO DIDE CONDEMNED WITH THIS VERDICT
Deal with him according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace.” (1 Kings 2:6)
WE NEED NOT DO GREAT THINGS OR SMALL THINGS FOR GOD IT IS SUFFICENT WE DO WHAT THE MIND , HEART AND THE BODY OF GOD REQUIRE OF US. AMEN
PASTOR JAMES AROCKIAM
CHENNAI -INDIA
Joab was a good man and David could not have a better captain but power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. A man like this to succeed should be to placed way below the food chain in the kingdom of God with all sorts of restrictions and obstacles so that he is brought in by the hand of the Lord instead of allowing him to crossing over by ambition or ignorance.
Two mistakes were; first. Vengance over Mercy by alllowing hatred to overburden his heart. And the other one was that he tresppassed or crossed over the mark by disobeying regal orders or making decisions without on his own without consulting. I would have resigned the moment had I realized, I had been an instrument of treachery as with the unlawful census and the murder of Uriah. He received a just sentence once it was proven that he was guilty by Solomon. Due process was followed otherwise the Lord would have not condoned it. Thus, the sanctuary could no longer hold him guilt less. Had solomon breached, he would not have been allowed to built the temple. And David could not do justice, not by fear, but because he did not have moral courage after having been guilty himlsef of a similar crime. Joab was a thorn in the flesh for him. I feel for both David and Joab. may the Lord grant them, perhaps not eternal, but abundant life once their penalties are paid or atoned for.