Amasa

24Then David came to a town called Mahanaim. Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel.

Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.

NoteMahanaim was a strong town on the far side of the Jordan River. It was a safe place for David to stay.

25Absalom put Amasa in charge of the army instead of Joab. Amasa's father was a man named Ithra. His mother was Abigail, the daughter of Nahash. Abigail's sister Zeruiah was Joab's mother.

And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab: which Amasa was a man’s son, whose name was Ithra an Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab’s mother.

NoteThe army leader tells all the soldiers what to do. Joab had that job for David. Amasa and Joab were cousins.

26Israel and Absalom set up their camp in the land of Gilead.

So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead.

NoteGilead was the land east of the Jordan River. It had good hills for grazing sheep.

11King David sent word to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests who served God for the people. He said, "Ask the leaders of Judah this. Why are you the last to bring the king home? All Israel is already talking about it.

And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, even to his house.

NoteA priest was a man who led worship and prayed to God for the people. Judah was one of the twelve tribes, and it was David's own tribe.

12You are my brothers. You are my own family. So why are you the last to bring the king back?"

Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh: wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king?

Note"Ye are my bones and my flesh" was a way of saying "you are my own family."

13"And tell Amasa this: You are my own family too. May God punish me if I do not make you leader of my army from now on, in place of Joab."

And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.

NoteAmasa had been the leader of Absalom's army. David is offering the top job to the man who had just fought against him.

14David won over the hearts of all the men of Judah. They all agreed as if they were one man. They sent word to the king, "Come back, you and all your men."

And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent this word unto the king, Return thou, and all thy servants.

4Then the king said to Amasa, "Call the men of Judah to come to me. Do it within three days. Be here yourself too."

Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, and be thou here present.

NoteAmasa had been the leader of Absalom's army. After Absalom died, David forgave him and made him leader of his own army instead.

5So Amasa went to call the men of Judah. But he took longer than the king had told him.

So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah: but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.

6David said to Abishai, "Sheba will hurt us more than Absalom did. Take my servants and go after him. If he reaches strong walled cities, he will get away from us."

And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord’s servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us.

NoteAbishai was Joab's brother. Both of them were David's soldiers and had fought for him for years. A walled city had thick high walls all around it. Once a man got inside one, it was very hard to catch him.

7So Joab's men marched out after Sheba. The Cherethites and the Pelethites went too. All the best fighters went with them. They left Jerusalem to chase Sheba son of Bichri.

And there went out after him Joab’s men, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

NoteThe Cherethites and the Pelethites were David's own guards. They came from other lands and were paid to protect the king.

8They stopped at the big rock near the town of Gibeon. Amasa came out to meet them there. Joab was wearing his soldier clothes and a belt. A sword in its cover was tied to the belt. As Joab stepped forward, the sword slipped out into his hand.

When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa went before them. And Joab’s garment that he had put on was girded unto him, and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out.

NoteGibeon was a town a few miles north of Jerusalem. The big rock there was a landmark everyone knew, a good place to meet.

9Joab said to Amasa, "Are you well, my brother?" With his right hand Joab took hold of Amasa's beard to kiss him.

And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.

NoteTaking hold of a man's beard and kissing his cheek was a warm hello between friends. It was like giving someone a hug today. So Amasa was not expecting any trouble.

10Amasa was not watching the sword in Joab's hand. Joab pushed it into his belly. Amasa's insides spilled onto the ground. Joab did not have to strike him again. Amasa died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai went on chasing Sheba son of Bichri.

But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand: so he smote him therewith in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.

NoteThe King James says Joab struck him "in the fifth rib." That means the soft part of the belly, just under the ribs.

11One of Joab's young men stood near the body. He called out, "Everyone who likes Joab and stands with David, follow Joab!"

And one of Joab’s men stood by him, and said, He that favoureth Joab, and he that is for David, let him go after Joab.

12Amasa lay in his own blood in the middle of the road. The man saw that all the soldiers stopped there to look. So he pulled the body off the road into a field. Then he threw a cloth over it.

And Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a cloth upon him, when he saw that every one that came by him stood still.

NotePeople stopped and stared at the body lying in the road. Covering a dead person with a cloth was the kind and respectful thing to do. It also let the soldiers keep walking.

13Once the body was off the road, all the men went on with Joab. They kept chasing Sheba son of Bichri.

When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

5"You know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me. He killed two leaders of Israel's armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He killed them in peacetime, as if there were a war. Their blood got on his belt and on his sandals.

Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet.

NoteJoab was the leader of David's army. In a battle, killing an enemy was allowed. Joab killed these two men when there was no war. That was murder.

6So use your good sense. Do not let him die peacefully as an old man.

Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace.

NoteThe King James says "his hoar head." That means his gray hair. It is a way of saying an old man.

28The news reached Joab. Joab had joined Adonijah's side, though he had not joined Absalom's. So Joab ran to the LORD's tent and grabbed the horns of the altar.

Then tidings came to Joab: for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.

NoteThe LORD's tent was where people came to worship God. Inside was an altar, a table for gifts to God. Its corners had bumps shaped like horns. Someone in trouble grabbed them to ask for safety.

29King Solomon was told, "Joab has run to the LORD's tent. He is beside the altar." So Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada and said, "Go, strike him down."

And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD; and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him.

30Benaiah went into the LORD's tent and said, "The king says, come out." Joab said, "No. I will die here." Benaiah went back and told the king what Joab had said.

And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the LORD, and said unto him, Thus saith the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.

31The king said, "Do what he says. Strike him down and bury him. Joab killed men who had done nothing wrong. Take that guilt away from me and from my father's family.

And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father.

NotePeople then believed murder left guilt on a whole family. The guilt stayed until the killer was punished.

32The LORD will make Joab pay for the blood he spilled. He killed two men who were better than he was, and my father David did not know. They were Abner son of Ner, leader of Israel's army, and Amasa son of Jether, leader of Judah's army.

And the LORD shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing thereof, to wit, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.

NoteJudah was the southern part of Israel. It was David's own family land.

33The guilt for their deaths stays on Joab and his children forever. But David, his children, his house, and his throne will have peace from the LORD forever."

Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever: but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from the LORD.

34So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and struck Joab down and killed him. Joab was buried at his own home out in the wild country.

So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and slew him: and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.

NoteThe wild country was empty land with few people and few trees.