Joab

5Then Adonijah decided he would make himself king. He was David's son, and his mother was Haggith. He got chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run ahead of him.

Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

NoteA chariot is a small cart pulled by horses. Kings and soldiers rode in them. Men running ahead of him showed everyone that he was important.

6His father had never once corrected him or asked, "Why are you doing this?" Adonijah was very handsome. He was born right after his brother Absalom.

And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom.

NoteAbsalom was another son of David. He had also tried to take his father's throne.

7Adonijah talked with Joab, the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest. Both men agreed to help him.

And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him.

NoteA priest was a man who led people in worshiping God. Joab was the leader of David's army.

8But some men would not join Adonijah. They were Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, a man who told people what God said. Shimei, Rei, and David's best soldiers also stayed away.

But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men which belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.

NoteA prophet was a person who told others what God said. David's best soldiers were the brave men who had fought beside him for years.

9Adonijah killed sheep, cattle, and fattened calves for a feast. He did this by the stone of Zoheleth, near a spring called En-rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the king's officials from Judah.

And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by Enrogel, and called all his brethren the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah the king’s servants:

NoteKilling animals like this was a way of giving a gift to God. Then everyone ate the meat together at a big feast. En-rogel was a spring of water just outside the city. Judah was the part of Israel where David's own family came from.

10But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, or Benaiah, or the best soldiers, or his brother Solomon.

But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not.

41Adonijah and all his guests heard it as they finished eating. When Joab heard the ram's horn, he asked, "Why is the city making all that noise?"

And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an uproar?

42While he was still speaking, Jonathan arrived. He was the son of Abiathar the priest. Adonijah said, "Come in. You are a good man, so you must bring good news."

And while he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came; and Adonijah said unto him, Come in; for thou art a valiant man, and bringest good tidings.

43Jonathan answered, "No. Our lord King David has made Solomon king.

And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Verily our lord king David hath made Solomon king.

44The king sent Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada with him. The Cherethites and the Pelethites went too. They put Solomon on the king's own mule.

And the king hath sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they have caused him to ride upon the king’s mule:

45Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet poured oil on him at Gihon to make him king. They came back up cheering, and the whole city is ringing with the sound. That is the noise you heard.

And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon: and they are come up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again. This is the noise that ye have heard.

46And Solomon is now sitting on the royal throne.

And also Solomon sitteth on the throne of the kingdom.

47The king's servants also came to bless our lord King David. They said, 'May your God make Solomon's name even greater than yours. May he make his throne greater than your throne.' And the king bowed low on his bed to worship.

And moreover the king’s servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne. And the king bowed himself upon the bed.

NoteDavid was too old and weak to get out of bed. So he bowed where he lay to thank God.

48The king also said, 'Praise the LORD, the God of Israel! Today he has given someone to sit on my throne, and my own eyes have seen it.'"

And also thus said the king, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it.

49Then all of Adonijah's guests were afraid. They jumped up and hurried away, each man going home.

And all the guests that were with Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and went every man his way.

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.

35The king put Benaiah son of Jehoiada in charge of the army in Joab's place. He made Zadok priest in Abiathar's place.

And the king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his room over the host: and Zadok the priest did the king put in the room of Abiathar.

NoteZadok was another priest. He had stayed on David's side all along.

4David and all Israel marched to Jerusalem, which was also called Jebus. The Jebusites lived in that land.

And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus; where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land.

NoteJerusalem had an older name, Jebus. The Jebusites were the people who lived there before Israel took the city.

5The people of Jebus told David, "You will never get in here." But David captured their strong fort called Zion. It became the City of David.

And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come hither. Nevertheless David took the castle of Zion, which is the city of David.

NoteA fort is a strong place with thick, high walls. Zion was the name of the hill this fort stood on. Soldiers inside could keep enemies out.

6David had said, "The first man to strike down a Jebusite will be my chief commander." Joab son of Zeruiah went up first. So he became the chief.

And David said, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. So Joab the son of Zeruiah went first up, and was chief.

NoteA commander is the leader who tells the soldiers what to do. Joab was David's nephew, because Zeruiah was David's sister.

7David moved into the fort and lived there. That is why people called it the City of David.

And David dwelt in the castle; therefore they called it the city of David.

8He built up the city all around, from the stone terraces out to the wall. Joab repaired the rest of the city.

And he built the city round about, even from Millo round about: and Joab repaired the rest of the city.

NoteStone terraces were flat steps built into the side of the hill. They held the ground up so buildings would not slide down.

9David grew stronger and stronger. The LORD, who rules over all the armies of heaven, was with him.

So David waxed greater and greater: for the LORD of hosts was with him.

NoteThe armies of heaven means God's angels. Saying this told everyone that God was very strong.

6The Ammonites saw that they had made David sick of them. So Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand bars of silver. They used it to hire chariots and horsemen from Mesopotamia, Syria-maachah, and Zobah.

And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Syriamaachah, and out of Zobah.

NoteThe King James says "a thousand talents of silver." A talent was a heavy lump of silver, about as heavy as a big dog. A thousand of them was a huge pile of money. A chariot was a small cart pulled by horses, used for fighting. The King James says they "made themselves odious" to David. That means they had made him want nothing to do with them, like something that smells bad.

7They hired thirty-two thousand chariots. They also hired the king of Maachah and his soldiers. These armies came and camped near the town of Medeba. The Ammonites left their own cities and came out to fight.

So they hired thirty and two thousand chariots, and the king of Maachah and his people; who came and pitched before Medeba. And the children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities, and came to battle.

NoteMedeba was a town in the land of Ammon. Armies camped there before a battle.

8When David heard about it, he sent Joab out with the whole army of strong fighting men.

And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.

NoteJoab was the leader of David's whole army. He decided how the soldiers would fight.

9The Ammonites came out and lined up for battle at the city gate. The kings who had come to help stayed by themselves out in the open fields.

And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array before the gate of the city: and the kings that were come were by themselves in the field.

NoteA city had a high wall around it. The gate was the one way in. Soldiers stood there to keep enemies out.

10Joab saw that enemies were lined up in front of him and behind him. So he picked the best fighters in Israel. He lined them up to face the Syrians.

Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose out of all the choice of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians.

NoteThe Syrians lived north of Israel. Their land is also called Aram.

11He put the rest of the men under his brother Abishai. They lined up to face the Ammonites.

And the rest of the people he delivered unto the hand of Abishai his brother, and they set themselves in array against the children of Ammon.

NoteAbishai was Joab's brother. He was also a leader in David's army.

12Joab said, "If the Syrians are too strong for me, come and help me. If the Ammonites are too strong for you, I will come and help you.

And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will help thee.

13Be brave. Let us fight bravely for our people and for the cities of our God. The LORD will do what he thinks is right."

Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the LORD do that which is good in his sight.

NoteWhen LORD is written in big letters, it stands for God's own name.

14So Joab and his men moved up to fight the Syrians. The Syrians ran away from him.

So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh before the Syrians unto the battle; and they fled before him.

15The Ammonites saw the Syrians running away. So they ran away too, from Joab's brother Abishai. They went back inside the city. Then Joab went home to Jerusalem.

And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.

1In the spring, the time when kings went out to war, Joab led Israel's army out. He ruined the land of the Ammonites. Then he came to the city of Rabbah and surrounded it. But David stayed home in Jerusalem. Joab attacked Rabbah and tore it down.

And it came to pass, that after the year was expired, at the time that kings go out to battle, Joab led forth the power of the army, and wasted the country of the children of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried at Jerusalem. And Joab smote Rabbah, and destroyed it.

NoteJoab was the leader of David's army. The Ammonites were a people who lived east of Israel. Armies waited until spring to fight. In winter the roads were muddy and food was scarce. To surround a city meant camping all around its walls. Then no food could get in.

2David took the crown off the head of the Ammonite king. The crown weighed a talent of gold and had jewels set in it. The crown was placed on David's head. David also carried away many valuable things from the city.

And David took the crown of their king from off his head, and found it to weigh a talent of gold, and there were precious stones in it; and it was set upon David’s head: and he brought also exceeding much spoil out of the city.

NoteA talent was a weight of about seventy-five pounds. That is very heavy for a crown to wear. Taking a beaten king's crown showed that David now ruled his land.

3David brought out the people who lived in the city. He put them to work with saws, iron picks, and axes. He did the same thing in all the Ammonite towns. Then David and all his men went back to Jerusalem.

And he brought out the people that were in it, and cut them with saws, and with harrows of iron, and with axes. Even so dealt David with all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

NoteIn those days, an army that won often made the beaten people do hard work. These people were put to work with tools for cutting stone and wood.

1Satan rose up against Israel. He pushed David to count the people of Israel.

And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.

NoteSatan is God's enemy. The name means someone who accuses others. A king counted his fighting men to see how strong his army was.

2David said to Joab and the army leaders, "Go and count the people of Israel. Count them from Beersheba in the south to Dan in the north. Then bring me the number, so I know it."

And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.

NoteBeersheba was the town farthest south in the land. Dan was the town farthest north. Naming both meant the whole country, everybody.

3Joab answered, "May the LORD give you a hundred times more men. My king, they all serve you already. Why do you want this? Why bring guilt on Israel?"

And Joab answered, The LORD make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?

NoteJoab was the leader of David's whole army. Guilt means being in the wrong and owing God something for it.

4But the king would not change his mind. So Joab went all through Israel. Then he came back to Jerusalem.

Nevertheless the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.

NoteThe King James says the king's word "prevailed." That means David won the argument and got his way.

5Joab gave David the total. In all Israel there were 1,100,000 men who could fight with a sword. In Judah there were 470,000 men who could fight with a sword.

And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and an hundred thousand men that drew sword: and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew sword.

NoteA man "that drew sword" was a grown man ready to fight in a war.

6Joab did not count the tribes of Levi and Benjamin. He hated the king's order.

But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them: for the king’s word was abominable to Joab.

NoteIsrael was made of twelve big family groups called tribes. The tribe of Levi worked at God's worship tent.

7God was not pleased with what David had done. So God punished Israel.

And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel.

NoteThe King James says God "smote" Israel. Smote is an old word. It just means struck or hit.