1 kings 2:5 - “Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, even what he did to the two captains of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner, and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war on his sash that was around his waist, and in his shoes that were on his feet.
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What does "1 kings 2:5" mean?
This verse from 1 Kings 2:5 is King David, on his deathbed, giving instructions to his son Solomon regarding how to handle Joab, his former military commander. The verse essentially lists Joab's past transgressions that David believes Solomon must address. Here's a breakdown:
"Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me...": This sets the context. David is reminding Solomon that he already knows about Joab's history and his problematic actions. Joab was a powerful, often ruthless, figure in David's court, and David had struggled to control him.
"...even what he did to the two captains of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner, and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed...": This is the crux of the issue. Joab murdered two of David's rivals or potential rivals:
Abner: Abner was previously the commander of Saul's (David's predecessor) army. After Saul's death, Abner initially supported Saul's son, Ishbosheth, as king. When Abner switched allegiance to David and was seeking to unite the kingdom under David, Joab murdered him under the guise of avenging the death of his brother Asahel (who Abner had killed in battle). However, Joab's actions were likely motivated by political rivalry.
Amasa: Amasa was appointed by David as commander of the army after David quelled Absalom's rebellion. Joab murdered Amasa treacherously while pretending to greet him peacefully. Again, this was likely due to Joab's ambition and resentment at being replaced.
"...and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war on his sash that was around his waist, and in his shoes that were on his feet.": This emphasizes the perfidy of Joab's actions. He killed these men during times of peace or reconciliation, violating the laws of war and justice. The "blood on his sash and shoes" is a metaphor for the guilt and stain of his actions. It signifies that his deeds were not justifiable acts of war but premeditated murders carried out in a deceitful manner. It highlights that the violence of war had inappropriately seeped into a time and space where it did not belong, corrupting and contaminating the peace.
In summary: David is reminding Solomon of Joab's treacherous murders of Abner and Amasa, highlighting that these killings were not justified by war or duty. David feels that Joab's actions were a grave injustice that must be addressed. David, due to his complicated relationship with Joab and the political implications, never properly punished Joab for these murders. On his deathbed, David is passing this responsibility to Solomon, implicitly instructing him to ensure justice is served. He wants to ensure that Joab's actions do not go unpunished and that his legacy is not one of unchecked power and violence.
1 kings 2:5 - “Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, even what he did to the two captains of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner, and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war on his sash that was around his waist, and in his shoes that were on his feet.
What does "1 kings 2:5" mean?
This verse from 1 Kings 2:5 is King David, on his deathbed, giving instructions to his son Solomon regarding how to handle Joab, his former military commander. The verse essentially lists Joab's past transgressions that David believes Solomon must address. Here's a breakdown:
"Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me...": This sets the context. David is reminding Solomon that he already knows about Joab's history and his problematic actions. Joab was a powerful, often ruthless, figure in David's court, and David had struggled to control him.
"...even what he did to the two captains of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner, and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed...": This is the crux of the issue. Joab murdered two of David's rivals or potential rivals:
Abner: Abner was previously the commander of Saul's (David's predecessor) army. After Saul's death, Abner initially supported Saul's son, Ishbosheth, as king. When Abner switched allegiance to David and was seeking to unite the kingdom under David, Joab murdered him under the guise of avenging the death of his brother Asahel (who Abner had killed in battle). However, Joab's actions were likely motivated by political rivalry.
Amasa: Amasa was appointed by David as commander of the army after David quelled Absalom's rebellion. Joab murdered Amasa treacherously while pretending to greet him peacefully. Again, this was likely due to Joab's ambition and resentment at being replaced.
"...and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war on his sash that was around his waist, and in his shoes that were on his feet.": This emphasizes the perfidy of Joab's actions. He killed these men during times of peace or reconciliation, violating the laws of war and justice. The "blood on his sash and shoes" is a metaphor for the guilt and stain of his actions. It signifies that his deeds were not justifiable acts of war but premeditated murders carried out in a deceitful manner. It highlights that the violence of war had inappropriately seeped into a time and space where it did not belong, corrupting and contaminating the peace.
In summary: David is reminding Solomon of Joab's treacherous murders of Abner and Amasa, highlighting that these killings were not justified by war or duty. David feels that Joab's actions were a grave injustice that must be addressed. David, due to his complicated relationship with Joab and the political implications, never properly punished Joab for these murders. On his deathbed, David is passing this responsibility to Solomon, implicitly instructing him to ensure justice is served. He wants to ensure that Joab's actions do not go unpunished and that his legacy is not one of unchecked power and violence.