The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 33

avenged blood of the Gibeonites (2 Sam. cousin. This murder was even fouler than xxi. 1). And yet, one notorious and in- that of Abner. Here there were ties of famous murderer had not been put to blood ; they were companions in arms, and there was no pretence of a vendetta], whom death. The assassin of Abner and of he slew and shed [lit., "put," a somewhat Amasa still polluted the earth, still occu- strange expression. It almost looks as if pied a distinguished position, and defied ,,~~. "upon him," had dropped out. The punishment. But if the law of Moses was meaning "make," which Keil assigns to to ·be kept, then, whatever it might cost, C•i;, is not borne out by his references, and however painful it might be (Dent. Dent. xiv. 1; Exod. x. 2. "Showed," xix. 13), he must die; e.nd David, for the "displayed," is nearer the original], the welfare of his kingdom, the stability of his blood of wa.r 1n peace [the meaning is throne, e.nd above a.II, the honour of God, obvious. Blood might lawfully be shed in must require his death. No doubt it had time of war, in fair fight; and Joab might have slain the two captains in battle with- often burdened his mind, especia.lly during out guilt. But he slew them when they these last days of feebleness, the thought were e.t peace with him 11.nd unprepared, b;· that punishment he.d been so long delayed ; treachery], and put the blood of wa.r [th~ and therefore, e.s he sees the end e.pproach- LXX. has a,µa a0wov, "innocent blood"] ing, he feels that he must enjoin upon his upon his girdle that was about his loins, and 1n his shoes that were on his feet successor the fulfilment of the.t duty which [we a.re not to suppose that the girdle and he had been too " weak " to discharge sandal a.re mentioned as "die Zeichen des (2 Sam. iii. 39). Hence he proceeds, Kriegerstandes" (Bahr), i.e., military insignia; nor yet that the idea is "from Ver. 5.-" Moreover, thou knowest also the girdle to the Eande.l" (Ewald), i.e., wha.t Joa.b, the son of Zernia.h [there is no copiously. These a.re· usual (hardly " emphasis on these words : he who we.s 11 principal," as Keil) nrticles of Eastern mine own sister's son," e.s Wordsworth, see dress, of the civilian's as well as of on i. 11 J , did to me a.nd [this last word he.s the soldier's, and these two a.re mentioned no place in the original, e.nd should be left because, no doubt, the hon-il·lil details of out, e.s it is mislee.ding. It me.kes De.vid the two murders, and especially of the last demand the death of J oe.b partly bece.use of (see 2 Sam. xx. 8), had been reported to the private injuries he he.d suffered e.t his David. He had been told e.t the time how hands, e.nd partly bece.nse of his two brute.I the blood of A.mass. had spurted on to the murders mentioned presently. But this girdle of Joab, and streamed down into his is just what De.vid did not do; for he is sandals, and these details, which no doubt cnreful to exclude e.ll mention of his prive.te made e. deep impression upon his mind, are wrongs. It is true, he says, "what Job recited here to show how dasto.rdly and did to me," but that is because "the treacherous was the deed, and how sovereign is smitten in the subject" (Bp. thoroughly Joab was stained with innocent Hall), and because the first of these mur- blood, blood which cried to heo.ven for ders he.d ea.used De.vid to be suspected of vengeance (Gen. iv. 10)]. complicity, while ea.eh had deprived him of Ver. 6.-Do therefore according to thy e.n able officer. And the words that follow) wisdom [cf. Prov. xx. 2G. It needed grec.t what he did to the two captains of the hosts discretion in oxacting the punishment ot of Israel [these words a.re clearly explicative death in the case of one who was so power- of the "what he did to me." Only thus can ful, who had such influence with the army we explain the absence of the II and"] unto and the people, whose crimes ho.d been Abner the son of Ner [2 Sam. iii. 27. This passed over for so long a time, to whom was one of those foul murders to which the Do.vid wo.s so much indebted-Joab had law expressly denied any right of se.nctuary, partly won e.nd had twice pr6served for for it we.a" with guile" (Exod. xxi.14). Joab him his crown-and to whom he wo.s a.llied " took Abner a.side in the gate to speak with by ties of blood. To net precipitately or him peaceably, and smote him there in the unwisely might provoke e. revolution], and abdomen "] , and unto Amase. the son of let not his ho11.r head [see on ver. 9. Joab, Jether [or Ithra. In 2 Sam. xxvii. 24, though David's nephew, could not ho.ve Ithra is called " an Ismelite," an obvious been much his junior, and Davhl was now mistake for II Ishmaelite," us indeed it seventy) go down to the grave in peace. stands in 1 Chron. ii. 17. Amasa's mother, [He must die e. violent, not a ne.turnl death, Abigail, we.a sister of David and Zeruia.h ; o.s Corn. tl, Lap. This expression, no doubt, Amasa, consequently, was Joe.b's first looks vindiotive, but that is solely because  26 'l'RE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. [cu. 11. 1-11.