1 Kings 2:28

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Contextual Overview

²⁶Then the king said to Abiathar the priest, "Go back to your fields in Anathoth. Even though you deserve to die, I will not put you to death at this time, since you carried the ark of the Lord GOD before my father David, and you suffered through all that my father suffered." ²⁷So Solomon banished Abiathar from the priesthood of the LORD and so fulfilled the word the LORD had spoken at Shiloh against the house of Eli. ²⁸When the news reached Joab, who had conspired with Adonijah but not with Absalom, he fled to the tent of the LORD and took hold of the horns of the altar.²⁹It was reported to King Solomon: "Joab has fled to the tent of the LORD and is now beside the altar." So Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, saying, "Go, strike him down!" ³⁰And Benaiah entered the tent of the LORD and said to Joab, "The king says, 'Come out!'" But Joab replied, "No, I will die here." So Benaiah relayed the message to the king, saying, "This is how Joab answered me." ³¹And the king replied, "Do just as he says. Strike him down and bury him, and so remove from me and from the house of my father the innocent blood that Joab shed. ³²The LORD will bring his bloodshed back upon his own head, for without the knowledge of my father David he struck down two men more righteous and better than he when he killed with the sword Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel's army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah's army. ³³Their blood will come back upon the heads of Joab and his descendants forever; but for David, his descendants, his house, and his throne, there shall be peace from the LORD forever." ³⁴So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up, struck down Joab, and killed him. He was buried at his own home in the wilderness.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Joab had: 1 Kings 1:7, Deuteronomy 32:35, 2 Samuel 18:2, 2 Samuel 18:14, 2 Samuel 18:15

caught: 1 Kings 1:50, Exodus 27:2

Reciprocal: Genesis 9:6 - by Exodus 21:14 - take him Numbers 35:31 - Moreover Deuteronomy 19:12 - General 2 Samuel 2:13 - Joab 1 Kings 2:6 - let 1 Kings 19:2 - So let 2 Kings 11:8 - he that cometh Ezekiel 43:15 - four horns Hebrews 6:18 - lay

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then tidings came to Joab,.... Of the death of Adonijah, and the deposition of Abiathar:

for Joab had turned after Adonijah; publicly appeared at his feast, when he was saluted king by him, and others, and privately gave him advice in the affair of Abishag:

though he turned not after Absalom; did not join with him in his rebellion, but faithfully adhered to David; and yet both in his lifetime, and after his death, acted the traitorous part in favour of Adonijah: Ben Gersom gives these words a different sense, as if he was blameworthy in both cases; that he turned after Adonijah to make him king, without consulting David, and having his consent; and he did not turn after Absalom, to deliver him from death, as David commanded him; but the former sense is best:

and Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the Lord; which was at Gibeon, see 2 Chronicles 1:3; it was four miles from Jerusalem to the north, situated on an hill e; according to Josephus f, it was forty furlongs, or five miles, from it; though Kimchi thinks it was the altar in Jerusalem he fled to, which was before the ark, in the tent David made for it; but that is never called the tabernacle of the Lord, only that of Moses: Joab's fleeing hither showed guilt, and that he was in the conspiracy of Adonijah, and was conscious he deserved to die, and now expected it, since Adonijah was put to death; while he remained reprieved or pardoned, he thought himself safe, but now in danger, and therefore fled for it:

and caught hold of the horns of the altar; 2 Chronicles 1:3- :.

e Bunting's Travels, &c. p. 98. f Antiqu. l. 7. c. 11. sect. 7.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Joab followed the example of Adonijab (margin reference). The tabernacle was now at Gibeon 1 Kings 3:4; 1 Chronicles 16:39.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Kings 2:28. Tidings came to Joab — He heard that Adonijah had been slain and Abiathar banished, and probably he had heard of David's dying charge to Solomon. Fearing therefore for his personal safety, he takes refuge at the tabernacle, as claiming Divine protection, and desiring to have his case decided by God alone; or perhaps a spark of remorse is now kindled; and, knowing that he must die, he wishes to die in the house of God, as it were under the shadow, that he might receive the mercy of the Almighty.