Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Joab‘s character is strongly brought out in the transaction. Politic, decided, bold, and unscrupulous, but never needlessly cruel or impulsive, or even revengeful. No life is safe that stands in his way, but from policy he never sacrifices the most insignificant life without a purpose. (Compare 2 Samuel 2:27-30.)

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And Joab answered and said, far be it from me, far be it from me,.... He repeats these words, to show how detestable it was to him to do what she suggested:

that I should swallow up or destroy; any in a violent and unrighteous manner, and especially a city of which she had given such a character for its greatness and worth, and for the peaceableness and fidelity of its inhabitants.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

2 Samuel 20:20 And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.

Ver. 20. Far be it, far be it from me.] He utterly disclaimeth and disavoweth all such bloodthirstiness as wherewith she chargeth him. He affected not the title of Poliorcetes or city-destroyer: but rather of Euergetes, a preserver of his country, a general benefactor.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

A man of Mount Ephraim.

Quest. How can this be so when he is called a Benjamite, 2 Samuel 20:1?

Answ, Either he was a Benjamite by birth, but dwelt in the tribe of Ephraim, as many did upon several occasions dwell out of their own tribes; or Mount Ephraim was a place in Benjamin, which might be so called, either because it was upon the borders of Ephraim, and looked towards it; or from some notable action or event of the Ephraimites in that place. Compare 2 Samuel 18:6. Hath lift up his hand, i.e. taken up arms, or raised rebellion. His head shall be thrown, to thee over the wall; which she undertook, because she knew the present temper and great fears of the citizens, and soldiers too; and that considering their evident and extreme danger, they were generally desirous of peace, from which they were restrained only by Sheba’s authority and interest; and therefore did not doubt by God’s blessing upon her wise counsel to effect it, as indeed she did. And it is not unlikely that this woman might be a governess in that city for though this office was commonly performed by men, yet were not the women wholly excluded, but sometimes employed in the government; as we see in Deborah, who judged Israel, Jude 4:4; and queen Athaliah, 2Ki 11.

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

God, (Absit.) Literally, "Far be it, far be it from me;" as we need not put the name of God in the mouth of this profane man, without reason. (Haydock)

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

far be it. Repeated by Figure of speech Epizeuxis. App-6.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(20) Far be it from me.—Joab strongly disclaims the idea of any further harm to any one than the necessary destruction of the rebel Sheba. Joab’s character “is strongly brought out in the transaction. Politic, decided, bold, and unscrupulous, but never needlessly cruel or impulsive, or even revengeful. No life is safe that stands in his way, but from policy he never sacrifices the most insignificant life without a purpose.”—Speaker’s Commentary.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Far be it

23:17; Job 21:16; 22:18

that I should

10; Proverbs 28:13; Jeremiah 17:9; Luke 10:29