Study Desk

Now the news came to Joab ^(C1)because Joab had followed Adonijah, ^(C2)though he had not followed Absalom. So Joab fled to the tent of the LORD and ^(C3)took hold of the horns of the altar.

And it was reported to King Solomon that Joab had fled to the tent of the LORD, and ^(F1)was beside the altar. Then Solomon ^(C1)sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, "^(C2)Go, ^(F2)execute him."

So Benaiah came to the tent of the LORD and said to him, "This is what the king has said: 'Come out.'" But he said, "No, for I will die here." So Benaiah brought back word to the king, saying, "This is what Joab spoke, and so he answered me."

And the king said to him, "^(C1)Do just as he has spoken, and ^(F1)execute him and bury him, ^(C2)so that you may remove from me and from my father's house the blood which Joab shed without ^(F2)justification.

"^(C1)The LORD will return his blood on his own head, ^(C2)because he ^(F1)struck two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword, while my father David did not know about it: ^(C3)Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and ^(C4)Amasa the son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah.

"^(C1)So their blood shall return on the head of Joab and on the head of his ^(F1)descendants forever; but for David and his ^(F1)descendants, and his house and his throne, may there be peace from the LORD forever."

Then ^(C1)Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and ^(F1)struck him and put him to death, and he was buried at his own house ^(C2)in the wilderness.