Lexicon :: Strong's H3097 - yô'āḇ

Then David asked Ahimelech the Hethite and Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, “Who will go with me into the camp to Saul? ”

“I’ll go with you,” answered Abishai.

So Joab son of Zeruiah and David’s soldiers marched out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. The two groups took up positions on opposite sides of the pool.

The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was a fast runner, like one of the wild gazelles.

Once again, Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How could I ever look your brother Joab in the face? ”

but Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. By sunset, they had gone as far as the hill of Ammah, which is opposite Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.

Then Abner called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize this will only end in bitterness? How long before you tell the troops to stop pursuing their brothers? ”

When Joab had turned back from pursuing Abner, he gathered all the troops. In addition to Asahel, nineteen of David’s soldiers were missing,

Afterward, they carried Asahel to his father’s tomb in Bethlehem and buried him. Then Joab and his men marched all night and reached Hebron at dawn.

Just then David’s soldiers and Joab returned from a raid and brought a large amount of plundered goods with them. Abner was not with David in Hebron because David had dismissed him, and he had gone in peace.

Then Joab left David and sent messengers after Abner. They brought him back from the well[fn] of Sirah, but David was unaware of it.

“May it hang over Joab’s head and his father’s whole family, and may the house of Joab never be without someone who has a discharge or a skin disease, or a man who can only work a spindle,[fn] or someone who falls by the sword or starves.”

Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army;

Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was court historian;

David heard about it and sent Joab and all the elite troops.

When Joab saw that there was a battle line in front of him and another behind him, he chose some of Israel’s finest young men and lined up in formation to engage the Arameans.

Joab and his troops advanced to fight against the Arameans, and they fled before him.

In the spring when kings march out to war, David sent Joab with his officers and all Israel. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah, but David remained in Jerusalem.

David sent orders to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hethite.” So Joab sent Uriah to David.

Uriah answered David, “The ark, Israel, and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my master Joab and his soldiers[fn] are camping in the open field. How can I enter my house to eat and drink and sleep with my wife? As surely as you live and by your life, I will not do this! ”

The next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah.

When Joab was besieging the city, he put Uriah in the place where he knew the best enemy soldiers were.

Then the messenger left.

When he arrived, he reported to David all that Joab had sent him to tell.

David told the messenger, “Say this to Joab: ‘Don’t let this matter upset you because the sword devours all alike. Intensify your fight against the city and demolish it.’ Encourage him.”

Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal fortress.

Joab son of Zeruiah realized that the king’s mind was on Absalom.

The king asked, “Did Joab put you up to[fn] all this? ”

The woman answered. “As you live, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or left from all my lord the king says. Yes, your servant Joab is the one who gave orders to me; he told your servant exactly what to say.[fn]

Then Absalom sent for Joab in order to send him to the king, but Joab was unwilling to come to him. So he sent again, a second time, but he still would not come.

Now Absalom had appointed Amasa over the army in Joab’s place. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra[fn] the Israelite;[fn] Ithra had married Abigail daughter of Nahash.[fn] Abigail was a sister to Zeruiah, Joab’s mother.