1. Commander-in-chief of David's army; he played an important role in the establishment, unification and consolidation of David's kingdom. Joab was the eldest son of David's sister, Zeruiah and brother of Abishai and Asahel (I Chr 2:16). Joab first appears in the civil war between the followers of David and those of Saul's son Ishbaal (Ishbosheth), who succeeded his father to the throne. In a battle at the Pool of Gibeon, David's adherents, led by Joab, defeated Ishbaal's men headed by Abner, son of Ner. The dead included Joab's young brother Asahel, killed by Abner (II Sam 2:12-23).
Joab helped to capture the well-fortified city of Jebus (Jerusalem) (II Sam 5:6ff; 8:16; 20:23; I Chr 11:4ff; 18:15). His military acumen gained him the position of commander-in-chief of David's army (I Chr 11:6), and he proved himself a shrewd tactician and resourceful general. He helped David crush the Philistines and subdue several of the neighboring nations, including the Arameans, Moabites Edomites (II Sam 5:17-25; 8:1; 10:6-19; I Kgs 11:23-24; I Chr 14:10-16; 18:1-8).
Joab's loyalty to David was exemplary, at times verging on self-effacement.When, after fierce battles with the Ammonites and their allies, he was about to capture Rabbah, he asked David to come and lead the siege so as to receive credit for the conquest (II Sam 12:27-28). It was at this siege that joab executed David's orders by stationing Bathsheba's husband Uriah in the forefront of the fierce battle and then pulling back, allowing Uriah to be killed (II Sam 11:14-17). Later, knowing of David's longing for his banished son Absalom, Joab concocted a scheme which brought about a reconciliation between the father and his son.
On the other hand, Joab was relentless and unscrupulous towards his enemies and rivals. He slew Abner perhaps out of rivalry or to avenge his brother. When Absalom revolted against his father, Joab killed him in stark violation of David's command to spare his life (II Sam 18:14). Jealous of his position, Joab later treacherously slew Amasa, who had been appointed by David to head the campaign against the Benjamite Sheba the son of the Bichri; Joab proceeded to crush the revolt himself (II Sam chap. 20). He also conducted the census of the people ordered by David which took more than nine months (II Sam 24:1-9; I Chr 27:24).
In the dispute between Adonijah and Solomon over the succession to David's throne, Joab, unaware that David preferred Solomon, sided with Adonijah. When Solomon was established on the throne, he ordered the death of Joab; this was in accordance with David's command that Joab, who had shed innocent blood, must not be allowed to go down to the grave in peaceful old age (I Kgs 2:5-6). Joab met his death at the sanctuary, where he had sought refuge by seizing the altar's horns.
2. Son of Seraiah, from the tribe of Judah, and father of the Ge-Harashim.
3. The name of a Judean family which returned to Judah from the Babylonian Exile during the times of Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:6; Neh 7:11) and Ezra, when the head of the family was Obadiah the son of Jehiel. JOAH ("Yah is brother").
1. A son of Obed-Edom who served as a Levitical gatekeeper at David's time.
2. Son of Zimmah. Descendant of the Levitical family of Gershon who served at the time of King Hezekiah's reform.
3. Son of Asaph. A court official who was part of the deputation sent by Hezekiah to the Assyrians.
4. One of the treasurers responsible for the repair work in the Temple under Josiah.
Concordance
JOAB 1:
I Sam 26:6. II Sam 2:13-14,18, 22, 24,26-28, 30, 32; 3:22-24, 26-27,29-31; 8:16; 10:7, 9, 13-14; 11:1, 6-7, 11,14, 16-18, 22,25-27; 14:1-3,19-23, 29-30,31-33; 17:25; 18:2, 5, 10-12,14-16, 20-22,29; 19:1, 5, 13; 20:7-11, 13,15-17, 20-23; 23:18, 24, 37; 24:2-4, 9. I Kgs 1:7, 19,41; 2:5, 22,28-31, 33; 11:15-16, 21. I Chr 2:16; 11:6, 8, 20, 26,39; 18:15; 19:8,10, 14-15; 20:1-6; 26:28; 27:7, 24, 34
JOAB 2:
I Chr 4:14
JOAB 3:
Ezra 2:6, 8:9. Neh 7:11
