JOAB’S error had happened quite many years before. It was before the new king was born, and before his father even ruled in Israel.
It was those times when David was a young man fleeing from an envious lord—King Saul, the first of Israel’s kings.
But at this time, the enemy had fallen in a battle against others. He’d fought a war against a nation, and he’d died along with the heir he took to battle.
He died in that battle with three of his sons.
So, every one of David’s men thought that he would then find rest, as the enemy who chased them without a break had passed.
But that hope and expectation didn’t happen as the end of the fight only birthed a greater war.
For as soon as King Saul fell, his royal troop carried on with the feud as far as their master would want it.
And so, Saul’s men continued to fight David’s camp—among those men was one called Abner.
Abner was the bravest one and his loyalty to Saul was without question.
Now on David’s side was this warrior, Joab. He was the captain of the force that went with him.
The man had two brothers, fearless as him. So they were chief among David’s mighty men.
The names of the brothers were Abishai and Asahel.
The youngest one Asahel was the fastest of these three. He ran as fast as a wild deer, hunting down foes and at times outrunning them.
But this speed of lightning sparks was all Asahel had got with him.
For he was quite lacking in battle tactic to be able to tell if to slay a catch or bring him home.
And so, one day it had happened that a fearsome battle broke out between the men of Saul and the men of David.
It was a fierce battle between the bravest commanders in Israel. A battle between Abner and Joab themselves.
That day, the soldiers fought and did all day. Then Joab proved the stronger hand in war as his men routed Abner’s troops.
Thus Abner’s men of war fled along with him. Then it was Asahel’s turn to run.
The fastest of Israel’s deer heard the call. So he chased after the captain with such flight that made clothes burn.
Then he caught up with him, and stopped, and outran again.
Now fearless Asahel wanted his prey tired out. Even when there was no end to that chase.
But at a point, Abner realized that his chaser wouldn’t kill him. Yet it was wearying to have a man with the sword on one’s heels.
So the Israelite captain warned the soldier many times to back off. He threatened to kill him if he kept on chasing.
But Asahel saw the fear in the man’s eyes, so he wasn’t going to end the game yet.
He wanted the enemy to fear him more. Then he’d be quite sure of what to do.
That was what the fiery chaser thought. But that was not what happened.
For sooner than later, the fleeing one found the chaser too menacing to bear...
So he turned back when he reached that point and he thrust a sword in his belly.
Asahel glared in both shock and pain as his own sword fell to the ground. And before he realized it, he had passed on beyond.
David’s captain counted his soldiers at the end of battle, and found out that his brother was among those fallen.
At that point the man could not bear it, for Joab loved Asahel so much.
Yet again, the man had sounded the trumpet already. To announce the end of war as the winning side.
So there was nothing much he could do. He couldn’t kill Abner, or else it would be murder.
So Joab mourned and promised to avenge his brother someday. He didn’t know how but he’d surely take a life, he said.
Now, time passed as David grew stronger and the house of Saul weaker. So Abner began to reconsider his allegiance to the ruling house.
For the last of Saul’s sons, who ruled in the interim, was in bitter feud with him. So Abner left his camp and went to David.
He recalled it was David that the prophets said would rule.
Now when Abner went to David and the future king saw through him, he easily forgave him for the war and welcomed him in.
He also promised him security.
However, when the man whose brother Abner killed heard this – when Joab saw the strange twist of fate, he became quite livid. He couldn’t bear to see this happen.
Then again, he feared. He feared that David might make Abner commander in his place. For Abner’s record of bravery was rather too daunting.
Thus, Joab went to David in his fear and fury. But he wouldn’t declare his main motive; he wouldn’t state his grudge.
Instead, the man posed his complaints as concerns for his master.
Yet again David wouldn’t know anything, as he hadn’t fought in their battle. The battle between the men of David and those of Saul.
So, Joab only told a false claim. ‘Abner has come to spy on you, my lord! It is so he could hand you over to Saul’s house.’
But David had heard from Abner, so he wouldn’t buy this.
Now when Joab saw it, he went after Abner and lured him out to the outskirts of town.
He posed as though he wanted to have a word with him. But he killed him there with a friendly sword.
That day David’s captain avenged the death of his brother. Then with Abner gone, he secured his position.
But Joab’s revenge was murder and never the fair fight of battle. He had killed a man in time of peace for the thing he’d caused him in war.
He’d taken the man out of his way, too. Just because he held a sword and the power to kill.
So when David heard this, he was too disappointed to speak. He was pained and hurt and heartbroken...
And he wondered where broken men were.
This man who killed in peacetime was someone he couldn’t judge. He was kindred blood, a nephew.
And still, he’d caused trouble too many times to spare. So David cursed him in a fit of rage.
But David was too heartbroken that cursing wouldn’t suffice. Yet he couldn’t judge the murder; and so he entered Joab’s wrong in what became the Book... the King’s Book of Records.
Now, this murder of Abner wasn’t the only case Joab had in that book. There was another man that the hasty thunder killed in rage.
His name was Amasa, a soldier from Judah.
Years had rolled over years and seasons over many. Then David had reigned as king over Israel for some two decades.
So there came the days of Absalom’s revolt, and it had happened that Joab killed the prince. He was an enemy to David, but he was his fondest child.
Therefore David mourned his lost son even though he knew that he had to die.
He spent days grieving and mourning, so much that the triumph turned a lament in Israel. And everyone jubilating soon told themselves to cry.
That scene of wails following victory angered Joab a lot. And the army chief gave his king a good scolding. It was in the ears of everyone.
The insubordination did hurt David a lot, but he swallowed everything as though it meant nothing.
Yet that day he decided to demote Joab from his position.
Afterwards, David appointed Amasa from the tribe of Judah in place of Joab. Yet the new war chief didn’t get to do much before he died, too.
For Joab repeated the ploy he carried out on Abner. And he killed Amasa with a friendly hit, and then regained his position.
Therefore, Joab continued in King David’s reign as the monster shadow one can only bear.
But the Book of Records waited for Solomon.
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