King David & Joab - The Untold Story

This article will examine the life of David in order to learn from his mistakes. David was a man of many faults but did not have the Holy Spirit in him to overcome sin and his self-life. We are held to a higher standard and will be judged differently than David. The point of this article is not to dishonor our brother David, but to highlight some things that few talk about. Most people discuss how David was a man after God’s own heart but leave out the details of his most ruthless actions (which the Bible does not leave out).

Ascension to the Throne

In David’s youth, he sought the Lord and walked in His counsel. David was not perfect, but he knew the will of the Lord well enough to pass the tests. He is an example to us in many ways. David patiently waited for the Lord to fulfill His promise and make David king. David found the secret place of coming before the Lord in His presence, which very few people seem to journey to. We will begin examining the scriptures after David has been made king of Judah.

Lack of Faithfulness

Abner, the commander of Saul’s army, had been pursuing David and his men in order to kill them. Finally, Saul was killed in battle, and David was anointed King of Judah after years of being in hiding and on the run (2 Samuel 2:4). Abner did not yield to the prophecy spoken by Samuel (that David was the rightful king). Instead, he rebelled against the word of the Lord and made Saul’s son king (2 Samuel 2:8-10). Abner then went to war against David’s army. The three brothers, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel, pursued Abner as he was fleeing. Joab killed Asahel in battle (2 Samuel 2:23).

Shortly after that, David made a covenant with Abner so that David could rule over all of Israel (2 Samuel 3:20-21). However, this was a betrayal of Joab, the commander of David’s army. Joab’s brother had just been slain by Abner, and David had just made peace with this man. Joab had stood by for years while Abner pursued them in the wilderness. He and the other mighty men served David and protected him with their lives. Then Joab loses his brother trying to fight Abner for David’s kingdom. Joab had made a great sacrifice for David to be in the position that he was in.

However, David did not consider those who sacrificed for him and made a political deal with Abner. This had to hurt Joab. Joab avenged his brother's death and killed Abner (2 Samuel 3:26-27). This event damaged David and Joab’s relationship. David put his enemy before his closet and most loyal servant. He focused on his kingdom being established instead of the people that enabled him to have a kingdom. Leaders must care for those who have supported them faithfully. David failed to be faithful to his men in the same way that they had been faithful to him.

Not Fearing the Lord

This was one of David’s first mistakes. God judged David because of his “anything goes with God” type attitude. If David had allowed the fear of the Lord to sink deep in his spirit, it would have prevented him from making worse mistakes in the future.

“So they set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart. And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill, accompanying the ark of God; and Ahio went before the ark. Then David and all the house of Israel played music before the Lord on all kinds of instruments of fir wood, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on sistrums, and on cymbals. And when they came to Nachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God. And David became angry because of the Lord’s outbreak against Uzzah; and he called the name of the place Perez Uzzah to this day. David was afraid of the Lord that day; and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?”” (II Samuel 6:3-9 NKJV)

David moved the ark of God in his own way and Uzzha died. When we try to move God according to the way we want to move Him, it can be disastrous. We don’t move the Lord how we want, but according to how He wants. David thought he didn’t have to follow the Lord’s protocol of having the priests carry the ark or didn't care to know. He didn’t treat the presence of God as holy. So God’s anger burst forth and killed Uzzah. We cannot simply do whatever we think is best and expect the Lord to allow it. He will shut it down one way or another.

Many have preached that David simply decided to set up the “Tabernacle of David” and that the Lord went along with what David wanted to do. They use this line of reasoning to make the point that the Father is behind His children in whatever they want to do. This reasoning actually removes “the cross of Christ” from the relationship and negates Jesus’ example of only doing the things that He saw the Father doing. The fact is, David and two other prophets were commanded by the Lord to establish a specific way of worshipping the Lord.

“And he stationed the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, with stringed instruments, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, of Gad the king’s seer, and of Nathan the prophet; for thus was the commandment of the Lord by His prophets.” (II Chronicles 29:25 NKJV)

Ananias and Sapphira did not fear the Lord, and so their bodies dropped just as Uzzah did. If we are going to have the weighty glory of God return to the church, we must learn from the past and embrace the fear of the Lord.

David’s Fall

Joab and the army were off at battle, but David chose to stay home. He saw a beautiful woman bathing while he walked on the rooftop (2 Samuel 11:2). Lust gripped David’s heart and he yielded to it. He imagined what it would be like to have intimate relations with her until he couldn’t contain the urge to have the woman for himself. David’s sinful imagination birthed physical sin because it was left unchecked.

“But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28 NKJV)

Some have said that committing adultery with a woman in one’s heart is the same as performing the physical act. This is simply false. There are degrees of sin. Some sins were worthy of death and were judged very severely. Other sins did not carry a severe penalty or death. Committing a sin in one’s imagination is not the same as physically doing it. A person could think about killing someone because they are extremely mad, but is that the same as committing murder? Absolutely not. An internal sin affects the person who is committing it. An external sin or action affects more people.

David could have stopped himself from transitioning from an internal sin to an external sin, but he didn’t want to. He had allowed “lust” too much space in his heart, and it was now controlling him. He did not have the Holy Spirit in him to help him overcome this temptation. David had a generational curse of sexual immorality working in his bloodline since his great-great-great grandmother was a harlot (Rahab). We see this same curse and sin work in Solomon as his many foreign wives pulled his heart away from the Lord.

“So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?”” (II Samuel 11:3 NKJV)

David knew that this woman was the wife of one of his mighty men. Uriah was one of the elite fighting men who gathered around David when he was just one man on the run from King Saul. At the time, it would have been treason to join David’s ranks because it meant rebellion against Saul. Yet Uriah saw the grace of God on David, and his heart was moved to join him and protect him. Uriah helped make David who he had become, and he was currently off fighting a war for King David.

“Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house. And the woman conceived; so she sent and told David, and said, “I am with child.”” (II Samuel 11:4-5 NKJV)

David betrays one of his most loyal supporters and takes his wife behind his back. David breaks two of the Ten Commandments by coveting his neighbor's wife (when David already had multiple wives and concubines) and committing adultery. David then continued his sin rampage by using manipulation, deception, and lies to cover up the sin. David brought Uriah back home in order to try to get him to sleep with his wife (to hide the fact that she was pregnant by David). But Uriah would not do it because he didn’t feel right being in comfort while his brothers were fighting in war. He was a man of convictions, and he would not cast his convictions to the ground as David had done.

It should be noted that Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba, wasn’t going to tell her husband what happened. David wasn’t concerned about that at all. Bathsheba didn’t seem to offer any resistance to David’s advancement toward her. She went willingly and then kept silent about the matter. Maybe she wanted to be queen more than the wife of a soldier.

Then David commits his darkest sin yet. He meditated on committing murder and then wrote the letter that gave the order. David knew that Uriah was such an honorable man that he would not open the letter and read what was written. Uriah carried his own death warrant to Joab.

“In the morning it happened that David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. And he wrote in the letter, saying, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck down and die.” So it was, while Joab besieged the city, that he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew there were valiant men. Then the men of the city came out and fought with Joab. And some of the people of the servants of David fell; and Uriah the Hittite died also.” (II Samuel 11:14-17 NKJV)

Joab obeyed David’s every command as he followed his king. I can’t imagine the pain that it caused Joab to kill one of his top and most faithful fighting soldiers. Joab witnessed David ordering the death of a good friend, all while knowing David was upset with Joab for killing the man who hunted them and killed his brother Asahel. Joab saw firsthand how David had begun to twist judgment and abuse his power as king. When Joab would return from war, he would find David married to Bathsheba. Then he would know the ruthlessness, betrayal, and lust that were in David’s heart.

David stood firm in his belief that killing Saul was the wrong thing to do when they had the opportunity. His men didn’t understand, but they admired David’s convictions before the Lord. Joab now saw that David had become a “muddied stream” and was no longer living by righteous convictions. Every time Joab looked at Bathsheba, he would remember how David killed her husband so he could take her for himself. Bathsheba reminded Joab of who David had become.

Forgiveness and Mercy

Under the law, David should have been killed for committing adultery and murder (Leviticus 20:10, Exodus 20:13-17, 21:12-14). However, David knew the Lord and was walking in the powers of the age to come. David understood grace and forgiveness. David repented and asked forgiveness in his heart.

“So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.” (II Samuel 12:13 NKJV)

Judgment 

David was forgiven of his sin, but the Father would still scourge David for his sin and rebellion (Hebrews 12). Many think that all one has to do is repent to avoid judgment and discipline. This isn’t always the case. Sometimes we have to pay for our sin so we understand how destructive it is and so we learn to not behave that way again. David was judged severely because he knew the Lord and knew better than to do what he did.

“Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I will stir up evil against you from your own household; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. Indeed you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and in broad daylight.’ ”” (2 Samuel 12:10-12 AMP)

“Then Nathan went [back] to his home. And the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s widow bore to David, and he was very sick. Then it happened on the seventh day that the child died.”…. (2 Samuel 12:15, 18 AMP)

God killed David and Bathsheba’s firstborn child because they conceived him in evil sin. What a terrible judgment this would have been. I cannot imagine the pain and suffering this would have caused. David killed Uriah, and God killed David’s son. The Father was chastening his son David. He was showing him the pain of death and working this understanding into David’s soul.

Loving kindness

The Father then demonstrated His love and forgiveness to David and Bathsheba:

“David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and went to her and lay with her; and she gave birth to a son, and David named him Solomon. And the Lord loved the child; and He sent word through Nathan the prophet, and he named him Jedidiah (beloved of the Lord) for the sake of the Lord [who loved the child].” (2 Samuel 12:24-25 AMP)

Calm Before the Storm

The Lord told David that He would stir up evil against him in his own household and that the sword would not depart from his house. David got the new life he wanted with Bathsheba and Solomon, but the Lord was going to destroy some of David’s family that had been established. The scriptures don’t say that Satan was going to do this; they say the Lord was doing this. The Lord will make sure that we know that sin is never worth it. We will suffer if we make certain sinful choices.

David’s family was under the covering and protection of the Lord until David committed those sins. Nothing evil would have happened in his family. Can we see the responsibility of those in authority? The deterioration of David’s family was his own fault. Every time something evil happened in regard to David’s family, he would remember that it was because of him. The prophetic word from Nathan would echo in his heart. David and Bathsheba’s firstborn dying was only the beginning of sorrow.

Many Christians quote David’s story when they make justifications for sin. “David found forgiveness, and God still used him as king,” they say. They forget that God also killed David’s baby and brought severe suffering and turmoil to David’s family. Yes, God forgives our sins, but it’s never just that simple. Sin destroys families and the body of Christ. It is the reason why the church is so divided and in many ways, defeated.

Christians should never compare the standards of an Old Testament king to those of a New Testament bishop or overseer. God’s standards and expectations are completely different for the two offices. An Old Testament king did not have the Holy Spirit in him and was not overseeing the church of God as a minister. He was governing a nation. New Testament church leaders have the Holy Spirit and are held to qualifying character standards found in 1 Timothy 3:1-7. Kings in the Old Testament were not selected according to these same standards.

Rape and Incest

As spoken by the Lord to David, He stirred up evil in David’s family to punish David for his sin. David had already been forgiven, but his kingdom would not know “rest” for the remainder of his rule. David’s son, Amnon, raped David’s daughter (Amnon’s own half sister).

“It happened afterwards that Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister whose name was Tamar, and Amnon [her half brother] the son of David was in love with her. Amnon was so frustrated because of his [half-] sister Tamar that he made himself sick, for she was a virgin, and Amnon thought it impossible for him to do anything to her.” (2 Samuel 13:1-2 AMP)

“Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the bedroom, so that I may eat from your hand.” So Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them into the bedroom to her [half-] brother Amnon. When she brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said, “Come, lie with me, my sister.” She replied, “No, my brother! Do not violate me, for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this disgraceful thing! But he would not listen to her; and since he was stronger than she, he violated her and lay with her. Then Amnon became extremely hateful toward her, for his hatred toward her was greater than the love which he had for her. And Amnon said to her, “Get up and get out!”” (2 Samuel 13:10-12, 14-15 AMP)

Under the law, David should have banished Amnon from the people because he uncovered his half-sister's nakedness by force. But David did not administer judgment.

“‘If a man takes his sister, his father’s daughter or his mother’s daughter, so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace; and they shall be cut off in the sight of the sons of their people. He has uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he bears [responsibility for] his guilt.” (Leviticus 20:17 AMP)

David could have forced his son to marry Tamar, as the law also states, but he did not obey God’s law at all.

““If a man finds a young woman who is a virgin, who is not betrothed, and he seizes her and lies with her, and they are found out, then the man who lay with her shall give to the young woman’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife because he has humbled her; he shall not be permitted to divorce her all his days.” (Deuteronomy 22:28-29 NKJV)

David was angry but did not act with righteous judgment.

“Now when King David heard about all these things, he was very angry [but failed to take any action].” (2 Samuel 13:21 AMP)

When righteous judgment is withheld, it gives opportunity for unrighteous actions. When people see that those in authority aren’t doing what is right, they oftentimes take it upon themselves to enforce judgment. This is extremely dangerous and demonstrates a failure in David’s leadership. David shows unsanctified mercy to his son Amnon when he should have been disciplined. He was clearly showing favoritism or respecting persons. Would David have acted the same way if a stranger had raped his daughter?

I have seen pastors in the Charasmatic Movement operate with this same humanistic mercy. It’s source is humistic love which comes from our sinful souls. It is the opposite of the love and mercy of God. False love and mercy will destroy relationships and churches. I have seen it. False love and mercy are characterized by not administering any corrective judgment. Sin will abound when this happens, and that is exactly what happened in David’s family.

Family Rebellion

“But Absalom did not speak to Amnon either good or bad; for Absalom hated Amnon because he had violated his sister Tamar. Now it came about after two full years that Absalom had sheepshearers at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons [to a party].” (2 Samuel 13:22-23 AMP)

Absalom organized a setup and a sneak attack. He had Amnon killed (2 Samuel 13:28-29). The rage had been building in Absalom. He thought about his sister being raped, and his father almost completely ignored the situation. David should have been leading his family through this difficult time with wisdom, love, and judgment. But he withdrew into his own world while his family fell apart.

Absalom went into hiding for three years and then returned after Joab persuaded David to bring him back. Joab knew David better than anyone and knew that he missed his son. As always, Joab was trying his best to serve David. However, Absalom’s heart had darkened, and he used this opportunity to initiate a rebellion against his father. This could never have been possible without the Lord allowing it. The word of the Lord was continuing to be fulfilled and David was suffering under the hand of God.

David, his family, and his trusted soldiers went on the run. Absalom pursued them with his army. David gave orders that Absalom should not be killed, but when Joab had the opportunity, he killed Absalom. Joab disobeyed the king; however, he was doing this to protect the king from himself. Joab saw how Absalom threatened the entire kingdom. Absalom could have killed them all. Joab knew that if he was not put to death, more chaos would ensue. Absalom was uncontrolled and Joab did the one thing that could control the situation.

David was very upset about Absalom’s death and mourned in front of the people. Joab then rebuked David sharply:

“Then Joab came into the house to the king, and said, “Today you have disgraced all your servants who today have saved your life, the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives and the lives of your concubines, in that you love your enemies and hate your friends. For you have declared today that you regard neither princes nor servants; for today I perceive that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died today, then it would have pleased you well. Now therefore, arise, go out and speak comfort to your servants. For I swear by the Lord, if you do not go out, not one will stay with you this night. And that will be worse for you than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth until now.” Then the king arose and sat in the gate. And they told all the people, saying, “There is the king, sitting in the gate.” So all the people came before the king. For everyone of Israel had fled to his tent.” (II Samuel 19:5-8 NKJV)

Joab’s rebuke was needed and it set David straight. David’s men had fought Absalom and his army in order to protect David and his family, and David wasn’t thanking them. He was just openly mourning the death of his son who had tried to murder his family. Joab helped save David’s image and his throne with this well-timed rebuke. If Joab didn’t care about David, he could simply have done nothing and then watched David’s reign fall apart. But he cared and he acted. However, David was angered by Joab’s rebuke and sought to remove him as commander.

“And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you are not commander of the army before me continually in place of Joab.’ ”” (II Samuel 19:13 NKJV)

David was going to replace Joab with a commander who had helped lead a rebellion against him and tried to kill him. Does that sound wise? How could anyone trust Amasa’s loyalty after something like that occurred? This upset Joab and he made a decision to ensure that Amasa wouldn’t become commander.

“But Amasa [who had replaced Joab as David’s commander] was off guard and not attentive to the sword in Joab’s hand. So Joab struck Amasa in the abdomen with the sword, spilling his intestines to the ground. Without another blow Amasa died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.” (2 Samuel 20:10 AMP)

Joab was a fierce warrior and could kill with brutality. That is why David placed him as commander of the army in the first place. David really appreciated Joab when he needed his dirty work taken care of, such as murdering his friend so he could have his wife. David didn’t appreciate Joab when he was given a stern rebuke of truth. Regardless, Joab wanted to keep his position of leadership and power and was not willing to give it up. Just as David wasn’t willing to give up being king just because he committed murder and adultery. 

A Second Rebellion

In 2 Samuel Chapter 20, a man named Sheba initiates another rebellion against David and his kingdom. Joab faithfully crushed the rebellion and served King David yet again. Joab’s loyalty, honor, and devotion made sure David's throne was safe.

The Pride of David

“Satan [the adversary] stood up against Israel and incited David to count [the population of] Israel. So David said to Joab and the leaders of the people, “Go, count Israel from Beersheba to Dan, and bring me their total, so that I may know it.” Joab said, “May the Lord add to His people a hundred times as many as they are! But, my Lord the king, are they not all my Lord’s servants? Why then does my Lord require this? Why will he bring guilt on Israel?” But the king’s word prevailed over Joab. So Joab left and went throughout all Israel and came to Jerusalem.” (1 Chronicles 21:1-4 AMP)

Pride had risen up in David’s heart and he wanted to know how powerful and dominant his kingdom had become. Instead of simply resting in the Lord and knowing that He was protecting Israel, David wanted to know his own human power. Joab knew that David had been blinded by pride and tried to talk sense into his friend.

At this point in time, it appears that Joab knows the will of the Lord more than David does. This is the complete opposite of when Joab and David were crouched in a cave and had an opportunity to slay King Saul. David corrected Joab at that moment and taught him about how the Lord operates (1 Samuel 24:1-7). Now Joab is the one teaching David how the Lord operates. Joab clearly feared the Lord and knew that His judgment would come on Israel for this horrible mistake. David refused godly counsel and commanded Joab according to his own will.

Plague 

And the Lord spoke to Gad the seer, saying, Go and speak to David, saying, Thus saith the Lord, I bring three things upon thee: choose one of them for thyself, and I will do it to thee. And Gad came to David, and said to him, Thus saith the Lord, Choose for thyself, either three years of famine, or that thou shouldest flee three months from the face of thine enemies, and the sword of thine enemies shall be employed to destroy thee, or that the sword of the Lord and pestilence should be three days in the land, and the angel of the Lord shall be destroying in all the inheritance of Israel. And now consider what I shall answer to him that sent the message. And David said to Gad, They are very hard for me, even all the three: let me fall now into the hands of the Lord, for his mercies are very abundant, and let me not fall by any means into the hands of man. (1 Chronicles 21:9-13 Brenton)

So David chose for himself the mortality: and they were the days of wheat-harvest; and the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel from morning till noon, and the plague began among the people; and there died of the people from Dan even to Bersabee seventy thousand men. And the angel of the Lord stretched out his hand against Jerusalem to destroy it, and the Lord repented of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough now, withhold thine hand. And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing-floor of Orna the Jebusite. (2 Samuel 24:15-16 Brenton)

The Septuagint translation of the above verses gives us a few more details that the other translations do not. David actually chose pestilence and death to come upon his own people for three days. He knew that this would have caused many casualties, yet he chose it anyway. 70,000 people died because David sinned in pride and furthermore, because he chose them to die. This was David’s greatest mistake and his worst sin. He killed 70,000 people.

David could have chosen to “fall into the hands of men” again. This would have meant that he, his family, and his men would have to go on the run again for three months (just like when Absalom rebelled and tried to kill him). David knew that very few people died during that time, and very few would probably die if he had to flee from his enemies for three months. David could have stood up as a leader and said, “This was my fault, so I should be the one going on the run. Lord, you gave me a choice, and I chose to run from my enemies for three months. This way it will avoid countless women and children being killed.” 

However David didn’t do that. He allowed thousands of innocent children to die in the plague. Others were punished for David’s pride. He wasn’t touched by the judgment of God. Joab murdered two commanders of opposing armies that tried to kill David and take his kingdom. David murdered countless civilians. Who had the more severe sins?

The Finale

“Then Adonijah the son of [David’s wife] Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I [the eldest living son] will be king.” So [following Absalom’s example] he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. His father [David] had never rebuked him at any time by asking, “Why have you done this?” Adonijah was also a very handsome man, and he was born after Absalom. He had conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah [David’s half sister] and with Abiathar the priest; and they followed Adonijah and helped him.” (1 Kings 1:5-7 AMP)

Another one of David’s sons exalted himself and tried to take the kingdom. He must have felt that it was his, since he was the oldest living son. David failed to rebuke his son. David could have stepped in immediately and corrected the situation, explaining that Solomon would be king. David did nothing. Adonijah came to Joab and asked for his blessing during the transfer of power. Joab agreed and sided with Adonijah, which was a mistake.

Maybe Joab felt that Adonijah would make a better king than Solomon. Maybe Joab figured that since David wasn’t resisting Adonijah’s movement to become king, it wasn’t a bad thing to endorse him. It could be that Joab appreciated the respect that he was shown by Adonijah. One thing is for certain: when Joab looked at Solomon, he saw David’s sin of killing Uriah and stealing his wife.

When Solomon was proclaimed king by David, Joab left and went his way. He didn’t try to make Adonijah king and start an uprising. Joab had defended David against a number of uprisings, and he wasn’t going to cause one. This would have been the proper time for David to honor Joab for his years of faithful service and even doing the king’s dirty work. Joab could have spent his old age enjoying the sunsets on his farm in peace. But that isn’t what David did, because that isn’t who David was. David charged his son Solomon to carry out the following:

“Now you also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah [my sister] did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner and to Amasa the son of Jether, [both of] whom he murdered; avenging the blood of war in [a time of] peace. And he put the [innocent] blood of war [of Abner and Amasa] on his belt that was around his waist, and on his sandals on his feet. So act in accordance with your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to Sheol (the place of the dead) in peace.” (1 Kings 2:5-6 AMP)

Apparently David was keeping track of the people that Joab had killed unrighteously (2). Maybe he should have been keeping track of his own death toll (70,000 plus Uriah). It’s very interesting that David was alright with God forgiving his own grievous sins while continually holding Joab’s sins against him. It doesn’t look like David was forgiving others for their failures, just himself. This is clear evidence of “self-life” working in a person and coming to full measure. God showed David mercy for sins worthy of death. David kept track of Joab’s wrongs and judged him worthy of death.

David ordered the execution of his most faithful servant who was also his nephew. Joab had stood by David from the time David was a “nobody” to the very end. When David died, Solomon became king. Adonijah did a foolish thing and was killed by Solomon (1 Kings 2:13-25). Joab must have thought he was in danger of death because he had supported Adonijah. Therefore, Joab went to the altar to ask for mercy (1 Kings 2:28-29).

Solomon did not give him mercy. The only reason that Solomon was alive to be king was because Joab led an army of fierce warriors who protected Solomon when he was a child. Solomon repaid Joab evil for good and had him executed (1 Kings 2:31-32). Mercy did not triumph over the judgment of David and Solomon. It seems that David held something personal in his heart towards Joab.

Solomon would go on to become an evil king by turning away from the Lord to worship other gods. David could have had a reign of peace, but instead he had one of turmoil and conflict. His reign as king was never the same after he had Uriah killed and committed adultery. David did repent of his sins, had a heart to know the Lord, and had a desire to carry out His will. Because of this, David found favor with God.

I pray that we can allow the Holy Spirit to teach and instruct us through the lives of those who went before us. We can avoid their mistakes if we listen to the counsel of the Holy Spirit. His grace can keep us from the major pitfalls that have the potential to destroy our journey with the Lord. We need His grace.

-Ty Unruh (October 2023)