1 Kings 2:5

³ And keep the charge of the LORD your God to walk in His ways and to keep His statutes, commandments, ordinances, and decrees, as is written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you turn,

⁴ and so that the LORD may fulfill His promise to me: ‘If your descendants take heed to walk faithfully before Me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’

Moreover, you know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether, the two commanders of the armies of Israel. He killed them in peacetime to avenge the blood of war. He stained with the blood of war the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet.

⁶ So act according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace.

⁷ But show loving devotion to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, because they stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Moreover, you know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether, the two commanders of the armies of Israel. He killed them in peacetime to avenge the blood of war. He stained with the blood of war the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet.
KJV: Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet.
WEB: “Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, even what he did to the two captains of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war on his sash that was around his waist and in his sandals that were on his feet.
ASV: Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did unto me, even what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet.
DARBY: And thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner, and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and upon his sandals that were on his feet.
BLB: And also you know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, [and] what he did to the two commanders of the hosts of Israel, to Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. And he killed them and made the blood of war in peacetime, and he put the blood of war on his belt that [was] around his waist, and on his sandal that [was] on his feet.

ÅB: Du vet og hva Joab, Serujas sønn, har gjort mot meg - hva han gjorde mot begge Israels hærførere, Abner, Ners sønn, og Amasa, Jeters sønn, hvordan han drepte dem og utøste blod i fredstid som om det var krig, og lot det komme blod på beltet han hadde om sine lender, og på skoene han hadde på sine føtter, som om det var krig.
OTB: Dessuten vet du også hva Joab, Serujas sønn, gjorde mot meg, hva han gjorde mot de to hærførerne i Israel, mot Abner, Ners sønn, og mot Amasa, Jeters sønn, som han drepte. Og han utøste krigsblod i fredstid, og satte krigsblod på beltet som var om hans midje og på sandalene som var på hans føtter.
B1930: Du vet og hvad Joab, Serujas sønn, har gjort mot mig - hvad han gjorde mot begge Israels hærførere, Abner, Ners sønn, og Amasa, Jeters sønn, hvorledes han drepte dem og utøste blod i fredstid som om det var krig, og lot det komme blod på beltet han hadde om sine lender, og på skoene han hadde på sine føtter, som om det var krig.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

2 Samuel 3:27
When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died on account of the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel.
Read in context
2 Samuel 20:10
Amasa was not on guard against the dagger in Joab’s hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach and spilled out his intestines on the ground. And Joab did not need to strike him again, for Amasa was dead. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri.
Read in context
2 Samuel 18:12
The man replied, “Even if a thousand shekels of silver were weighed out into my hands, I would not raise my hand against the son of the king. For we heard the king command you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.’
Read in context
2 Samuel 18:5
Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “Treat the young man Absalom gently for my sake.” And all the people heard the king’s orders to each of the commanders regarding Absalom.
Read in context
2 Samuel 18:14
But Joab declared, “I am not going to wait like this with you!” And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak tree.
Read in context
2 Samuel 3:39
And I am weak this day, though anointed as king, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too fierce for me. May the LORD repay the evildoer according to his evil!”
Read in context
1 Kings 1:18–19
But now, behold, Adonijah has become king, and you, my lord the king, did not know it.
Read in context
Jeremiah 6:15
Are they ashamed of the abomination they have committed? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; when I punish them, they will collapse,” says the LORD.
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