II Samuel 20:4-13 · Bible study
2 Samuel 20:4-13 Commentary: David's Command, Joab's Dagger
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
David appoints Amasa to replace Joab. But Joab murders him on the road. A tense study of loyalty, ambition, and the cost of political miscalculation.
Research Summary
- Meaning: David's political gamble to unify the kingdom by appointing Amasa fails when Joab murders his rival and reclaims command of the army.
- Key words: “summon” (H2199, za'aq), “delayed” (H0309, achar), “sword” (H2719, cherev), “took no heed” (H8104, nishmar), “highway” (H4546, mesillah).
- Main debate: Whether Amasa's delay was due to incompetence, disloyalty, or the troops' distrust, and whether David was naive in expecting Joab to accept his demotion.
- Theological theme: The limits of human leadership; God works through flawed and violent people to preserve David's line, but sin leaves a stain that later requires justice.
- Best use: A cautionary narrative about the cost of political compromise, the danger of untamed ambition, and the need for leaders to confront wrongdoing rather than covering it over.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
4Then the king said to Amasa, “Summon the men of Judah to come to me within three days, and be here yourself.”
5So Amasa went to summon Judah, but he took longer than the time allotted him.
6And David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lord’s servants and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and elude us.”
7So Joab’s men, along with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men, marched out of Jerusalem in pursuit of Sheba son of Bichri.
8And while they were at the great stone in Gibeon, Amasa joined them. Now Joab was dressed in military attire, with a dagger strapped to his belt. And as he stepped forward, he slipped the dagger from its sheath.
9“Are you well, my brother?” Joab asked Amasa. And with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him.
10Amasa 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.
11One of Joab’s young men stood near Amasa and said, “Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab!”
12But Amasa wallowed in his blood in the middle of the road, and when the man saw that all the troops were stopping there, he dragged the body off the road into a field and threw a garment over it.
13As soon as Amasa’s body was removed from the road, all the men went on with Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.
WEB World English Bible 2000
4Then the king said to Amasa, “Call me the men of Judah together within three days, and be here present.”
5So Amasa went to call the men of Judah together, but he stayed longer than the set time which had been appointed to him.
6David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your lord’s servants and pursue after him, lest he get himself fortified cities, and escape out of our sight.”
7Joab’s men went out after him with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men; and they went out of Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.
8When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was clothed in his apparel of war that he had put on, and on it was a sash with a sword fastened on his waist in its sheath; and as he went along it fell out.
9Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.
10But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand. So he struck him with it in the body and shed out his bowels to the ground, and didn’t strike him again; and he died. Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.
11One of Joab’s young men stood by him, and said, “He who favors Joab, and he who is for David, let him follow Joab!”
12Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the highway. When the man saw that all the people stood still, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a garment over him when he saw that everyone who came by him stood still.
13When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.
KJV King James Version 1769
4Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, and be thou here present.
5So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah: but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.
6And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord’s servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us.
7And there went out after him Joab’s men, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
8When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa went before them. And Joab’s garment that he had put on was girded unto him, and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out.
9And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.
10But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand: so he smote him therewith in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.
11And one of Joab’s men stood by him, and said, He that favoureth Joab, and he that is for David, let him go after Joab.
12And Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a cloth upon him, when he saw that every one that came by him stood still.
13When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
4Then said the king to Amasa, Call me the men of Judah together within three days, and be thou here present.
5So Amasa went to call the men of Judah together; but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.
6And David said to Abishai, Now will Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord’s servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fortified cities, and escape out of our sight.
7And there went out after him Joab’s men, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men; and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
8When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. And Joab was girded with his apparel of war that he had put on, and thereon was a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out.
9And Joab said to Amasa, Is it well with thee, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.
10But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand: so he smote him therewith in the body, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. And Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.
11And there stood by him one of Joab’s young men, and said, He that favoreth Joab, and he that is for David, let him follow Joab.
12And Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a garment over him, when he saw that every one that came by him stood still.
13When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
4And the king saith unto Amasa, `Call for me the men of Judah in three days, and thou, stand here,'
5and Amasa goeth to call Judah, and tarrieth beyond the appointed time that he had appointed him;
6and David saith unto Abishai, `Now doth Sheba son of Bichri do evil to us more than Absalom; thou, take the servants of thy lord, and pursue after him, lest he have found for himself fenced cities, and delivered himself from our eye.'
7And the men of Joab go out after him, and the Cherethite, and the Pelethite, and all the mighty men, and they go out from Jerusalem to pursue after Sheba son of Bichri;
8they are near the great stone that is in Gibeon, and Amasa hath gone before them, and Joab is girded; his long robe he hath put on him, and upon it a girdle--a sword is fastened upon his loins in its sheath; and he hath gone out, and it falleth.
9And Joab saith to Amasa, `Art thou in peace, my brother?' and the right hand of Joab layeth hold on the beard of Amasa to give a kiss to him;
10and Amasa hath not been watchful of the sword that is in the hand of Joab, and he smiteth him with it unto the fifth rib , and sheddeth out his bowels to the earth, and he hath not repeated it to him, and he dieth; and Joab and Abishai his brother have pursued after Sheba son of Bichri.
11And a man hath stood by him, of the young men of Joab, and saith, `He who hath delight in Joab, and he who is for David--after Joab!'
12And Amasa is rolling himself in blood, in the midst of the highway, and the man seeth that all the people have stood still, and he bringeth round Amasa out of the highway to the field, and casteth over him a garment, when he hath seen that every one who hath come by him--hath stood still.
13When he hath been removed out of the highway, every man hath passed on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba son of Bichri.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
4And the king said to Amasa, Call me the men of Judah together within three days, and do thou attend here.
5So Amasa went to call together [the men of] Judah; but he delayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him.
6And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom. Take thou thy lord's servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fortified cities and escape our sight.
7And there went out after him Joab's men, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men; and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
8When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came before them. And Joab was girded with his coat, his dress, and upon it was the girdle of the sword which was fastened on his loins in its sheath; and as he went forth it fell out.
9And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou well, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.
10And Amasa had taken no notice of the sword that was in Joab's hand: so he smote him with it in the belly and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. And Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.
11And one of Joab's young men stood by [Amasa] and said, He that favours Joab, and he that is for David, let him follow Joab.
12Now Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a cloth upon him, when he saw that every one that came by stood still.
13When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri,
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
4And the king said to Amasa: Assemble to me all the men of Juda against the third day, and be thou here present.
5So Amasa went to assemble the men of Juda, but he tarried beyond the set time which the king had appointed him.
6And David said to Abisai: Now will Seba the son of Bochri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou therefore the servants of thy lord, and pursue after him, lest he find fenced cities, and escape us.
7So Joab's men went out with him, and the Cerethi and the Phelethi: and all the valiant men went out of Jerusalem to pursue after Seba the son of Bochri.
8And when they were at the great stone which is in Gabaon, Amasa coming met them. And Joab had on a close coat of equal length with his habit, and over it was girded with a sword hanging down to his flank, in a scabbard, made in such manner as to come out with the least motion and strike.
9And Joab said to Amasa: God save thee, my brother. And he took Amasa by the chin with his right hand to kiss him.
10But Amasa did not take notice of the sword, which Joab had, and he struck him in the side, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and gave him not a second wound, and he died. And Joab, and Abisai his brother pursued after Seba the son of Bochri.
11In the mean time some men of Joab's company stopping at the dead body of Amasa, said: Behold he that would have been in Joab's stead the companion of David.
12And Amasa imbrued with blood, lay in the midst of the way. A certain man saw this that all the people stood still to look upon him, so he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and covered him with a garment, that they who passed might, not stop on his account.
13And when he was removed out of the way, all the people went on following Joab to pursue after Seba the son of Bochri.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · II Samuel 20:4
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators broadly agree that David's appointment of Amasa was a calculated political move. Having promised Amasa the position of army commander (2 Samuel 19:13), David needed to honor that pledge to secure the allegiance of Absalom's former supporters. Barnes and the Cambridge Bible note that David gave the order to Abishai rather than Joab, showing his intent to sideline Joab. Amasa's delay in mustering Judah, whether from incompetence or the troops' loyalty to Joab, forced David to act quickly against Sheba's rebellion.
On the murder itself, Clarke, Gill, and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown all describe Joab's actions as deliberate treachery. The staged accident of the falling sword, the deceptive kiss, the single fatal thrust to the abdomen: these details portray a coldly calculated assassination. Matthew Henry and Wesley remark that Joab then used a propaganda message, “Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab!”, to commandeer the army and legitimize his return to power. The swift removal of Amasa's corpse from the highway, noted by the same commentators, shows that Joab's young man understood how the gruesome sight was stalling the troops. Once the body was hidden, the people followed Joab without further hesitation.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- David the miscalculator: David's promise to Amasa was politically necessary but he underestimated the loyalty of Judah's troops to Joab (2 Samuel 20:5; cross-reference to 2 Samuel 19:13).
- David the weak king: David knowingly allowed Joab to remain near power despite past murders (2 Samuel 3:39); he gave orders to Abishai knowing Joab would follow, effectively condoning the outcome.
- Amasa the inadequate leader: Amasa's delay in mustering Judah suggests he lacked the authority or skill to command, making David's attempt to replace Joab a failure from the start.
What is clear: Joab murdered Amasa in cold blood to prevent his own replacement as commander, and David took no immediate action to hold Joab accountable.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Responsibility for Amasa's death | Joab deliberately murdered Amasa to eliminate a rival and reclaim his position as commander. | Some commentators (e.g., Matthew Henry) emphasize David's weakness in failing to restrain Joab, while others (e.g., Barnes) suggest David's removal of Joab was a necessary step that Joab violently resisted. |
| Cause of Amasa's delay | Amasa took longer than the three days David had set. | Wesley and the Cambridge Bible suggest the people were half-hearted or loyal to Joab; Barnes' Notes insinuates possible wavering in Amasa's own loyalty; Gill and others leave the cause unstated as a narrative gap. |
| David's judgment in appointing Amasa | David appointed Amasa to fulfill a promise and to unify the kingdom after Absalom's rebellion. | Jamieson-Fausset-Brown call the appointment a 'blunder' because Amasa could not command the troops' loyalty; others see it as politically shrewd but undone by unforeseen delay and Joab's opportunism. |
| Joab's moral culpability | Joab's act was treacherous murder, using a feigned greeting to approach a trusting man. | All traditions condemn the murder as wicked, though some Reformed writers (e.g., Geneva Notes) focus on Joab's impunity and David's failure to execute justice, while Wesley notes that Joab's men incited the troops to view Amasa as a 'perfidious rebel' to justify the killing. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This passage sits within the messy aftermath of Absalom's rebellion. David had just been restored to Jerusalem, but the unity of the kingdom was fraying. The men of Judah had escorted the king back, while the northern tribes felt slighted (2 Samuel 19:41-43). Into that resentment stepped Sheba, a Benjamite, who raised the old cry of secession: “We have no portion in David” (20:1). His rebellion was dangerous precisely because it exploited the tribal rift.
David's choice of Amasa as general was a risky gambit. Amasa had commanded Absalom's rebel army (2 Samuel 17:25), so promoting him could win over those who had fought against David. But it also guaranteed Joab's enmity. Joab was David's nephew, a proven commander, and a man with a long record of settling scores by violence (2 Samuel 3:30; 18:14). David's failed attempt to sideline him shows the limits of royal authority over a powerful general.
The setting at Gibeon's “great stone”, likely a known landmark, places the confrontation five miles northwest of Jerusalem. The cultural detail of Joab taking Amasa by the beard to kiss him was, as the Cambridge Bible notes, a customary greeting among friends. The gesture disarmed Amasa completely. The Hebrew verb for “took no heed” (nishmar, H8104) carries the sense of “did not guard himself against.” Amasa had no reason to suspect his cousin Joab of treachery. The sword that “fell out” (v.8) may have been deliberately loosened by Joab to give the appearance of an accident, as several commentators suggest.
Textual Notes
The Greek Old Testament (LXX) adds detail to the description of Joab's garment (v.8), reading “he wore a military cloak, and put a sword over it, which was bound to his waist, and he went out and it fell.” This matches the Hebrew. The Vulgate (Douay-Rheims) describes the scabbard as “made in such manner as to come out with the least motion and strike,” which is a paraphrastic expansion. No significant textual variants affect the meaning of the passage. The consulted sources note no variant that changes the narrative.
Reception History
This violent episode has been read across church history as part of David's troubled final years. Early Jewish interpreters (in the Talmud and Midrash) often focused on Joab's guilt and David's subsequent inability to punish him, seeing it as a consequence of David's earlier sins. Christian commentators such as Matthew Henry and John Wesley used the passage to warn against ambition and the ease with which power corrupts. In the Reformed tradition, the scene illustrates the doctrine of human depravity, even God's anointed leader cannot control the sinful actions of those around him. The account has also been cited in sermons on the dangers of unresolved sin in the church: Amasa's blood on the highway, quickly covered, points to the human tendency to hide wrongdoing rather than face it.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Political miscalculation has consequences. David's promise to Amasa was meant to heal the nation, but it created a power vacuum that Joab ruthlessly exploited.
- Loyalty can be a mask for ambition. Joab's kiss and greeting were a cover for murder. He then invoked David's name to rally the troops, hijacking the king's authority for his own ends.
- Blood on the highway cannot be hidden. The graphic scene of Amasa wallowing in his blood, then dragged aside and covered, points to sin that must be dealt with, not swept away.
Five-point outline
- A broken promise deferred. David had promised Amasa the command; he finally delivers but the timing is wrong.
- Delay that changes everything. Amasa's three-day deadline slips. Is it incompetence, reluctance, or the people's distrust? David panics and acts without Amasa.
- The staged accident. Joab's dropped sword is a theatrical prop. He uses Amasa's trust against him.
- The propaganda of power. Joab's young man declares that favoring Joab is the same as being for David. Power concentrates in one man.
- The covered corpse. Joab's men clean up the mess so the mission can continue. But the stain remains, both literal and moral.
Illustration hooks
- A new manager is hired to replace a long-serving team leader. The old leader undermines the new manager at every turn until the situation becomes toxic.
- In a political campaign, a candidate appoints a former opponent to show unity, but the appointment backfires because the appointee lacks the trust of the base.
- At a bustling intersection, a traffic accident draws a crowd until someone removes the wreckage and normal flow resumes, but the memory of the crash lingers.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why didn't David just punish Joab for murdering Abner and Absalom? He seemed powerless against him.
- Was Amasa really a bad commander, or was Joab just that good at grabbing power?
- What does this story say about trusting former enemies in your organization?
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows the dark underside of David's court: ambition, violence, and the fragility of political alliances. As we read, notice how quickly things unravel. David tries to balance promises with urgency. Amasa tries to muster support but fails. Joab seizes his moment. What keeps you steady when loyalties shift and trust breaks?
Discussion questions
- Read verses 4-5. What reasons might explain Amasa's delay? How do you think David felt about his choice of commander at this point?
- In verse 6, David says Sheba “will do us more harm than Absalom.” What made Sheba's rebellion uniquely threatening compared to Absalom's?
- Describe Joab's actions in verses 8-10. What do his words and gestures reveal about his character? How does the sword falling out function in the story?
- Verse 11 shows Joab's young man equating loyalty to Joab with loyalty to David. Is that claim justified? How does Joab's murder actually undermine David's authority?
- The people stop to stare at Amasa's body (v.12). What does their hesitation suggest about their feelings toward Amasa and toward Joab?
- David never punished Joab for this murder. How does the leader's failure to confront evil affect the whole community?
- Where do you see similar patterns of ambition or betrayal in your own context? How can you guard against using loyalty as a cover for selfish gain?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| II Samuel 17:25 | Absalom set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Ithra the Israelite, who went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah, Joab’s mother. |
| II Samuel 19:13 | Say to Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you aren’t captain of the army before me continually instead of Joab.’” |
| I Chronicles 2:17 | Abigail bore Amasa; and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmaelite. |
| I Samuel 13:8 | He stayed seven days, according to the time set by Samuel; but Samuel didn’t come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him. |
| I Samuel 26:6 | Then David answered and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, saying, “Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp?” Abishai said, “I will go down with you.” |
| II Samuel 2:18 | The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was as light of foot as a wild gazelle. |
| II Samuel 3:30 | So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle. |
| II Samuel 3:39 | I am weak today, though anointed king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. May Yahweh reward the evildoer according to his wickedness.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke reconstructs the scene of Joab's treachery in detail: Joab concealed a short sword in his belt, pretended to stumble, then took Amasa by the beard with his right hand as if to kiss him while drawing the sword with his left to rip open his abdomen. He also clarifies that the "fifth rib" refers to the abdominal region generally, not a specific rib.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that Joab carefully staged the murder by letting his sword fall from its sheath as he approached, then picking it up with his left hand so his right was free for a greeting that would not raise Amasa's suspicion. He also highlights Joab's calculated appeal to David's cause, framing Amasa as disloyal to justify the assassination.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes the political intrigue behind Amasa's murder: David tried to replace Joab with Amasa, but Amasa's slow mustering gave Joab time. Joab waited, then murdered his rival by a deceptive trick, insinuating Amasa was a traitor, though his real motive was jealousy over his position.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights how Joab cunningly arranged his sword to fall from its sheath unnoticed, then used a friendly greeting and kiss to catch Amasa off guard. He also notes that Amasa's death served as divine punishment for joining Absalom's rebellion, despite David's pardon.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
jfb highlights Joab's calculated hypocrisy: he let his sword fall on purpose, then hid the weapon by stooping to pick it up, and used a friendly beard-kiss as a cover to murder Amasa. The army's immediate, unanimous loyalty to Joab afterward shows how indispensable he remained to David despite the king's hatred.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees the chapter as a demonstration of God's hidden wisdom working through human failure. David's errors trigger fresh crisis, but God permits sin to run its course in order to reveal His justice and, through the very confusion men create, bring His kingdom to triumph.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes the tragic timing of Amasa's fall: he was just beginning to rise in David's favor when Joab struck him down. The deception is especially cold, with Joab greeting him as a brother while drawing a sword for murder.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes the careful political calculations behind the assassination: Joab used a feigned accident with his sword during a greeting to kill Amasa, timing the blow with a handshake. Amasa’s soldiers did not retaliate because few had arrived and Joab’s authority with David’s guard was overwhelming.