Poole on 1 Kings 2:26-35: The Execution of Mighty Joab

Verse 26:[1]  And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get thee to (Josh. 21:18) Anathoth, unto thine own fields; for thou art worthy of death (Heb. a man of death[2]):  but I will not at this time put thee to death, (1 Sam. 23:6; 2 Sam. 15:24, 29) because thou barest the ark of the Lord GOD before David my father, and because (1 Sam. 22:20, 23; 2 Sam. 15:24) thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.

[Go to Anathoth (thus Pagnine, Montanus, Arabic, Tigurinus, similarly the Septuagint, Junius and Tremellius, Jonathan, Syriac), ‎עֲנָתֹת֙ לֵ֣ךְ]  O Anathothite, go (Vatablus).  Man of Anathoth (Munster).  [Thus indeed does Munster have it in the Nine Volumes of Critical Interpreters of the Sacred Scripture;[3] but in the Bible of Munster published separately is found, Anathoth, go.]  Anathoth was a priestly city in the tribe of Benjamin, as it is evident from Joshua 21:18 (Menochius, Malvenda out of Junius).  Thence he arose, and there he had his little fields (Martyr).

To Anathoth, a city of the priests, Joshua 21:18, to lead a private life there.

[Unto thine own field]  Unto thine own possession, house, city, and country (Vatablus).  To the priests they yielded only the suburbs[4] (Martyr).  But the priests, etc., were able to buy other fields, concerning which see on Jeremiah 32:7 (Sanchez).

Unto thine own fields; either that part of the suburbs which fell to his share, or other land which he had purchased there.  See Jeremiah 32:7.  At this time:  he doth not fully pardon him, but only forbears him, and reserves to himself a liberty of punishing him afterwards, if he saw occasion; which he doth to keep him in awe, that he might not dare to raise or foment discontents or tumults among the people, which otherwise he might be prone to do.

[Thou hast carried the ark]  See 2 Samuel 15:24 (Piscator).  Others take it synecdochically of the Ephod, which he carried[5] (Martyr).

[Of the Lord God[6]]  Here, in the place of ‎יְהֹוִה/Jehovah, the Hebrews read ‎אֱלֹהִים/Elohim, as the points suggest:[7]  lest they should be compelled to repeat the name אֲדֹנָי/Adonai, which they elsewhere pronounce in the place of Jehovah (Piscator).

Because thou barest the ark of the Lord God before David my father, when he thought fit to carry it out with him; as 2 Samuel 15:24, 29; 1 Chronicles 15:11, 12; when he as high priest was to attend upon it.  Thus Solomon showeth his respect to his sacred function.

[Thou hast endured the affliction, etc.]  Hebrew:  thou hast been afflicted,[8] etc. (Pagnine, similarly Vatablus).  For, with David in desert places they were weary, hungry, sleeping under the open heavens, etc. (Martyr).

Thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted:  here he mixeth mercy with justice, and requites Abiathar’s former kindness to David; hereby teaching princes that they should not write injuries in marble, and benefits in sand or water, as they have been too oft observed to do.

Verse 27:[9]  So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the LORD; that he might (1 Sam. 2:31-35) fulfil the word of the LORD, which he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.

[Therefore, Solomon ejected Abiathar, that he might not be priest, ‎מִהְי֥וֹת כֹּהֵ֖ן]  Lest he should be priest (Pagnine, Vatablus); that is, he deprived him of the Sacerdotal dignity (Vatablus).  Among the Hebrews, the High Priests, just as they were installed by the Kings, as we stated elsewhere; so they were also deprived by the same for grievous offenses, indeed, they were even able to be punished with death; for they were subjects:  and so the High Priest was remaining, as long as the King was sitting (Grotius).  Nowhere in the Sacred History did High Priests depose Kings; but, on the other hand, Kings by their authority reduced High Priests to order and deposed them (Martyr).  [Others thus:]  Solomon did not deprive Abiathar of the right of the priesthood, directly and by intention (for afterwards in 1 Kings 4:4 Zadok and Abiathar are named together as Priests, as previously in 2 Samuel 20:25), but only by consequence (Estius), and indirectly (Lapide); since he punished him with exile (Tirinus, similarly Estius); but it was not lawful to discharge the office of the priesthood outside of the Temple, which was at Jerusalem (Estius):  The High Priest was obliged to reside in Jerusalem, so that he might direct the priests, preside over the Sanhedrin, and be present for the king for counsel, etc. (Lapide).  The divine decree also intervened, the executor of which was Solomon (Menochius out of Theodoret and Procopius).  [But it does not belong to our plan to treat controversies, but rather to elicit the sense of Sacred Scripture.]

From being priest unto the Lord; either from his office, or at least, from the execution of his office.  For some think that he was thrust from his office before David’s death, when Zadok was formerly made priest, that is, high priest, in his stead, 1 Chronicles 29:22.  But that seems to be a mistake; for although that passage immediately follows the history of what was done in the time of David’s life and health, when he was in a capacity of going into the public congregation; yet it manifestly belongs to another time, and was done after it; for he there speaks of Solomon’s being made king the second time, and he was made king but twice; once undoubtedly before this, 1 Chronicles 23:1; and again 1 Kings 1:39; when David was bedrid, and Adonijah’s usurpation made a second unction necessary.  And therefore what is said 1 Chronicles 29:22, of Zadok’s being made priest, was done after Abiathar’s deposition, and upon that occasion.

[That the word of the Lord might be fulfilled]  Hebrew:  That he might fulfill (to fulfill [Malvenda]) the word of Jehovah; that is, that Jehovah might fulfill His own word.  The name standing for itself, and for the relative.  Thus Genesis 9:6 (Junius, Glassius).  There is an ellipsis of the reflexive and possessive pronoun, as in 1 Kings 13:9 (Glassius’ “Grammar” 214), that is, with God thus governing him even beyond the intention of his own soul.  Compare Matthew 13:35; 27:35; John 12:38; 18:9, 32; 19:24 (Piscator).

That he might fulfil the word of the Lord; for what hinders but Solomon might intend this not only as a punishment for his treason, but also as a means to accomplish God’s word?

[He had spoken concerning the house of Eli]  See 1 Samuel 2:33 (Junius, Piscator).  So that theses things might be more clearly apprehended, it is to be understood, that Aaron left behind two sons, Eleazar and Ithamar.[10]  He conceded the Priesthood to Eleazar, as the firstborn, and to his family;[11] and the family continued in it unto the times of Eli, when it was translated (although in what manner it is not expressed) into the family of Ithamar.  Thereafter the sentence of God delayed for eighty years; for Saul reigned for forty years,[12] and David for just so many;[13] but, although God appears slow, He executes it in the end.  Now, He does not smite the descendants with the threats which He pronounced against their ancestors, unless their own sins intervene.[14]  Indeed, Abiathar is deposed, but not without his own fault (Martyr).

Concerning the house of Eli, that is, concerning the translation of the priesthood from the house of Eli, and of Ithamar, unto that of Eleazar; which being threatened eighty years ago, is now executed.  So Divine vengeance, though sometimes it be slow, is always sure.

Verse 28:[15]  Then tidings came to Joab:  for Joab (1 Kings 1:7) had turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom.  And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD, and (1 Kings 1:50) caught hold on the horns of the altar.

[Tidings came to Joab]  Hebrew:  A report came to Joab (Jonathan, similarly the Septuagint, Montanus, etc.), that is, concerning the execution of Adonijah, and the displacement of Abiathar (Martyr).  [Others otherwise:]  A report came to Joab, that in the court of Solomon it was said that Joab had turned aside to Adonijah (Menochius).

Tidings came to Joab, concerning Adonijah’s death, and Abiathar’s deposition.

[That Joab had turned after Adonijah, etc., and we not turning after Solomon (thus the Septuagint, Syriac)]  And he did not love Solomon (Arabic).  The Hebrew words stand otherwise, that Joab turned after Adonijah, and after Absalom he did not turn[16] (Malvenda).  [Thus all the remaining interpreters.]  For Joab turned after Adonijah, although after Absalom he had not turned; that is to say, he who was previously faithful, afterwards defected (certain interpreters in Malvenda).  He had followed the party of Adonijah; that is to say, He who initially had not followed Absalom himself, eventually conspired against his own lord (Vatablus).  This is added to indicate, that Joab, not out of love for Adonijah, but out of hatred for Solomon, undertook the fostering of the party of Adonijah; although the party of Absalom, whom he especially loved, he did not follow (certain interpreters in Malvenda, thus Martyr).  [Others thus:]  Indeed, Joab had a clear conscience concerning Absalom; which perhaps in the case of Adonijah he was believing was going to be of some advantage to him.  David pardoned Absalom’s followers, and Solomon Adonijah.  Thus he was thinking that he was going to escape (Martyr).  It would not have harmed him so greatly if he had followed Absalom in his conspiracy, as now, when he was attempting for a second time to agitate the republic (Munster).

[Therefore, Joab fled]  Thus he betrayed himself, that he was not uninvolved in this new conspiracy (Munster).

[To the tabernacle]  Which at that time was at Gibeon, as it is evident from 1 Kings 3:4, in comparison with 2 Chronicles 1:3, 5 (Piscator, thus Malvenda, Martyr).

The tabernacle of the Lord then was at Gibeon, 1 Kings 3:4, compared with 2 Chronicles 1:3, 5.

[And he caught hold on the horn of the altar]  In addition to the cities of refuge,[17] the altar was also an asylum, and indeed one most holy, as it is taught in Exodus 21:14 (Sanchez).  Among the Pagans, Altars were furnishing suppliants with immunity.  Euripides[18] in The Suppliants, Ἔχει γὰρ καταφυγὴν, etc., Indeed, the animals of the wild have the rock as a refuge, but Slaves have the altars of the gods.  Virgil’s Æneid 6, with such words he was praying, clinging to the altars.  Plautus in The Haunted House 5:1, For the present, I will occupy this altar:  and again in The Rope 5:1, Touch the altar.  Terence in The Self-Tormentor 5:1, Prepare for thyself neither an altar nor an intercessor.  Among the Romans, if anyone had fled to the altar of Comedy, it was considered as an impious act to drag him away from there,[19] as from a statue of Cæsar (Rittershusius’^[20] Short Treatise concerning the Law of the Cities of Refuge^[21]).  But the altar ought not to be advantageous to a murder according to the Law, Exodus 21:14.  Euripides:

Ἐγὼ γὰρ, ὅστις μὴ δίκαιος ὤν ἀνὴρ

Βωμὸν προσίζει, τὸν νόμον χαίρειν ἐῶν,

Πρὸς τὴν δίκην ἄγοιμ᾽ ἂν οὐ τρέσας θεούς·

Κακὸν γὰρ ἄνδρα χρὴ κακῶς πάσχειν ἀεὶ.[22]

For, if anyone, being an unjust man,

Should sit at the altar, I would bid the law farewell,

And would drag him to justice without any fear of the gods;

For an evil man must always suffer evil.

But why does he flee to the altar, since he was a man of understanding, and experience in the Law?  For, according to the Hebrews, he was the head of the Sanhedrin (Munster).  Responses:  1.  So that, having been killed there, he might be buried with his fathers; which would not have been done, if he had been executed by the decree of the Judges (Hebrews in Munster).  2.  Rather, because from the delay of punishment he promised himself some pardon of the crime.  3.  Perhaps he had wanted to flee farther, but he was prevented by the brevity of time (Martyr).

Caught hold on the horns of the altar; of which see before, 1 Kings 1:50.

Verse 29:[23]  And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD; and, behold, he is by the altar.  Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him.

[Kill him]  That is, when thou wilt have ordered him to depart from the holy place.  See the following verse (Piscator, thus Josephus and others in Martyr).

Fall upon him:  To wit, if he will not come thence, as I foresee he will not.

Verse 30:[24]  And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the LORD, and said unto him, Thus saith the king, Come forth.  And he said, Nay; but I will die here.  And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.

Thus saith the king, Come forth:  that the king gave him this command, though it be not mentioned before, is evident, both from the nature of the thing; for Solomon would not pollute the altar without necessity; and from Benaiah’s affirmation of it; for why should he tell a lie without a cause? and from his return to the king for new orders upon Joab’s resolution not to come thence.

[I will not come forth, but will die here]  Joab was hoping that the holiness of the place would protect him (Lapide).

I will die here; for he supposed either that Solomon would not defile that place with his blood; or that he would spare him for his respect to it, as he had done Adonijah; or he had a superstitious conceit that his dying there might give his guilty and miserable soul some advantage.

Verse 31:[25]  And the king said unto him, (Ex. 21:14) Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; (Num. 35:33; Deut. 19:13; 21:8, 9) that thou mayest take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father.

[Do as he hath said]  Which was able to be done lawfully; according to the Law in Exodus 21:14 (Menochius, Tirinus, Junius, Malvenda).  Sanchez finds fault with this in Solomon and Benaiah, that they killed Joab in the sanctuary.  But Tostatus excuses it; because punishment exacted of the impious, even in a sacred place, was a sacrifice no less pleasing to God, than rams, etc., which were daily sacrificed there (Tirinus).  To kill him next to the altar, or removed from there to another place, was the same; for in either way the place was violated, unless a dispensation of the law had intervened (Menochius, Lapide).  [But others deny this, as we have seen.]  But it is likely, that he, although resisting, taken by Benaiah, through the prætorian cohort, from the altar by force, was killed outside of the tabernacle; as afterwards happened to Athaliah, 2 Kings 11:15.  For in the sanctuary itself it does not appear that human blood was able to be shed without necessity (Tirinus, similarly Martyr).  Christ appear to tax, both Pilate, Luke 13:1, because he mixed the blood of the Galileans with the blood of their sacrifices; and the Hebrews, Matthew 23:35, because they killed Zechariah between the temple and the altar (Martyr).

Do as he hath said; either, 1.  Kill him in that place; and for so doing Solomon might seem to have warrant from God, Exodus 21:14, and might further design by this just severity to deter future offenders, by showing that no place nor person should protect them from the stroke of justice.  Or rather, 2.  Let him die as he is resolved; kill him, though he be there; take him by violence from that place, and then kill him; for Exodus 21:14 doth not command the ruler to kill the murderer there, but to remove him thence, to take him from the altar, that he may die.  And seeing this might be done, why should Solomon unnecessarily stain the altar with his blood?

[And bury him]  Understanding, in the sepulcher of his ancestors (Vatablus).  For that was suitable for the dignity of the man, and for a nephew of David[26] (Menochius).

[And thou shalt remove innocent blood, ‎וַהֲסִירֹ֣תָ׀ דְּמֵ֣י חִנָּ֗ם]  And, or so that thou mightest remove blood (bloods [Piscator, Glassius]) gratis (Pagnine, Vatablus), or without cause, that is, shed (Piscator), or unjustly, that is to say, the blood of innocence.  Thus elsewhere a substantive is constructed with an adverb.  Thus in Proverbs 26:2, ‎קִֽלְלַ֥ת חִ֜נָּ֗ם, the curse without cause or undeservedly; in Ezekiel 30:16, ‎צָרֵ֥י יוֹמָֽם׃, enemies by day, that is, daily (Glassius’ “Grammar” 116).  The murder of the innocent; that is, the offense or crime of undeserved murder (Vatablus).

[From me, and the house of my father]  It was being removed in two ways, etc.:  1.  Inasmuch as the people could suspect, that those murders were done with David either willing or aware; but this suspicion would thus be laid to rest.  2.  Inasmuch as their unavenged blood was crying out to the king for vengeance, whose duty it was to punish murder (Sanchez).  Wickedness is shown to cleave to Magistrates when it is not punished; these, if they suffer murderers to live, partake of their sins (Martyr).

[From me, etc.]  Taken from the Law in Numbers 35:31; Deuteronomy 19:13.  That saying in Livy, History of Rome[27] 3:2, is not altogether dissimilar, He turned their punishment upon himself[28] (Grotius).

The innocent blood, that is, both the guilt of it, which would rest upon my father and my family if it went unpunished; and the scandal and reproach of it, that neither this nor following ages may imagine that it was done by David’s secret instigation, or with his consent.

Verse 32:[29]  And the LORD (Judg. 9:24, 57; Ps. 7:16) shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous (2 Chron. 21:13) and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing thereof, to wit, (2 Sam. 3:27) Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and (2 Sam. 20:10) Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.

[And the Lord shall return his blood]  That is, which he shed (Vatablus, Piscator, Menochius); that is, the guilt of the murder committed by him (Vatablus).

His blood, that is, the guilt of the blood which he shed.

[Upon his head]  That is, that he might pay with his head for his sin (Menochius).  Upon his head, that is, upon him; Head often signifies the whole man.  Thus we say, as many heads as there are in the city, etc.[30] (Sanchez).

[Better than he]  With respect to that situation.  Indeed, neither of those men shed innocent blood through betrayal (Martyr).

More righteous and better than he; of more ingenuous and generous tempers, abhorring from all such treacherous practices; and both of them then devoted to and employed in my service.

Verse 33:[31]  Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, and (2 Sam. 3:29) upon the head of his seed for ever: (Prov. 25:5) but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from the LORD.

[And upon the head of his seed]  Who, it is likely, led an ignoble and wretched life, as odious on account of their father (Sanchez).

Upon the head of his seed for ever; either as long as he shall have a posterity, or for a long time, as that phrase is commonly used; but in and by this execution of justice upon him, and such malefactors, my throne shall be established, and God will bless me and mine with peace and prosperity.

[Let there be peace]  That is, wholeness, safety, and felicity (Malvenda).  Let Magistrates carefully consider, that, if they leave crimes unpunished, they are not going to have peace (Martyr).

[1014 BC]  Verse 34:[32]  So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and slew him:  and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.

[He killed him]  With his head cut off (Josephus in Menochius).

[And he was buried]  In accordance with the law in Deuteronomy 21:23 (Grotius), and by reason of his rank and his royal family (Martyr).

[In his own house]  Where he will have prepared a sepulcher for himself (Martyr).

[In the wilderness]  That is, outside of the city in a place fit for tillage, not sown with trees (Vatablus).  Wilderness signifies:  1.  a place not inhabited; 2.  that which is not cultivated, but has woodlands and pastures.  Perhaps Joab had herds and flocks, and a house where he would care for these (Martyr).

In the wilderness:  Places which have but few houses and inhabitants are oft so called in Scripture, as Isaiah 42:11; Jeremiah 25:24; Ezekiel 34:25.

Verse 35:[33]  And the king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his room over the host:  and (Num. 25:11-13; 1 Sam. 2:35; see 1 Chron. 6:53; 24:3) Zadok the priest did the king put in the room of (1 Kings 2:27) Abiathar.

[And he set Zadok as priest]  By Royal right (Grotius).  [See what things are on verse 27.]

And Zadok the priest, etc.:  He now put him in the execution of that office to which he may seem to have been anointed before, 1 Chronicles 29:22; but of that, see my notes here on 1 Kings 2:27.

[1] Hebrew:  ‎וּלְאֶבְיָתָ֙ר הַכֹּהֵ֜ן אָמַ֣ר הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ עֲנָתֹת֙ לֵ֣ךְ עַל־שָׂדֶ֔יךָ כִּ֛י אִ֥ישׁ מָ֖וֶת אָ֑תָּה וּבַיּ֙וֹם הַזֶּ֜ה לֹ֣א אֲמִיתֶ֗ךָ כִּֽי־נָשָׂ֜אתָ אֶת־אֲר֙וֹן אֲדֹנָ֤י יְהֹוִה֙ לִפְנֵי֙ דָּוִ֣ד אָבִ֔י וְכִ֣י הִתְעַנִּ֔יתָ בְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶֽׁר־הִתְעַנָּ֖ה אָבִֽי׃

[2] Hebrew:  ‎אִ֥ישׁ מָ֖וֶת.

[3] Critici Sacri.

[4] See Leviticus 25:32-34; Numbers 35:2-5; Joshua 21.

[5] 1 Samuel 23:6-12; 30:7, 8.

[6] Hebrew:  ‎אֲדֹנָ֤י יְהֹוִה֙.

[7] It is here affirmed, that יְהֹוִה/Jehovah, normally written ‎יְהוָֹה with the points of אֲדֹנָי/ Adonai, is here given the points of אֱלֹהִים/Elohim.

[8] Hebrew:  ‎הִתְעַנִּיתָ.

[9] Hebrew: ‎וַיְגָ֤רֶשׁ שְׁלֹמֹה֙ אֶת־אֶבְיָתָ֔ר מִהְי֥וֹת כֹּהֵ֖ן לַֽיהוָ֑ה לְמַלֵּא֙ אֶת־דְּבַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֶּ֛ר עַל־בֵּ֥ית עֵלִ֖י בְּשִׁלֹֽה׃ פ

[10] See Exodus 28:1; Leviticus 10; Numbers 3:4.

[11] See Numbers 3:32; 4:16; 20:23-29; 25:1-15; Deuteronomy 10:6.

[12] Acts 13:21.

[13] 2 Samuel 5:4; 1 Kings 2:11; 1 Chronicles 29:27.

[14] See Ezekiel 18.

[15] Hebrew: ‎וְהַשְּׁמֻעָה֙ בָּ֣אָה עַד־יוֹאָ֔ב כִּ֣י יוֹאָ֗ב נָטָה֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י אֲדֹנִיָּ֔ה וְאַחֲרֵ֥י אַבְשָׁל֖וֹם לֹ֣א נָטָ֑ה וַיָּ֤נָס יוֹאָב֙ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל יְהוָ֔ה וַֽיַּחֲזֵ֖ק בְּקַרְנ֥וֹת הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃

[16] Hebrew:  ‎כִּ֣י יוֹאָ֗ב נָטָה֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י אֲדֹנִיָּ֔ה וְאַחֲרֵ֥י אַבְשָׁל֖וֹם לֹ֣א נָטָ֑ה.

[17] Numbers 35:9-34; Deuteronomy 4:41-43; 19:1-13; Joshua 20:1-9.

[18] Euripides (c. 480-406) was a Greek playwright, one of the great tragedians.

[19] In the ancient theater, there was usually an altar (commonly dedicated to Apollo, the god of poetry) in the middle, or toward the front, of the state, to which characters (frequently slaves) might flee for asylum.

[20] George Rittershusius (1595-1661) was a German nobleman and statesman in the Republic of Nuremburg.

[21] Tractatus de Jure Asylorum.

[22] From Oedipus.

[23] Hebrew:  ‎וַיֻּגַּ֞ד לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֗ה כִּ֣י נָ֤ס יוֹאָב֙ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל יְהוָ֔ה וְהִנֵּ֖ה אֵ֣צֶל הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ וַיִּשְׁלַ֙ח שְׁלֹמֹ֜ה אֶת־בְּנָיָ֧הוּ בֶן־יְהוֹיָדָ֛ע לֵאמֹ֖ר לֵ֥ךְ פְּגַע־בּֽוֹ׃

[24] Hebrew: ‎וַיָּבֹ֙א בְנָיָ֜הוּ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל יְהוָ֗ה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר אֵלָ֜יו כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ צֵ֔א וַיֹּ֥אמֶר׀ לֹ֖א כִּ֣י פֹ֣ה אָמ֑וּת וַיָּ֙שֶׁב בְּנָיָ֤הוּ אֶת־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ דָּבָ֣ר לֵאמֹ֔ר כֹּֽה־דִבֶּ֥ר יוֹאָ֖ב וְכֹ֥ה עָנָֽנִי׃

[25] Hebrew: ‎וַיֹּ֧אמֶר ל֣וֹ הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ עֲשֵׂה֙ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֔ר וּפְגַע־בּ֖וֹ וּקְבַרְתּ֑וֹ וַהֲסִירֹ֣תָ׀ דְּמֵ֣י חִנָּ֗ם אֲשֶׁר֙ שָׁפַ֣ךְ יוֹאָ֔ב מֵעָלַ֕י וּמֵעַ֖ל בֵּ֥ית אָבִֽי׃

[26] See 1 Chronicles 2:13-17.

[27] Titus Livius (c. 59 BC-17 AD) wrote a history of Rome, Ab Urbe Condita, from its founding to the time of Augustus.

[28] In the semi-mythical telling of the founding of Rome, Tatius served as co-ruler alongside Romulus.  When some of his relatives assaulted Laurentian ambassadors, Tatius refused to surrender the perpetrators.  Later, during a visit to Lavinium, the Laurentes took vengeance on Tatius himself, mobbing and killing him.

[29] Hebrew: ‎וְהֵשִׁיב֩ יְהוָ֙ה אֶת־דָּמ֜וֹ עַל־רֹאשׁ֗וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר פָּגַ֣ע בִּשְׁנֵֽי־אֲ֠נָשִׁים צַדִּקִ֙ים וְטֹבִ֤ים מִמֶּ֙נּוּ֙ וַיַּהַרְגֵ֣ם בַּחֶ֔רֶב וְאָבִ֥י דָוִ֖ד לֹ֣א יָדָ֑ע אֶת־אַבְנֵ֤ר בֶּן־נֵר֙ שַׂר־צְבָ֣א יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאֶת־עֲמָשָׂ֥א בֶן־יֶ֖תֶר שַׂר־צְבָ֥א יְהוּדָֽה׃

[30] Terence, Phormio 454:  Quot homines, tot sententiæ, there are as many opinions as men.

[31] Hebrew:  ‎וְשָׁ֤בוּ דְמֵיהֶם֙ בְּרֹ֣אשׁ יוֹאָ֔ב וּבְרֹ֥אשׁ זַרְע֖וֹ לְעֹלָ֑ם וּלְדָוִ֡ד וּ֠לְזַרְעוֹ וּלְבֵית֙וֹ וּלְכִסְא֜וֹ יִהְיֶ֥ה שָׁל֛וֹם עַד־עוֹלָ֖ם מֵעִ֥ם יְהוָֽה׃

[32] Hebrew:  ‎וַיַּ֗עַל בְּנָיָ֙הוּ֙ בֶּן־יְה֣וֹיָדָ֔ע וַיִּפְגַּע־בּ֖וֹ וַיְמִתֵ֑הוּ וַיִּקָּבֵ֥ר בְּבֵית֖וֹ בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃

[33] Hebrew:  ‎וַיִּתֵּ֙ן הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶת־בְּנָיָ֧הוּ בֶן־יְהוֹיָדָ֛ע תַּחְתָּ֖יו עַל־הַצָּבָ֑א וְאֶת־צָד֤וֹק הַכֹּהֵן֙ נָתַ֣ן הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ תַּ֖חַת אֶבְיָתָֽר׃