(7) Murder of Amasa. But the inefficiency of the new commander, in the emergency which the revolt of Bichri's son produced. arising perhaps from the reluctance of the troops to follow their new leader, gave Joab an opportunity of display ing his superior resources , and also of removing his rival by a murder very similar to, and in some respects less excusable and more foul than, that of Abner (see AMASA). Besides Arnasa was his own cousin, being the son of his mother's sister (2 Sam. xx:1-13).
(8) Joins Adonijah. When David lay on bis deathbed, and a demonstration was made in favor of the succession of the eldest surviving son, Adonijah, whosc interests had been compromised by the preferment of the young Solomon, Joab joined the party of the natural heir. When the prompt measures taken under thc direction of the king rendered this demonstration abortive (1 Kings i :7), Joab withdrew into private life till some time after the death of David, when the fate Adonijah, and of Abiathar—whose life was only spared in consequence of his sacerdotal char acter—warned Joab that he had little mcrcy to expect from the new king.
(9) Death. He fled for refuge to the altar ; but when Solomon heard this, he sent Benaiah to put him to death; and, as he refused to come forth, gave orders that hc should bc slain even at the altar. Ifis corpse was removed to his domain in the wilderness of Judah, and buricd there (I Kings ii :5, 28-34), B. C. about 96o.
(10) Character. Joab was one of the most ac complished warriors and unscrupulous mcn that Israel ever produced. But hc had no principles apart from what he decmed his duty to the king and the people, and was quite as ready to serve his master's vices as his virtues, so long as they did not interfere with his own interests, or tendcd to promote them by enabling him to make himself useful to the king. His rcady apprehension of the
king's meaning in the matter of Uriah. and the facility with which he made himself the instru ment of the murder, and of the hypocrisy by which it was covered, are proofs of this, and form as deep a stain upon his character as his own mur ders (2 Sam. xi:14-25).
2. Son of Seraiali, and a descendant of Kenaz (1 Chron. iv :14). Jerome says that the architects of the temple were selected from among his sons, and for this reason he was called father, or prince, of the valley of Charashim, or smiths.
3. The head of one of the most numerous familieswhich returned from Babylon with Zerub babel (Ezra ii :6 ; viii :9 ; Nell. vii ), B. C. 445.
JOAH (Wah), (Heb. yo-awkh', Jehovah his brother, friend).
1. Son of Asaph and keeper of thc records tuj der Hczekiah. He was one of the embassy sent to the Assyrian general at the conduit of the up per pool (2 Kings xviii :18, 26; Is. xxxvi :3, it, 22), B. C. 719.
2. Son or descendant of Zimmah (i Chron. yi :20. The same as Ethan (ver. 42), unless some of the names of one list are omitted in the other (B. C. 710.
3. Son of Obed-edom Chron. xxvi :4). He was a Korhite and onc of those appointed by David to keep the southern gate of the Temple, and the house of Asuppim, a storehouse, or court house in thc outer court (vcr. 15). B. C. to14.
4. A Gershonite, son of Zimmalt (2 Chron. xxix :12). As a Levite he took a leading part in the purification of the Temple undcr liczekiall (B. C. 726).
5. Son of Joahaz and keeper of the rccords under Josiah. He, with Shaphan and Maaseiah, superintended the repair of thc Temple (2 Chron. xxxiv :8), B. C. 623.