1 Kings 2:33 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So shall their blood come back on the head of Joab and on the head of his descendants forever. But for David and for his descendants and for his house and for his throne there shall be peace from the Lord forevermore."

NIV: May the guilt of their blood rest on the head of Joab and his descendants forever. But on David and his descendants, his house and his throne, may there be the Lord’s peace forever."

NASB: So their blood shall return on the head of Joab and on the head of his descendants forever; but for David and his descendants, and his house and his throne, may there be peace from the Lord forever.'

CSB: The responsibility for their deaths will come back to Joab and to his descendants forever, but for David, his descendants, his dynasty, and his throne, there will be peace from the Lord forever."

NLT: May their blood be on Joab and his descendants forever, and may the Lord grant peace forever to David, his descendants, his dynasty, and his throne.'

KJV: Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever: but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from the Lord.

NKJV: Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab and upon the head of his descendants forever. But upon David and his descendants, upon his house and his throne, there shall be peace forever from the Lord.”

Solomon had already told Benaiah that Joab needed to be executed to bring justice for Abner and Amasa's murders (2 Samuel 20:8–10) many years earlier. Now, though, he refers to David's own curse on Joab and his descendants after Joab killed Abner in cold blood:

May it fall upon the head of Joab and upon all his father's house, and may the house of Joab never be without one who has a discharge or who is leprous or who holds a spindle or who falls by the sword or who lacks bread! -–2 Samuel 3:29

Solomon concludes his message by adding that this is about more than just carrying out the Lord's justice against Joab for his crimes. It's also about removing any obstacle to the Lord's blessing on the descendants and throne of David to allow them to experience God's peace forever.

The bloodguilt lay on the line of David, who didn't condone the murders but also didn't punish Joab at the time. He left the job for the next king: Solomon (1 Kings 2:5–6). David did to Solomon what Saul did to David. Saul or his sons had killed some Gibeonites—non-Israelite servants. Saul never gave the Gibeonites justice. God sent a famine for three years until David asked God what was going on. God told him, and David asked the Gibeonites how he could atone for Saul's sin. The Gibeonites asked for seven of Saul's male descendants. Once the men were dead, God lifted the famine. (2 Samuel 21:1–9).

It's wise of Solomon to take care of the issue soon after he becomes king and before God curses the nation for allowing a murderer to maintain his authority.

First Kings 2:28–35 describes the unfortunate end of one of David's greatest allies. David had told Solomon that to have a secure kingdom, he needed to kill Joab, the military commander who had murdered two good men (1 Kings 2:5–6). Solomon waits until Joab commits a crime against him: supporting Solomon's brother Adonijah's coup attempt after Solomon is already king. When Joab hears that Solomon executed Adonijah, he runs to the tabernacle for sanctuary. Solomon has him killed, anyway. Solomon only has one more person to deal with: Shimei, the man from Benjamin who cursed David when David fled from Absalom's coup (1 Kings 2:36–46).

In 1 Kings 2, Solomon establishes his kingdom. David tells Solomon to follow God and to deal justly with his officials. After David dies, Solomon executes his rival Adonijah and the murderer Joab. He sends the conspiring priest Abiathar to house arrest and deals with the Benjamite Shimei, who cursed David. Benaiah becomes the military commander, and Zadok the lead priest. Next, Solomon will offer his famous prayer for wisdom (1 Kings 3:6–9).

David's reign ends as his health begins to fail. Watchful rivals try to take advantage of this, attempting to install their preferred heir to the throne (1 Kings 1). This fails, and Solomon is crowned. In 1 Kings 2, Solomon begins the work of inheriting God's covenant with David. Before David dies, he advises Solomon on how to follow God, respond to conspirators, and build the temple (1 Chronicles 22:6–19; 28:9–21). David also throws a more formal coronation ceremony (1 Chronicles 29:22–25). After dealing with the men who would take his crown, Solomon asks God for wisdom; God promises to add honor and wealth (1 Kings 3:6–14).

This was originally the first half of a combined text. First Kings records the end of David's reign and the rule of Solomon. After this, the kingdom is split in two. The northern nation of Israel no longer submits to the king of the southern nation, called Judah. The prophet Elijah first appears in this book. The kings mostly fail to honor the Lord. They participate in idolatry and other sins. This will eventually result in their conquest and exile, as depicted throughout the books of Chronicles.