Joab kills Amasa (2 Sam 20:4-20:10)

“Then the king said to Amasa. ‘Call the men of Judah together to me within three days, and be here yourself.’ So Amasa went to summon Judah. But he delayed beyond the set time which had been appointed him. David said to Abishai. ‘Now Sheba son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lord’s servants and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities for himself, and escape from us.’ Joab’s men went out after Abishai, along with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the warriors. They went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bichri. When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was wearing a soldier’s garment. Over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath fastened at his waist. As he went forward it fell out. Joab said to Amasa. ‘Is it well with you, my brother?’ Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. But Amasa did not notice the sword in Joab’s hand. So Joab struck him with it in the body so that his entrails poured out on the ground, and he died. He did not strike a second blow.”

King David wanted Amasa, the new head of his army to get the men of Judah together. However, Amasa, who had been the head of Absalom’s army delayed in getting the people together. Then King David got Joab’s brother, the cousin of Amasa, to go get Sheba. Abishai then got his brother Joab and all the other warriors to go with them. Amasa finally caught up with them. Then Joab went over to greet and kiss him. Instead he put a sword into his belly so that his bowels and entrails came out as he died. There was no need for a second blow. Joab had gotten revenge for the revolt of Absalom and the fact that Amasa had taken his job as the chief of the army. Joab was not a tolerant fellow.