Nov13–19: Joab: David’s Weak Strongman

Teaching Points

1. Read 2 Samuel 2:17–23 and 3:1-22 and summarize what takes place.

ANSWER:

• After David’s men, including Asahel the brother of Joab, defeated Israel, Asahel made a fatal chase after Abner, who slew Asahel in the chase.
• After a time, Abner deserts Ishbosheth and offers Israel to David; David accepts this offer.

OBSERVATION:

• 2Sa 2:17 And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David. 

DISCUSSION QUESTION:

• Abner was defeated. Why do you think Asahel pursued after him? Hint: Look at the description of Asahel in verse 18. 

2. How did Joab respond to the accepted proposal by Abner?

ANSWER:

• 2Sa 3:25 Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest.
• 2Sa 3:30 So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle. 

OBSERVATION:

• Joab first tells David that Abner was deceiving him. But the reason why Joab killed Abner was to revenge himself of his brother Asahel, whom Abner killed in an earlier battle.

• “But the favorable reception of so valiant and famed a warrior excited the jealousy of Joab, the commander-in-chief of David's army. … Now Joab, seeing an opportunity to avenge his brother's death and rid himself of a prospective rival, basely took occasion to waylay and murder Abner.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 699.
• Jealousy over a position and a desire for justice led Joab to murder Abner. 

APPLICATION QUESTION:

• Are you reading into the motives of others because you are jealous of them?

3. Read 2 Samuel 11:15–25. What does this passage tell us about Joab?

ANSWER:

• Joab clearly shows that his allegiance is to the king rather than God.

OBSERVATION:

• Perhaps Joab felt obligated to do what David said because of how David rebuked him for the murder of Abner.

SPIRITUAL LESSON:

• Sometimes it’s hard to do what is right when we want to please those we admire, especially when those we admire fall into the same sins as us.
• What we need to do is focus on doing what is right because it is right so that we may avoid the folly of following the conscience and judgment of men.

4. In the previous example Joab obeyed David’s orders. Now read 2 Samuel 18:5–15. What does his action here tell us about him? How might he have rationalized this deed, as well?

ANSWER:

• Joab chooses when he wants to obey or disobey. For protecting the nation and his men (see 2 Samuel 19:5, 6), he could have a good reason for slaying Absalom. 

CONCLUSION:

• Joab’s story is a sad one. He chose to obey when it was convenient with his own desires and ambitions. He killed Abner out of his own desire for personal revenge as well as to rid himself of a possible rival of position; he obeys the king, even if it goes against what is right; and he disobeys the king according to what he thinks is right.