“ You yourself know what Joab, the son of Zeruiah, did to me. You know that he killed Abner, the son of Ner, and Amasa, the son of Jether. They were the two commanders of Israel’s armies. He killed them in a time of peace. It wasn’t a time of war. Joab spilled the blood of Abner and Amasa. With that blood he stained the belt around his waist. He also stained the sandals on his feet.

你知道洗鲁雅的儿子约押向我所行的，就是杀了以色列的两个元帅：尼珥的儿子押尼珥和益帖的儿子亚玛撒。他在太平之时流这二人的血，如在争战之时一样，将这血染了腰间束的带和脚上穿的鞋。

你也知道洗鲁雅的儿子约押向我所做的事，他对付以色列的两个元帅，尼珥的儿子押尼珥和益帖的儿子亚玛撒，杀了他们。他在太平之时，如同战争一般，流这二人的血，把这战争的血染了他腰间束的带和脚上穿的鞋。

你也知道洗鲁雅的儿子约押向我所做的事，他对付以色列的两个元帅，尼珥的儿子押尼珥和益帖的儿子亚玛撒，杀了他们。他在太平之时，如同战争一般，流这二人的血，把这战争的血染了他腰间束的带和脚上穿的鞋。

“你知道洗鲁雅的儿子约押怎样对我，他杀了以色列的两名元帅——尼珥的儿子押尼珥和益帖的儿子亚玛撒。他在太平的时候把他们当作战场的敌手杀害，腰带和鞋子上沾满了他们的血。

你也要知道洗鲁雅的儿子约押对我所行的，就是对以色列的两个元帅：尼珥的儿子押尼珥和益帖的儿子亚玛撒所行的。他杀了他们，在和平的时候流他们的血，像作战时一样，把战争的血染在他腰间所束的带子上和脚上所穿的鞋子上。

你知道洗魯雅的兒子約押向我所行的，就是殺了以色列的兩個元帥：尼珥的兒子押尼珥和益帖的兒子亞瑪撒。他在太平之時流這二人的血，如在爭戰之時一樣，將這血染了腰間束的帶和腳上穿的鞋。

你也知道洗魯雅的兒子約押向我所做的事，他對付以色列的兩個元帥，尼珥的兒子押尼珥和益帖的兒子亞瑪撒，殺了他們。他在太平之時，如同戰爭一般，流這二人的血，把這戰爭的血染了他腰間束的帶和腳上穿的鞋。

你也知道洗魯雅的兒子約押向我所做的事，他對付以色列的兩個元帥，尼珥的兒子押尼珥和益帖的兒子亞瑪撒，殺了他們。他在太平之時，如同戰爭一般，流這二人的血，把這戰爭的血染了他腰間束的帶和腳上穿的鞋。

「你知道洗魯雅的兒子約押怎樣對我，他殺了以色列的兩名元帥——尼珥的兒子押尼珥和益帖的兒子亞瑪撒。他在太平的時候把他們當作戰場的敵手殺害，腰帶和鞋子上沾滿了他們的血。

你也要知道洗魯雅的兒子約押對我所行的，就是對以色列的兩個元帥：尼珥的兒子押尼珥和益帖的兒子亞瑪撒所行的。他殺了他們，在和平的時候流他們的血，像作戰時一樣，把戰爭的血染在他腰間所束的帶子上和腳上所穿的鞋子上。

『並且你也知道洗魯雅的兒子約押向我所行的：他怎樣待以色列的兩個將軍，尼珥的兒子押尼珥、和益帖的兒子亞瑪撒，將他們殺死；怎樣在太平之時報戰時所流之血的仇，使我腰間所束的帶、我腳上所穿的鞋、都染了戰時無辜的血。

昔洗魯雅子約押、所行於我、殺以色列軍長二人、尼珥子押尼珥、益帖子亞瑪撒、於綏安之日、流戰鬥之血、以染所束之紳、所著之履、爾所知也、

昔西魯雅子約押、背逆乎我、亦殺以色列族軍長二人、即尼耳子押尼耳、益帖子亞馬撒、彼於綏安之日、殘害人命、與戰鬥之際無異、以人血染所束之紳、所着之履、其事皆爾所知。

西魯雅子約押、如何待我、如何待以色列二軍長、即尼珥子押尼珥、及益帖子亞瑪撒、為爾所知、彼殺此二人、在太平時殺人流血、與爭戰時無異、以血染腰所束之帶、足所着之履、

“ Now you yourself know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me— what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He killed them, shedding their blood in peacetime as if in battle, and with that blood he stained the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet.

“ Moreover, you also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with the two commanders of the armies of Israel, Abner the son of Ner, and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, avenging in time of peace for blood that had been shed in war, and putting the blood of war on the belt around his waist and on the sandals on his feet.

“ And there is something else. You know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me when he murdered my two army commanders, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He pretended that it was an act of war, but it was done in a time of peace, staining his belt and sandals with innocent blood.

“ You also know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me and what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s army, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He murdered them in a time of peace to avenge blood shed in war. He spilled that blood on his own waistband and on the sandals of his feet.

“ Now you yourself also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed; he also shed the blood of war in peace. And he put the blood of war on his belt that was on his waist, and on his sandals that were on his feet.

“ Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed. And he shed the blood of war in peacetime, and put the blood of war on his belt that was around his waist, and on his sandals that were on his feet.

Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did unto me, even what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet.

“ You also know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me and what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s army, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He murdered them in a time of peace to avenge blood shed in war. He spilled that blood on his own waistband and on the sandals of his feet.

Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me,[ and] what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that[ was] about his loins, and in his shoes that[ were] on his feet.

“ You know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me– how he murdered two commanders of the Israelite armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. During peacetime he struck them down like he would in battle; when he shed their blood as if in battle, he stained his own belt and the sandals on his feet.

“ Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, even what he did to the two captains of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner, and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war on his sash that was around his waist, and in his sandals that were on his feet.

When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him to one side. He brought him into an inside room. Joab acted as if he wanted to speak to him in private. But he really wanted to get even with him. That’s because Abner had spilled the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel. So Joab stabbed Abner in the stomach, and he died.

Amasa didn’t notice the dagger in Joab’s left hand. Joab stuck it into his stomach. His insides spilled out on the ground. Joab didn’t have to stab him again. Amasa was already dead. Then Joab and his brother Abishai went after Sheba, the son of Bikri.

The king gave an order to Joab, Abishai and Ittai. He commanded them,“ Be gentle with the young man Absalom. Do it for me.” All the troops heard the king give the commanders that order about Absalom.

But the man replied,“ I wouldn’t do anything to hurt the king’s son. I wouldn’t do it even for 25 pounds of silver. We heard the king’s command to you and Abishai and Ittai. He said,‘ Be careful not to hurt the young man Absalom. Do it for me.’

I’m the anointed king. But today I’m weak. These sons of Zeruiah are too powerful for me. May the Lord pay back the one who killed Abner! May he pay him back for the evil thing he has done!”

Joab said,“ I’m not going to waste any more time on you.” So he got three javelins. Then he went over and plunged them into Absalom’s heart. He did it while Absalom was still hanging there alive in the oak tree.

The three sons of Zeruiah were there. Their names were Joab, Abishai and Asahel. Asahel was as quick on his feet as a wild antelope.

Are they ashamed of their hateful actions? No. They do not feel any shame at all. They do not even know how to blush. So they will fall like others who have already fallen. They will be brought down when I punish them,” says the Lord.

The Lord will pay him back for the blood he spilled. Joab attacked two men. He killed them with his sword. And my father David didn’t even know anything about it. Joab killed Abner, the son of Ner. Abner was the commander of Israel’s army. Joab also killed Amasa, the son of Jether. Amasa was the commander of Judah’s army. Abner and Amasa were better men than Joab is. They were more honest than he is.

“ The blood Jerusalem’s people spilled is inside its walls. They poured it out on a bare rock. They did not pour it on the ground. If they had, dust would have covered it up.So I put their blood on the bare rock. I did not want it to be covered up. I poured out my great anger on them. I paid them back.”

The blood of those you have killed is on your clothes. You have destroyed poor people who were not guilty. You did not catch them in the act of breaking in. In spite of all this,

Absalom had made Amasa commander of the army in place of Joab. Amasa was the son of Jether. Jether belonged to the family line of Ishmael. He had married Abigail. She was the daughter of Nahash and the sister of Zeruiah. Zeruiah was the mother of Joab.

But now Adonijah has made himself king. And you don’t even know about it.He has sacrificed large numbers of cattle, fat calves and sheep. He has invited all the king’s sons. He has also invited Abiathar the priest and Joab, the commander of the army. But he hasn’t invited your son Solomon.

Then Joab went into the king’s house. He said to him,“ Today you have made all your men feel ashamed. They have just saved your life. They have saved the lives of your sons and daughters. And they have saved the lives of your wives and concubines.You love those who hate you. You hate those who love you. The commanders and their troops don’t mean anything to you. You made that very clear today. I can see that you would be pleased if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead.Now go out there and cheer up your men. If you don’t, you won’t have any of them left with you by sunset. That will be worse for you than all the troubles you have ever had in your whole life. That’s what I promise you in the Lord’ s name.”

Adonijah talked things over with Joab, the son of Zeruiah. He also talked with Abiathar the priest. They agreed to help him.