JOAB.. David's nephew, friend, confidant, & General!!  PERIOD!!  I KNOW  David replaced him, and ordered his death through Solomon!!   No DOUBT... No doubt, in the beginning, he was "faithful" to David, but nearing the end of David's reign, turned stage left, becoming nutty, and getting lost with no way back!  #sotospeak!

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The name Joab is derived from Yahweh (יהוה‎), the name of the God of Israel, and the Hebrew word 'av' (אָב‎), meaning 'father'. Alas??  Not EVEN CLOSE!!  Joab would NOT have even qualified as a saint by ANY stretch.. Mmbut - I am near almost pretty sure that, in naming him - his 'rents had high hopes!!  

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Anyhoo - his story begins...

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JOAB was birthed from the sister of king David.. (making him too, the great-grandson of Ruth - very cool piece of info!!)   He had two brothers, Abishai and Asahel.  Asahel was killed by Abner, (Saul's top commander), after a fidgety Abner, thought he wanted his armor..  Abner DID tell Asahel to STOP FOLLOWING him  2 times, before slaying him right there on the street!!  SOO - Joab set out for revenge, as most; especially in that time; would!! 

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According to Josephus, Joab did not kill Abner out of revenge. For, he says, Joab had forgiven Abner for the death of his brother Asahel, since Abner had slain Asahel honorably after Abner had twice warned Asahel, and had no other choice but to kill him out of self-defense. Another theory asserts, the reason Joab killed Abner may have been that he became a threat to his rank of general - since Abner had switched to the side of David and was planning to give David control over the tribe of Benjamin, of the tribe which Saul was.

 

Mmbut, theories smearies..  The FACT IS..  Biblical narrative EXPLICITLY states (with NO QUALMS,) that Joab killed Abner "to avenge the blood of his brother Asahel" (2 Samuel 3:27).  See there??  Settled!

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Joab would have served David, here, at the remains of king David's palace.

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David later replaced him as commander of the army with David's nephew, Amasa (2 Samuel 19:13).  Joab later killed Amasa (2 Samuel 20:8-13; 1 Kings 2:5).  Sealing his fate, and hatred by David!!

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 As David neared the end of his reign,  Joab and other commanders began questioning David's judgment (2 Samuel 24:2-4).   AKA.. Loyalty OUT the window..  and David saw it!!  Joab offered his allegiance to David's eldest son,  Adonijah rather than to the eventual king, Solomon (1 Kings 1:1-27).  BAAD move!!

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David, on his deathbed,  told Solomon to have Joab killed, telling Solomon of Joab's past betrayals, and the blood that he was guilty of.  Solomon wasted no time in granting the wish of his father.  One of the first orders of business, upon Solomon sitting on the throne of David, was honoring his wish, and ordering Joab's death.  (1 Kings 2:29–34).  Hearing that his fate had been sealed, Joab fled to the Tent of the Tabernacle, and holding the horns of the alter, stated that 'he would die there.'  Upon this being related to Solomon, the king ordered that Joab be killed there.

 

Joab was buried at his home, in 'the wilderness' (1 Kings 2:34).

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