II Samuel 20:10
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Amasa was not on guard against the dagger in Joab’s hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach and spilled out his intestines on the ground. And Joab did not need to strike him again, for Amasa was dead. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
How do the clouds return after the rain! No sooner is one of David's troubles over than another arises, as it were out of the ashes of the former, wherein the threatening is fulfilled, that the sword should never depart from his house. I. Before he reaches Jerusalem a new rebellion is raised by Sheba (Sa2 20:1, Sa2 20:2). II. His first work, when he comes to Jerusalem, is to condemn his concubines to perpetual imprisonment (Sa2 20:3). III. Amass, whom he entrusts to raise an army against Sheba, is too slow in his motions, which puts him into a fright (Sa2 20:4-6). IV. One of his generals barbarously murders the other, when they are taking the field (Sa2 20:7-13). V. Sheba is at length shut up in the city of Abel (Sa2 20:14, Sa2 20:15), but the citizens deliver him up to Joab, and so his rebellion is crushed (Sa2 20:16-22). The chapter concludes with a short account of David's great officers (Sa2 20:23-26).
Open source ↗20:10 Amasa . . . died: For the second time, Joab killed a commander of the opposing army by treachery (the first was Abner, 3:26-27). Twice, David tried to merge feuding parties by absorbing the military leader of the opposing side (see 3:6-13; 17:25; 19:13); twice Joab scuttled David’s plans by treacherously murdering the rival commander (see also 3:22-30).
Open source ↗Cross-references
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But Asahel refused to turn away; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into his stomach, and it came out his back, and he fell dead on the spot. And every man paused when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.
When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died on account of the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel.
And Ehud reached with his left hand, pulled the sword from his right thigh, and plunged it into Eglon’s belly.
they were archers using both the right and left hands to sling stones and shoot arrows; and they were Saul’s kinsmen from Benjamin):
Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand. Now, therefore, please let me thrust the spear through him into the ground with one stroke. I will not need to strike him twice!”
“Are you well, my brother?” Joab asked Amasa. And with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him.
Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.