1 Kings 2:28
ESV
When the news came to Joab — for Joab had supported Adonijah although he had not supported Absalom — Joab fled to the tent of the Lord and caught hold of the horns of the altar.
NIV
When the news reached Joab, who had conspired with Adonijah though not with Absalom, he fled to the tent of the Lord and took hold of the horns of the altar.
NASB
Now the news came to Joab because Joab had followed Adonijah, though he had not followed Absalom. So Joab fled to the tent of the Lord and took hold of the horns of the altar.
CSB
The news reached Joab. Since he had supported Adonijah but not Absalom, Joab fled to the Lord’s tabernacle and took hold of the horns of the altar.
NLT
Joab had not joined Absalom’s earlier rebellion, but he had joined Adonijah’s rebellion. So when Joab heard about Adonijah’s death, he ran to the sacred tent of the Lord and grabbed on to the horns of the altar.
KJV
Then tidings came to Joab: for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the Lord, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.
NKJV
Then news came to Joab, for Joab had defected to Adonijah, though he had not defected to Absalom. So Joab fled to the tabernacle of the Lord, and took hold of the horns of the altar.
What does 1 Kings 2:28 mean?
Before David officially named his heir, his son Adonijah tried to take the crown (1 Kings 1). After Solomon became king and David died, Adonijah tried again. Solomon had him executed (1 Kings 2:19–25). Now, Solomon needs to remove the influence of Adonijah's most powerful supporters. He started with the priest Abiathar. Because Abiathar had been faithful to David and had carried the ark of the covenant, Solomon sent him home to retire (1 Kings 2:16–27).Joab is different. Before he died, David told Solomon to execute Joab for murdering Abner and Amasa (1 Kings 2:5–6). Now that Joab has proven resistant to Solomon's reign, Solomon feels he has the right to execute the old army general.
Joab knows what's coming. As Adonijah did on the day Solomon became king, Joab ran for his life to the tabernacle. He also takes hold of the horns of the altar. The thinking for both men seems to be that this is the place where God gives his mercy to Israel for their sins. Perhaps Solomon will acknowledge it as a sanctuary and be persuaded to show mercy to another mere mortal. It worked for Adonijah (1 Kings 1:49–53). It won't work for Joab.
