2 Samuel 20:11 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And one of Joab 's young men took his stand by Amasa and said, "Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab."

NIV: One of Joab’s men stood beside Amasa and said, "Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab!"

NASB: Now one of Joab’s young men stood by him and said, 'Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David, follow Joab!'

CSB: One of Joab’s young men had stood over Amasa saying, "Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David, follow Joab!"

NLT: One of Joab’s young men shouted to Amasa’s troops, 'If you are for Joab and David, come and follow Joab.'

KJV: And one of Joab's men stood by him, and said, He that favoureth Joab, and he that is for David, let him go after Joab.

NKJV: Meanwhile one of Joab’s men stood near Amasa, and said, “Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David—follow Joab!”

Second Samuel 20:4–13 describes the graphic way in which Joab reclaims his position as general. Joab killed Absalom against David's orders (2 Samuel 18:5, 14), so David gave Joab's command of the army to Absalom's general, Amasa (2 Samuel 19:13). David sends Amasa after a new rebel leader. When he's delayed, David sends Joab's brother Abishai with the mighty men and bodyguards. Joab is hiding in their ranks and when they catch up with Amasa, Joab assassinates the new general with a single, body-emptying slice. He resumes command and will chases Sheba to a walled city where a wise woman will offer Sheba's head in exchange for the safety of the people (2 Samuel 20:14–22).

David's men strike down one last rebellion. Absalom is dead (2 Samuel 18), and David is trying to reunite the nation (2 Samuel 19). After bickering with Judah over who loves David more (2 Samuel 19:41–43), the ten northern tribes give up and follow a new rebel leader, Sheba. David sends his new general, Amasa, after Sheba. But along the way, Joab murders Amasa and resumes command of the army. Sheba hides in a city. The army of Judah tries to tear down the walls. A wise woman offers Sheba's head, instead. The tribes will not rebel against David again, but they will break from his grandson Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 10).

In 2 Samuel 20, David tries to hold everything together. During David's flight from his son's invasion of Jerusalem, a Benjaminite cursed him, claiming he stole Saul's throne (2 Samuel 15:1–14; 16:5–8). The rebellion is over, but the ten northern tribes quickly follow another Benjaminite. Sheba claims that David only cares about Judah and rallies people to follow him, instead. Joab takes care of Sheba, and the rebellion ends. Sadly, David's involuntary offenses against Benjamin aren't finished. He must give seven of Saul's sons and grandsons to the Gibeonites as recompense for something Saul did (2 Samuel 21:1–14). We're never told what, but the struggles between David and Benjamin seem to end.

Second Samuel continues the story of David, who will become king over Judah. The other tribes of Israel are resistant, eventually sparking a civil war. David wins and makes Jerusalem his capital. Early success is followed by moral failure and controversy in David's house. The book of 1 Kings will begin by detailing David's decline and death.

Accessed 4/23/2026 2:59:07 PM