And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth {rib}, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother. {quietly: or, peaceably}

But Amasa took no heed to the sword that {was} in Joab's hand: so he smote him therewith in the fifth {rib}, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri. {struck...: Heb. doubled not his stroke}

And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, {Deal} gently for my sake with the young man, {even} with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.

And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand {shekels} of silver in mine hand, {yet} would I not put forth mine hand against the king's son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none {touch} the young man Absalom. {receive: Heb. weigh upon mine hand} {Beware...: Heb. Beware whosoever ye be of, etc}

And I {am} this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah {be} too hard for me: the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness. {weak: Heb. tender}

Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he {was} yet alive in the midst of the oak. {with...: Heb. before thee} {midst: Heb. heart}

And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines;

Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents: I have not found it by secret search, but upon all these. {secret...: Heb. digging}

And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel {was as} light of foot as a wild roe. {of foot: Heb. of his feet} {as a wild...: Heb. as one of the roes that is in the field}

And the LORD shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing {thereof, to wit}, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.

And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped {him}. {he...: Heb. his words were with} {following...: Heb. helped after Adonijah}

And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab: which Amasa {was} a man's son, whose name {was} Ithra an Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab's mother. {Ithra an Israelite: or, Jether an Ishmaelite} {Abigail: Heb. Abigal} {Nahash: or, Jesse}

And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest {it} not:

Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time {that} I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.

For her blood is in the midst of her; she set it upon the top of a rock; she poured it not upon the ground, to cover it with dust;

And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth {rib}, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother. {quietly: or, peaceably}

Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: {by: or, to}

And I {am} this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah {be} too hard for me: the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness. {weak: Heb. tender}

And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab: which Amasa {was} a man's son, whose name {was} Ithra an Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab's mother. {Ithra an Israelite: or, Jether an Ishmaelite} {Abigail: Heb. Abigal} {Nahash: or, Jesse}

And the LORD shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing {thereof, to wit}, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.

And the king said, {Is not} the hand of Joab with thee in all this? And the woman answered and said, {As} thy soul liveth, my lord the king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from ought that my lord the king hath spoken: for thy servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of thine handmaid:

And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?

Gilead {is} a city of them that work iniquity, {and is} polluted with blood. {polluted: or, cunning for}

But Amasa took no heed to the sword that {was} in Joab's hand: so he smote him therewith in the fifth {rib}, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri. {struck...: Heb. doubled not his stroke}

But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die;

And Abigail bare Amasa: and the father of Amasa {was} Jether the Ishmeelite. {Jether...: also called, Ithra an Israelite}

But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee. {bloody...: Heb. men of bloods and deceit} {shall...: Heb. shall not half their days}

Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his {days} be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:

Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die.

None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken:

And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men {were}.