And he spoke with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they went after Adonijah and helped him.

So now, behold, Adonijah has become king; and now, my lord the king, you have not known about it.

He has sacrificed oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army; but Solomon your servant he has not invited.

And I am weak today, though anointed king; and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too severe for me. Jehovah shall repay the evildoer according to his evil.

And the king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom. And all the people heard when the king charged the commanders concerning Absalom.

And the man said to Joab, Though I were to receive a thousand shekels of silver in my hand, I would not put forth my hand against the king's son. For in our ears the king charged you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Take heed that no one touches the young man Absalom!

And Joab said, I cannot wait before you. And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through Absalom's heart, while he was still alive in the midst of the terebinth tree.

And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Today you have shamed the faces of all your servants who today have delivered your soul, the souls of your sons and daughters, the souls of your wives and the souls of your concubines,

Now therefore, arise, go out and speak to the heart of your servants. For I swear by Jehovah, if you do not go out, not one will stay with you this night. And that will be worse for you than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth until now.

And when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there stabbed him in the stomach, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother.

But Amasa was not aware of the sword that was in Joab's hand. And he struck him with it in the stomach, and his entrails poured out on the ground; and he did not strike him again. Thus he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.

And Absalom set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. This Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Jithra, an Israelite, who had gone in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab's mother.

Also in your skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents; I did not find them by secret search, but plainly on all these.

Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed, nor did they know how to blush; therefore they shall fall among those who fall. At the time that I punish them they shall be cast down, says Jehovah.

For her blood is in her midst; she set it on top of a rock; she did not pour it on the ground, to cover it with dust.

That it may raise up fury and take vengeance, I have set her blood on top of a rock, that it may not be covered.