1 Kings 2 34

1 Kings 2:34 kjv

So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and slew him: and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.

1 Kings 2:34 nkjv

So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and struck and killed him; and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.

1 Kings 2:34 niv

So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and struck down Joab and killed him, and he was buried at his home out in the country.

1 Kings 2:34 esv

Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and struck him down and put him to death. And he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.

1 Kings 2:34 nlt

So Benaiah son of Jehoiada returned to the sacred tent and killed Joab, and he was buried at his home in the wilderness.

1 Kings 2 verses

1 Kings 2 34 Meaning

1 Kings 2:34 records the execution of Joab by Benaiah, an act carried out by Solomon to consolidate his reign and purge those who opposed his divine appointment or had committed heinous blood crimes. It signifies the swift and decisive establishment of Solomon's kingdom through righteous judgment, fulfilling David's earlier directive concerning Joab's treachery and bloodshed. The verse highlights the completion of a major phase of clearing threats to the throne and underscores the consequences of unrighteous deeds.

1 Kings 2 34 Context

1 Kings 2 opens with David’s final instructions to Solomon, emphasizing the importance of walking in God’s ways and also specifically addressing lingering threats like Joab and Shimei. David advises Solomon to deal with Joab, a loyal but often ruthless general who had committed politically motivated murders, defiling David's kingdom with innocent blood. After David's death, Solomon secures his reign by swiftly dealing with potential challengers and past offenses. Adonijah is executed for attempting to seize the throne. Joab, upon hearing of Adonijah’s death and Abiathar’s banishment (both allies from his faction during Adonijah's rebellion), flees to the altar, seeking asylum. 1 Kings 2:34 describes Solomon's rejection of this asylum and his command to Benaiah to execute Joab there, purging the kingdom of the bloodguilt associated with Joab's deeds (Abner and Amasa). This act ensures Solomon's kingdom is established in peace and righteousness.

1 Kings 2 34 Word analysis

• So Benaiah son of Jehoiada: Benaiah (בְּנָיָ֡הוּ, bənāyāhū) means "Yahweh has built" or "Yahweh has founded." He is introduced earlier as a man of valor (2 Sam 23:20-23, 1 Chr 11:22-25), one of David's mighty men and commander of the Cherethites and Pelethites (the king's elite guard). His immediate action demonstrates his unswerving loyalty to Solomon and the new king's firm control over the military, a key element of establishing a secure throne. His consistent presence in executions (Adonijah, Joab, Shimei) highlights him as Solomon's principal enforcer.
• went up: This implies moving toward the tabernacle, where Joab had sought refuge. It denotes direct engagement and the fulfillment of a command, not hesitant action.
• and struck him down: (וַיַּכֵּ֙הוּ֙ vayyakkehu) From the root נָכָה (nakah), "to strike, smite, kill." This is a forceful and fatal blow. It denotes a deliberate execution.
• and put him to death: (וַיְמִיתֵ֔הוּ vayəmitēhu) From the root מות (muth), "to die, kill." This phrase emphatically confirms the outcome—death. The doubling of "struck him down and put him to death" emphasizes the definitive and absolute nature of Joab's execution, leaving no doubt about the finality of the judgment.
• and he was buried: This implies the finality of death, as well as providing a customary albeit possibly undignified burial. The immediate burial contrasts with royal or honorable burials typically involving pomp or specific family tombs within a city.
• in his own house: While not in his actual residence, this phrasing likely means 'at his property' or 'on his land,' possibly a secluded or non-distinguished burial plot outside the city. It contrasts sharply with burials in established tombs like David's. This may signify a lesser, perhaps ignominious, burial compared to a royal one within the City of David.
• in the wilderness: (בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר bammidbar) This does not necessarily mean the barren desert but could refer to an isolated, uncultivated, or rural area outside the city of Jerusalem. This placement suggests a burial without the honors typically afforded to a great general, aligning with his demise as a marked man and a criminal rather than a revered hero. It underscores the severity of the judgment against him, separating him from the respected dead of Jerusalem. The term also evokes images of spiritual cleansing from the community's midst, like the wilderness serving as a place of judgment or removal for impurities.

1 Kings 2 34 Bonus section

The Hebrew concept of herem (total devotion to God by destruction) or "wiping out" the enemies or evildoers from the land is subtly echoed in Solomon's systematic elimination of threats (Adonijah, Joab, Shimei). While not a direct herem command from God for Joab, the cleansing of bloodguilt through execution aligns with the broader Deuteronomic principle of purging evil from Israel (e.g., Deut 19:13, 21:21). Benaiah's ascent to become commander of the army (1 Ki 2:35) immediately after this execution is significant. It marks the consolidation of power in loyal hands and the beginning of a stable administration under Solomon, establishing a new order free from the turbulent alliances and violent acts that characterized aspects of David's reign. This act serves as a foundational step for the coming "peace" and "rest" that characterizes Solomon's reign, as reflected in his name Shelomoh (from shalom, "peace").

1 Kings 2 34 Commentary

1 Kings 2:34 marks a pivotal moment in the establishment of Solomon’s kingdom, transforming David’s deathbed counsel into swift action. The execution of Joab, a seasoned warrior who served David loyally yet often acted out of personal vendetta (e.g., against Abner and Amasa), fulfills divine justice. His previous seeking of refuge at the altar failed, indicating that God’s law of capital punishment for bloodshed transcended the privilege of sanctuary, particularly when bloodguilt was involved (Exod 21:14). Solomon’s command to execute Joab by Benaiah purges the kingdom of a profound source of "bloodguilt," which was believed to pollute the land (Num 35:33-34). This decisive act by Solomon was not arbitrary but righteous, aligning the throne with divine justice. It served to secure peace and ensure the blessing of God upon the newly established kingdom, demonstrating Solomon’s unshakeable authority and his commitment to righteousness as a king. The "wilderness" burial, detached from Jerusalem, symbolized his exclusion from honor and perhaps even the community, highlighting the king's power to both bestow honor and disgrace.