1 Chronicles 11:6

1Ch 11:6. And was chief — Before this he was one of David’s chief captains; but now he is made captain-general of all the forces of Israel and Judah.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

(6) Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first.—The account diverges more and more from the parallel passage. 2Sa_5:8, reads, “And David said in that day, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusite, let him hurl down the waterfall (Psa_42:7), both the lame and the blind, the hated of David’s soul! Therefore they say, Blind and lame must not enter the house” (i.e., the Temple). Such is the simplest rendering of an obscure, but evidently original record. The chronicler appears to have followed another and clearer account, which made Joab play at the storm of Jebus the part of Othniel at that of Kirjath-sepher (Jdg_1:12-13).

Chief and captain.—Literally, shall become a head and a captain.

Joab the son of Zeruiah is not mentioned at all in the parallel passage. Joab already appears as David’s general, while Ishbosheth is yet reigning at Mahanaim (2Sa_2:13; 2Sa_3:23). Perhaps the phrase here used means head and governor of Jerusalem. (Comp. 1Ch_11:8.)

Went up.—Scaled the rampart, “and became a head.”

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

6. Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain] The Chronicler has simplified the very difficult phrase which occurs in the parallel passage (2Sa_5:8).

Joab the son of Zeruiah] Zeruiah was David’s sister (1Ch_2:16). It is not said in Samuel that Joab first became commander-in-chief on this occasion; on the contrary he appears in command (2Sa_2:13) during the civil war against the house of Saul. Perhaps he was first formally acknowledged as commander at the capture of Jebus.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The narrative here given fills out a manifest defect in 2Sa 5:8 where something has evidently dropped out of the text.

The prowess of Joab on this occasion, and the part which he took in the building of the city of David 1Ch 11:8, are known to us only from this passage of Chronicles.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Before this he was one of David’s chief captains, 2Sa 3:22,23, and general of the forces of Judah; but now he is made captain-general of all the forces of Israel and Judah.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The name and fresh glory of Joab, as given here, are not given 2Sa_5:3-10; and we could suppose that they were purposely withheld there. It is true that Joab already held high office, probably the first place as captain of David"s men, but Bertheau"s objection to the statements of this verse on such grounds easily yields to the considerations first, that there can be no doubt Joab had fallen into disfavour withDavid and others, upon his slaying of Abner; (2Sa_3:26-29, 2Sa_3:36, 2Sa_3:37) and further, that this was a great occasion, exceedingly favourable for evoking any very special ability of younger or unknown men, at present lost under the shadow of larger growths. The advantage which Joab gained now was one that confirmed his position and increased largely his influence; and an indication that he was not slow to avail himself of it is probably to be traced in the eighth verse, where it is said while "David built even from Millo round about, Joab repaired the rest of the city.

Joab, the military statesman.

Though this man, Josh, is introduced to us before, (2Sa_2:13, 2Sa_2:26, etc.) yet, in order of time, this passage is his first appearance, and only here have we the account of his prowess in taking Jebus, and his part in the building of the city of David. He probably had been chief captain of David"s band of outlaws, but on this occasion he gained the position of general of the national army, and he became subsequently the great military statesman of the kingdom, and the chief king"s counsellor. Probably he may be regarded as the man who exercised most influence over the king, and the careful review of their relations produces a deep impression that the influence was seldom a good one. He became David"s master, and under his bondage David vainly writhed and struggled in his later years.

I JOAB HIMSELF. The incidents by which he is made known to us are mainly the following:

1. Abner"s killing of Asahel, Joab"s brother, (2Sa_2:12-32) filled Joab with purposes of revenge.

2. Joab treacherously slew Abner, (2Sa_3:6-39) and David felt himself too weak to do more than denounce the murder; he dare not punish the murderer.

3. Joab took a leading part in the wars of the reign, especiallydistinguishing himself against the Ammonites. (2Sa_10:6-14)

4. Joab connived at David"s sin in the matter of Bathsheba, and so gained the power over him which he so humiliatingly used afterwards.

5. Joab was faithful in the time of Absalom"s rebellion.

6. He directly and insultingly disobeyed his king and lord in slayingAbsalom.

7. He showed his mastery and his control of the army by killing Amass,who had been appointed chief general in his stead.

8. He properly remonstrated with David against his self-willed scheme oftaking a census.

9. But after David"s death he took the part of Adonijah, and was condemned by Solomon. He was strictly a man of the world, brave, daring, manly, generous, and persevering, but masterful, impatient of what he thought David"s hesitancy and weakness; a man who saw clearly an end to be aimed at, and was in no way particular about the choice of means by which to reach it. He was unscrupulous, having no quick sensitiveness of conscience to that which is wrong. He ordered his life by the rule of the expedient, not the rule of the right, and was heedless of the claims of others if they stood in his way. A man who was a type of a class still to be found in business and social spheres, who are all for self, and do not mind who they trample down as they go up. "His character was ambitious, daring, unscrupulous, yet with an occasional show of piety". (2Sa_10:12) Wordsworth says, "Joab is the personification of worldly policy and secular expediency, and temporal ambition eager for its own personal aggrandizement, and especially for the maintenance of its own political ascendancy, and practising on the weaknesses of princes for its own self-interests; but at last the victim of its own Machiavellian shrewdness.

II JOAB"S INFLUENCE ON DAVID. Sometimes it was good. He skilfully aided in the restoration of the banished Absalom; and he properly roused the king from the excessive grief he felt at the death of his favourite son. Again and again, with statesmanlike genius, he enabled David promptly to seize the occasions that promised success; and he had religion enough, or insight enough, to see where David was wrong in the matter of the census. But, as a whole, Joab"s influence was bad. His unscrupulousness led David into crimes, and his masterfulness prevented David from properly punishing crimes. When conflict came between state necessity and religious duty, Joab gained the victory for mere policy, and so made David act in ways that were unworthy of one who was only Jehovah"s vicegerent. It is never good for us to come into the power of any fellow-man. We should be ever in Gods lead, but refuse any fellow-man"s bonds. And no undue influence exerted by a fellow-man can ever relieve our responsibility before God. Craft, guile, policy, are no forces of blessing in any human spheres. R.T.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Chief - Before this he was one of David's chief captains: but now he is made captain-general of all the forces of Israel and Judah.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.