1 Kings 2:31 And the king replied, "Do just as he says. Strike him down and bury him, and so remove from me and from the house of my father the innocent blood that Joab shed.

◄ 1 Kings 2:31 ►

New International Version
Then the king commanded Benaiah, “Do as he says. Strike him down and bury him, and so clear me and my whole family of the guilt of the innocent blood that Joab shed.

New Living Translation
“Do as he said,” the king replied. “Kill him there beside the altar and bury him. This will remove the guilt of Joab’s senseless murders from me and from my father’s family.

English Standard Version
The king replied to him, “Do as he has said, strike him down and bury him, and thus take away from me and from my father’s house the guilt for the blood that Joab shed without cause.

Berean Standard Bible
And the king replied, “Do just as he says. Strike him down and bury him, and so remove from me and from the house of my father the innocent blood that Joab shed.

King James Bible
And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father.

New King James Version
Then the king said to him, “Do as he has said, and strike him down and bury him, that you may take away from me and from the house of my father the innocent blood which Joab shed.

New American Standard Bible
And the king said to him, “Do just as he has spoken, and execute him and bury him, so that you may remove from me and from my father’s house the blood which Joab shed without justification.

NASB 1995
The king said to him, “Do as he has spoken and fall upon him and bury him, that you may remove from me and from my father’s house the blood which Joab shed without cause.

NASB 1977
And the king said to him, “Do as he has spoken and fall upon him and bury him, that you may remove from me and from my father’s house the blood which Joab shed without cause.

Legacy Standard Bible
And the king said to him, “Do as he has spoken and fall upon him and bury him, that you may remove from me and from my father’s house the blood which Joab shed without cause.

Amplified Bible
The king said to him, “Do as he has said. Strike him down and bury him, so that you may remove from me and from my father’s house the innocent blood which Joab shed.

Christian Standard Bible
The king said to him, “Do just as he says. Strike him down and bury him in order to remove from me and from my father’s family the blood that Joab shed without just cause.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The king said to him, “Do just as he says. Strike him down and bury him in order to remove from me and from my father’s house the blood that Joab shed without just cause.

American Standard Version
And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the blood, which Joab shed without cause, from me and from my father's house.

English Revised Version
And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the blood, which Joab shed without cause, from me and from my father's house.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The king answered, "Do as he said. Kill him, and bury him. You can remove the innocent blood-the blood which Joab shed-from me and my father's family.

Good News Translation
"Do what Joab says," Solomon answered. "Kill him and bury him. Then neither I nor any other of David's descendants will any longer be held responsible for what Joab did when he killed innocent men.

International Standard Version
The king replied to him, "Do just what he asked. Kill him and bury him so that you may remove from me and from my father's household the guilt that Joab shed needlessly.

Majority Standard Bible
And the king replied, “Do just as he says. Strike him down and bury him, and so remove from me and from the house of my father the innocent blood that Joab shed.

NET Bible
The king told him, "Do as he said! Strike him down and bury him. Take away from me and from my father's family the guilt of Joab's murderous, bloody deeds.

New Heart English Bible
The king said to him, "Do as he has said, and fall on him, and bury him; that you may take away this day the innocent blood which Joab shed without cause, from me and from my father's house.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the king said to him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the innocent blood which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father.

World English Bible
The king said to him, “Do as he has said, and fall on him, and bury him, that you may take away the blood, which Joab shed without cause, from me and from my father’s house.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And the king says to him, “Do as he has spoken, and fall on him, and you have buried him, and turned aside the causeless blood which Joab shed from off me, and from off the house of my father;

Young's Literal Translation
And the king saith to him, 'Do as he hath spoken, and fall upon him, and thou hast buried him, and turned aside the causeless blood which Joab shed, from off me, and from off the house of my father;

Smith's Literal Translation
And the king will say to him, Do as he said, and strike upon him, and bury him; and take away the bloods which Joab shed gratuitously, from me and from my father's house.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the king said to him: Do as he hath said: and kill him, and bury him, and thou shalt remove the innocent blood which hath been shed by Joab, from me, and from the house of my father.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the king said to him, “Do just as he has said. And put him to death, and bury him. And so shall you take away the innocent blood, which was shed by Joab, from me and from my father’s house.

New American Bible
The king answered him: “Do as he has said. Strike him down and bury him, and remove from me and from my father’s house the blood which Joab shed without provocation.

New Revised Standard Version
The king replied to him, “Do as he has said, strike him down and bury him; and thus take away from me and from my father’s house the guilt for the blood that Joab shed without cause.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And the king said to him, Do to him as he has said, and attack him and kill him, that you may take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me and from the house of my father.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the King said: “Do to him according to what he said, and attack him and kill him, and I shall take away from me and from the house of my father the innocent blood that Yuab shed

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And the king said unto him: 'Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the blood, which Joab shed without cause, from me and from my father's house.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the king said to him, Go, and do to him as he has spoken, and kill him: and thou shalt bury him, and thou shalt remove this day the blood which he shed without cause, from me and from the house of my father.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

The Execution of Joab
…30And Benaiah entered the tent of the LORD and said to Joab, “The king says, ‘Come out!’ ” But Joab replied, “No, I will die here.” So Benaiah relayed the message to the king, saying, “This is how Joab answered me.” 31And the king replied, “Do just as he says. Strike him down and bury him, and so remove from me and from the house of my father the innocent blood that Joab shed. 32The LORD will bring his bloodshed back upon his own head, for without the knowledge of my father David he struck down two men more righteous and better than he when he put to the sword Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Deuteronomy 19:13
You must show him no pity. You are to purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood, that it may go well with you.

Numbers 35:33
Do not pollute the land where you live, for bloodshed pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land on which the blood is shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it.

Genesis 9:6
Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man his blood will be shed; for in His own image God has made mankind.

Exodus 21:14
But if a man schemes and acts willfully against his neighbor to kill him, you must take him away from My altar to be put to death.

2 Samuel 3:29
May it whirl over the head of Joab and over the entire house of his father, and may the house of Joab never be without one having a discharge or skin disease, or one who leans on a staff or falls by the sword or lacks food.”

2 Samuel 3:27
When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died on account of the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel.

2 Samuel 16:11
Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my own son, my own flesh and blood, seeks my life. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone and let him curse me, for the LORD has told him so.

1 Kings 2:5-6
Moreover, you know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether, the two commanders of the armies of Israel. He killed them in peacetime to avenge the blood of war. He stained with the blood of war the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet. / So act according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace.

1 Kings 2:32-33
The LORD will bring his bloodshed back upon his own head, for without the knowledge of my father David he struck down two men more righteous and better than he when he put to the sword Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army. / Their blood will come back upon the heads of Joab and his descendants forever; but for David, his descendants, his house, and his throne, there shall be peace from the LORD forever.”

1 Kings 2:46
Then the king commanded Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck Shimei down, and he died. Thus the kingdom was firmly established in the hand of Solomon.

Matthew 5:21-22
You have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not murder’ and ‘Anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ / But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to the fire of hell.

Romans 13:4
For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God’s servant, an agent of retribution to the wrongdoer.

Acts 25:11
If, however, I am guilty of anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is no truth to their accusations against me, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”

Revelation 13:10
“If anyone is destined for captivity, into captivity he will go; if anyone is to die by the sword, by the sword he must be killed.” Here is a call for the perseverance and faith of the saints.

Matthew 26:52
“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him. “For all who draw the sword will die by the sword.

Treasury of Scripture

And the king said to him, Do as he has said, and fall on him, and bury him; that you may take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father.

Exodus 21:14
But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.

that thou

Genesis 9:5,6
And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man…

Numbers 35:33
So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.

Deuteronomy 19:12,13
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…

which

1 Kings 2:5
Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet.

and from

2 Samuel 3:28
And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner:

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1 Kings 2

1. David, having given a charge to Solomon
3. of Reverence
5. of Joab
7. of Barzillai
8. of Shimei
10. Solomon succeeds
12. Adonijah, moving Bathsheba to ask unto Solomon for Abishag,
13. is put to death
26. Abiathar, having his life given him, is deprived of the priesthood
28. Joab fleeing to the horns of the altar, is there slain
35. Benaiah is put in Joab's room, and Zadfok in Abiathar's
36. Shimei, confined to Jerusalem, by occasion of going to Gath, is put to death.

Berean Study Bible

And the king replied
This phrase indicates the authority and responsibility of King Solomon as he responds to a situation requiring justice. The Hebrew word for "king" is "melek," which signifies a ruler with divine appointment. Solomon, as the king, is acting under the guidance of God, fulfilling his duty to uphold righteousness and justice in the kingdom.

Do as he says
This command reflects Solomon's decision to follow through with the advice given to him. It shows his resolve to act decisively in matters of justice. The phrase underscores the importance of obedience to wise counsel, a theme prevalent in Solomon's reign, as he was known for his wisdom.

Strike him down and bury him
This directive is a call for execution and burial, emphasizing the seriousness of the crime committed by Joab. The Hebrew word for "strike" is "nakah," which can mean to smite or kill. This action is not taken lightly but is seen as necessary to uphold justice and cleanse the land of bloodguilt.

so that you may remove from me and my father’s house
Solomon's concern here is for the removal of guilt from his lineage. The phrase "my father’s house" refers to the house of David, highlighting the importance of maintaining a legacy of righteousness. The Hebrew concept of "house" (bayit) often signifies not just a physical dwelling but a family line or dynasty.

the innocent blood
This phrase refers to the unjust killing of Abner and Amasa by Joab. The shedding of "innocent blood" is a grave sin in the Hebrew Scriptures, as life is sacred and protected by God’s law. The Hebrew word for "innocent" is "naqiy," meaning free from guilt or blameless, underscoring the injustice of Joab's actions.

that Joab shed without cause
Joab's actions are described as being "without cause," indicating that his killings were not justified by any legal or moral standard. The Hebrew word for "without cause" is "chinnam," meaning gratuitously or without reason. This highlights the need for justice to be served to maintain divine order and righteousness in the kingdom.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 31. - And the king said unto him do as he hath said, and fall upon him [the law decreed (Exodus 21:14) that, if a man had slain his neighbour with guile, he should be taken from the altar to die. Possibly the desperate character of Joab made literal compliance with this command well nigh impossible. The attempt to drag him from his place of refuge might have led to a bloody encounter. And the king evidently felt that Joab's crimes justified exceptional measures], and bury him [why this injunction? Possibly because the spirit of Deuteronomy 21:23 seemed to Solomon to require it. Both Bahr and Keil think it was that Joab's services to the kingdom might be requited with an honourable sepulture. Was it not rather that the corpse might be removed with all possible haste from the sanctuary, which it defiled, and hidden from view, as one accursed of God, in the earth? So Bishop Hall: "He sends Benaiah to take away the offender both from God and men, from the altar and the world"]; that thou mayest take away [LXX. "today," σήμερον] the innocent blood [for the construction cf. 1 Samuel 25:31; Nehemiah 2:12; and Ewald, 287d. Innocent blood, i.e., blood not shed in war, or forfeited to justice, rested upon the community, or the authorities responsible for its punishment (Numbers 35:33; Deuteronomy 19:10, 13; Deuteronomy 21:9. Cf. Genesis 4:10) until satisfaction was made. See on ver. 5], which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father. [Heb. "from upon me." Solomon evidently believed that the guilt of blood was upon him and his house so long as Abner's and Amasa's blood remained unavenged ("The blood that is not required from the murderer will be required from the magistrate." Henry), and that he and his seed might have to answer for it, as Saul's seed had done (2 Samuel 21:1, 9). This is one of the many considerations which show that both David and Solomon were actuated not by "cold-blooded vengeance" or "long-cherished resentment" (Stanley), but by a sense of duty. In fact, Jewish law imperatively demanded the death of Joab, and to spare him was to violate all law, and to imperil the throne and the people. "Only a superficial observer," says Ewald, "can here reproach Solomon with needless severity."]

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

And the king
הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

replied,
וַיֹּ֧אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Do
עֲשֵׂה֙ (‘ă·śêh)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

just as
כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר (ka·’ă·šer)
Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

he says.
דִּבֶּ֔ר (dib·ber)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

Strike him down
וּפְגַע־ (ū·p̄ə·ḡa‘-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 6293: To impinge, by accident, violence, by importunity

and bury him,
וּקְבַרְתּ֑וֹ (ū·qə·ḇar·tōw)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6912: To inter

and so remove
וַהֲסִירֹ֣תָ ׀ (wa·hă·sî·rō·ṯā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5493: To turn aside

from me
מֵעָלַ֕י (mê·‘ā·lay)
Preposition-m | first person common singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

and from
וּמֵעַ֖ל (ū·mê·‘al)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the house
בֵּ֥ית (bêṯ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house

of my father
אָבִֽי׃ (’ā·ḇî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1: Father

the innocent
חִנָּ֗ם (ḥin·nām)
Adverb
Strong's 2600: Gratis, devoid of cost, reason, advantage

blood
דְּמֵ֣י (də·mê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1818: Blood, of man, an animal, the juice of the grape, bloodshed

that
אֲשֶׁר֙ (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

Joab
יוֹאָ֔ב (yō·w·’āḇ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3097: Joab -- 'the LORD is father', three Israelites

shed.
שָׁפַ֣ךְ (šā·p̄aḵ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8210: To spill forth, to expend, to sprawl out

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OT History: 1 Kings 2:31 The king said to him Do as (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)