Joab was very effective as commander of David’s army; but David replaced him with Amasa (II Samuel 19:13-14), probably in part because Joab had killed Absalom to make sure that Absalom could never rebel again (18:14-15), despite King David’s instruction to “deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom” (18:5).

But when Shimei led another rebellion, the troops of Judah had to be mustered again. When Joab arrived, he approached Amasa, and as they met Joab “accidentally” dropped his sword on the ground. As he moved to embrace Amasa with his right hand, Joab picked up the fallen sword with his left hand and stabbed Amasa in the stomach, disemboweling him (20:8-10). And by murdering Amasa, Joab got back his job as commander in chief (20:23).

Yet for all the blood on his hands, Joab also had a shrewd appreciation that leadership is not just about commanding soldiers in battle: it is primarily about morale and allegiance. Joab therefore rebuked David for his public mourning over his son Absalom. David’s grief shows up clearly: “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!” (18:33). We can feel and sympathize with his loss. Yet Joab insisted that it was David’s duty as king to care more for those who had been loyal to him than for the son who had tried to kill him (19:1-8).

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I never like getting rebuked, O Lord. I especially don’t appreciate it from people I have a grudge against. Yet you have often shown me how the people who bother me the most can have exactly the wisdom I need to hear. Grant me the grace to listen, even when the word I must hear is a rebuke, even when it comes from a source I don’t like.