1 Kings 2:27–36

²⁷So Solomon banished Abiathar from being the Lord’s priest, and it fulfilled the Lord’s prophecy He had spoken at Shiloh against Eli’s family. ^q

Joab’s Execution

²⁸The news reached Joab. Since he had supported Adonijah ^rbut not Absalom, ^sJoab fled to the Lord’s tabernacle and took hold of the horns of the altar. ^t

²⁹It was reported to King Solomon: “Joab has fled to the Lord’s tabernacle and is now beside the altar.” Then Solomon sent ^uBenaiah son of Jehoiada ^vand told him, “Go and strike him down!” ^w

³⁰So Benaiah went to the tabernacle and said to Joab, “This is what the king says: ‘Come out!’ ” ^x

But Joab said, “No, for I will die here.”

So Benaiah took a message back to the king, “This is what Joab said, and this is how he answered me.”

³¹The 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. ^y32The Lord will bring back his own blood on his head because he struck down two men more righteous and better than he, without my father David’s knowledge. With his sword, Joab murdered Abner ^zson of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa ^ason of Jether, commander of Judah’s army. ³³Their blood will come back on Joab’s head and on the head of his descendants forever, but for David, his descendants, his dynasty, and his throne, there will be peace from the Lord forever.” ^b

³⁴Benaiah son of Jehoiada ^cwent up, struck down Joab, and put him to death. He was buried at his house in the wilderness. ^d35Then the king appointed Benaiah son of Jehoiada in Joab’s place over the army, ^eand he appointed Zadok the priest in Abiathar’s place.

Shimei’s Banishment and Execution

³⁶Then the king summoned Shimei ^fand said to him, “Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem and live there, but don’t leave there and go anywhere else.