"And the LORD shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew…" — 1 Kings 2:32

1 Kings 2:32 · KJV

“And the LORD shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing {thereof, to wit}, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.”

— 1 Kings 2:32

Verse 31

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.

Verse 33

Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever: but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from the LORD.

1 Kings 2 — Context

And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the LORD, and said unto him, Thus saith the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.

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.

And the LORD shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing {thereof, to wit}, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.

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.

Cross References

Judges 9:24

That the cruelty {done} to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren. {aided...: Heb. strengthened his hands to kill}

Judges 9:57

And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.

2 Chronicles 21:13

But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father's house, {which were} better than thyself:

Psalms 7:16

His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.

2 Samuel 3:26-27

And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him again from the well of Sirah: but David knew {it} not.

2 Samuel 20:9-10

And Joab said to Amasa, {Art} thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.

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. {shed: Heb. put}

1 Samuel 15:28

And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, {that is} better than thou.

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