¹³ And tell Amasa,^(A) “Aren’t you my flesh and blood?^[a] May God punish me and do so severely if you don’t become commander of my army from now on instead of Joab! ” ’

⁹ Joab asked Amasa, ‘Are you well, my brother? ’ Then with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him.^{(A) 10} Amasa was not on guard against the sword in Joab’s hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach with it and spilled his intestines out on the ground. Joab did not stab him again, and Amasa died.^(B)

Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri. ¹¹ One of Joab’s young men had stood over Amasa saying, ‘Whoever favours Joab and whoever is for David, follow Joab! ’ ¹² Now Amasa had been writhing in his blood in the middle of the road, and the man had seen that all the troops stopped. So he moved Amasa from the road to the field and threw a garment over him because he realised that all those who encountered Amasa were stopping.^(C)

⁵ ‘You also know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me^(A) and what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s army, Abner son of Ner^(B) and Amasa son of Jether.^(C) He murdered them in a time of peace to avenge blood shed in war. He spilled that blood on his own waistband and on the sandals of his feet.^[a]

³² The 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^(A) son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa^(B) son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army.