[What] was done to me. By showing them the letter which Dovid had sent through Uryah,¹ [according to] the Midrash Rabbi Tanchuma.

footnotes: ¹ Uryah was one of Dovid’s generals. Dovid wanted Uryah killed so that he could marry Bas Sheva, Uryah’s wife. With Yoav’s assistance, he arranged to have Uryah placed in the front lines of the battle. When Uryah was killed, everyone blamed Yoav. Instead of protecting Dovid, Yoav betrayed him by disclosing that it was Dovid’s plan to place Uryah in the thick of the battle in order that he be killed.

[And shed] the blood of war at a time of peace. Since they were at peace with him, they were not on guard against him.

On his belt which was on his loins. He had girded his sword, attached to his loins, not in the customary manner of those girding swords, when he went out to meet Amasa. [He placed the sword’s] opening downward so that it would fall out, as it is stated, “and he went out and it fell out.”² Once it fell, he [Yo’av] retrieved it. Amasa presumed that he retrieved it only to pick it up from the ground, and he did not guard himself from the sword which was in Yo’av’s hand.

footnotes: ² II Shmuel 20:8.

And in his shoe that was on his feet. He killed Avner cunningly by asking him, “How does a woman who has no hands remove the shoes?”³ as it is stated, “And Yo’av caused him to turn aside at the gate to speak with him בשלי.”⁴ [בשלי is] an expression of “remove [של] your shoes.”⁵

footnotes: ³ During חליצה, the widow must remove the shoe of her deceased husband’s brother who does not want to marry her. ⁴ II Shmuel 3:27. ⁵ Shemos 3:5.

And do not let his greying head go down to the grave in peace. Do not let him die a natural death [causing him] to fall into Gehinnom.⁶

footnotes: ⁶ Dovid had Yoav’s ultimate welfare in mind.

An explicit curse. [נמרצת⁷ means] concise, as in, “what will bring clarity [ימריצך] to you,”⁸ [and as in,] “and how clear [נמרצו are right words],”⁹ the same as an interpretation [נמלצו]¹⁰.

footnotes: ⁷ נמרצת is an acronym for the five ways that Shim’i cursed Dovid. He called Dovid an adulterer [=נואף], a Moavi [=מואבי], murderer [=רוצח], oppressor [=צורר], and an abomination [=תועבה]. See Maseches Shabbos105a. ⁸ Iyov 16:3. ⁹ Ibid. 6:25. ¹⁰ נמלצו is the equivalent of נמרצו because the ‘ר’ and the ‘ל’ are interchangeable.

For you are a wise man. Turn your attention to find for him a capital iniquity on account of another matter. This is [what it means by], “You will know how to deal with him.”

And his kingdom was firmly established. [He was] also [ruler] over the heavenly creatures.

To speak to him. To speak on his behalf, on behalf of Adoniyahu.¹¹

footnotes: ¹¹ Alternatively, on behalf of Shlomo, because she felt that Shlomo’s kingdom would be strengthened by granting Adoniyahu’s request.—Malbim.

For the mother of the king. Our Rabbis said [this refers] to Rus the matriarch of kingship.¹²

footnotes: ¹² See Maseches Bava Basra 91b and Rashi there. Rus was the great great grandmother of Shlomo who was still alive when Shlomo ascended the throne.

Ask that the kingdom be given to him. From the moment the scepter of the king is used, that is the beginning of authority.

And Who has made me a [royal] house. A house of royalty as he had spoken through Noson.

Go to Anosos. He was from there.

For you are deserving of death. Because you rebelled against the kingdom of my father when you were with Adoniyahu, to appoint him king without his [i.e., my father’s] knowledge.

Because you carried the Ark. When my father was escaping from Avsholom.

And because you suffered. With him in that very same affliction, as it is stated, “for they said, ‘the people are hungry and weary and thirsty; in the wilderness.’”¹³

footnotes: ¹³ II Shmuel 17:29.

That He had spoken concerning the house of Eili. [As it is stated,] “And I will appoint for Myself a faithful kohein,”¹⁴ [and] “and you will see a rival in My dwelling place, etc.”¹⁵ Once [the Tabernacle at] Shilo was destroyed, there was no house worthy of service to the Holy One Blessed Is He, but now that the Beis Hamikdosh will be built, the Holy One Blessed Is He, fulfilled His word to banish Eili’s descendants.¹⁶

footnotes: ¹⁴ I Shmuel 2:35. ¹⁵ Ibid. 2:32. ¹⁶ Evyosor was Eili’s great great grandson. See I Shmuel 14:3, 22:20.

And the report reached Yoav. The report of Dovid’s charge, that he had commanded to kill him, and he knew that Shlomo hated him.¹⁷

footnotes: ¹⁷ That is why Yoav feared for his life. Alternatively, he heard of Adoniyahu’s death and of Evyosor’s banishment.—Radak

For Yoav had sided with Adoniyah, but he had not sided with Avsholom. At the end of the matter; however, he did seek to turn after him, but he was fearful that trace of Dovid[’s might] was still present.

And he said, “No.” Two [punishments] I will not accept upon myself. The curses that your father Dovid cursed me at the death of Avner, as it is stated, “They shall fall upon the head of Yo’av.”¹⁸ let Shlomo accept them upon himself, and afterward I will go.

footnotes: ¹⁸ II Shmuel 3:29.

Do as he said. I accept them [i.e., the curses] upon myself. Therefore, all these became attached to Dovid’s offspring. Uziyah became [a] leper,¹⁹ Assa leaned on a staff,²⁰ Yehoyakim died by the sword,²¹ and Tzidkiyahu lacked bread.²²

footnotes: ¹⁹ II Divrei Hayomim 26:19. ²⁰ See II Shmuel 3:29 and I Melochim 15:23. ²¹ See Yirmiyahu 22:19. ²² See II Melochim 25:30.

In his own house in the wilderness. For his home was unrestricted as a wilderness, to [help] the needy.²³

footnotes: ²³ See Rashi in Maseches Sanhedrin 49a. Alternatively, Yoav had a house in the wilderness where his shepherds stayed when they were out with the sheep, or Yoav house was free of stolen property just like the wilderness.—Radak.

You must never go out from there. In order that he be accessible to him and that he might find him guilty of a capital sin.

And forewarned you. An expression referring to a [legal] warning.²⁴

footnotes: ²⁴ A warning given to an offender before he or she commits the offense.

The oath of Adonoy. Which I made you swear in the name of God.

The kingdom was thus established, etc. I.e., he was not punished for all these [actions].