Joab's Deadly Trail of Ambition and Unforgiveness

I'm back, after a week's vacation, and I'm going to pick up my verse by verse exposition of 2 Samuel in chapter 20 beginning at verse 6. “And David said to Abishai, "Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lord's servants and pursue him, lest he find for himself fortified cities, and escape us." 7 So Joab's men, with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men, went out after him. And they went out of Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri. 8 When they were at the large stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came before them. Now Joab was dressed in battle armor; on it was a belt with a sword fastened in its sheath at his hips; and as he was going forward, it fell out. 9 Then Joab said to Amasa, "Are you in health, my brother?" And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. 10 But Amasa did not notice the sword that was in Joab's hand. And he struck him with it in the stomach, and his entrails poured out on the ground; and he did not strike him again. Thus he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri. (2 Sam 20:6-10) After a little sidetrack we are back to David and the rebellion of Sheba. Just a little refresher on the main characters here. Amasa was Absalom's commander in chief in his failed rebellion against David, and David had put him in charge of his fighting men, replacing Joab. David wanted to quash the rebellion of Sheba before it grew and ordered immediate pursuit. Amasa however had difficulty raising an army, so David ordered another of his generals, (Abisha) to go after the rebel. He was joined by his brother Joab (who had been deposed by Amasa as the leader of David's army) and his men. Amasa then joins up with them at the large stone by Gibeon. Joab, (accidently on purpose,) drops his short blade knife, picks it up as a quite natural thing to do, grabs the beard of Amasa, again a customary greeting, salutes him as a brother, and then runs him through with the knife! Joab wanted to be the commander in chief and would do anything to keep his job. Woe to the rivals of Joab, for he showed no mercy toward them, and woe to those who hurt him, because he never forgave, he just got even. A lesson for all of us here is don't let ambition and unforgiveness run your life. As we shall see next time, you won't get away with it.