• Serves David in the wilderness, as he flees Saul (1 Samuel 22:1–2). •Commands David’s army while David is king of Judah (2 Samuel 2:13). •Defeats a force of Benjamites led by Abner—killing 360 but losing only 19 of his own men (2 Samuel 2:24–31). •Leads successful (and lucrative) raids on unspecified enemies (2 Samuel 3:22). •Kills Abner to avenge his brother Asahel(2 Samuel 3:27). •Takes Jebus/Jerusalem by climbing up the tsinnor (1 Chronicles 11:4–9). (Archaeologists and Bible scholars have to agree on what the biblical tsinnor was. In rabbinic literature, Joab instead gains access to the city by climbing a springy cypress tree and having himself catapulted onto the city walls.) •Made commander of the army of the now-united kingdom of Israel (1 Chronicles 11:6; 2 Samuel 8:16). •Restores the city of Jerusalem, now renamed the City of David (1 Chronicles 11:7–8). •Defeats 12,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt (Psalm 60, superscription). •Defeats the Amalekites (rabbinic literature). •Defeats the Aramaeans (2 Samuel 10:6–14). •Defeats the Ammonites and takes their royal city Rabbah (2 Samuel 12:26–28). •Engineers Absalom’s return from exile and his reconciliation with David (2 Samuel 14). •Leads a contingent of warriors loyal to David during Absalom’s rebellion (2 Samuel 18:2). •Kills Absalom (against David’s orders), effectively ending his rebellion (2 Samuel 18:9–17). •David fires Joab, replacing him with Absalom’s general Amasa (2 Samuel 19:3). •Retakes command of Israel’s army by killing the incompetent Amasa; ends the rebellion of Sheba the Benjamite (2 Samuel 20:8–22). •Restored to his former position as commander-in-chief (2 Samuel 20:23). •Against his better judgment, carries out a census ordered by David (2 Samuel 24:1–14). •Supports Adonijah’s bid to succeed David (1 Kings:7, 19). •Executed by Benaiah at the altar, on King Solomon’s order (1 Kings 2:29–34).
