Quotes About Leadership

When Joab saw the battle lines before him and behind him, he selected some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Arameans.

And he placed the rest of the forces under the command of his brother Abishai, who arrayed them against the Ammonites.

So Joab and his troops advanced to fight the Arameans, who fled before him.

When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they too fled before Abishai, and they entered the city. So Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.

Hadadezer sent messengers to bring more Arameans from beyond the Euphrates, and they came to Helam with Shobach the commander of Hadadezerís army leading them.

When this was reported to David, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan, and went to Helam. Then the Arameans arrayed themselves against David and fought against him.

At this, David sent orders to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent him to David.

When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab and the troops were doing with the war.

“Stay here one more day,” David said to Uriah, “and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next.

So as Joab besieged the city, he assigned Uriah to a place where he saw the strongest enemy soldiers.

And when the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of Davidís servants fell, and Uriah the Hittite also died.

Joab sent to David a full account of the battle

and instructed the messenger, “When you have finished giving the king all the details of the battle,

So the messenger set out and reported to David all that Joab had sent him to say.

Then David told the messenger, “Say this to Joab: ëDo not let this matter upset you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Strengthen your attack against the city and demolish it.í Encourage him with these words.”

I gave your masterís house to you and your masterís wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah, and if that was not enough, I would have given you even more.

Meanwhile, Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal fortress.

Then Joab sent messengers to David to say, “I have fought against Rabbah and have captured the water supply of the city.

Now, therefore, assemble the rest of the troops, lay siege to the city, and capture it. Otherwise I will capture the city, and it will be named after me.”

So David assembled all the troops and went to Rabbah; and he fought against it and captured it.

David brought out the people who were there and put them to work with saws, iron picks, and axes, and he made them work at the brick kilns. He did the same to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all his troops returned to Jerusalem.

When King David heard all this, he was furious.

“If anyone speaks to you,” said the king, “bring him to me, and he will not trouble you again!”

Then the woman said, “Please, may your servant speak a word to my lord the king?” “Speak,” he replied.