And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father.

1 KINGS 2:31KJV
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1 Kings 2:31 (KJV)

What does 1 Kings 2:31 mean?

1 Kings 2:31 records King Solomon instructing Benaiah to carry out the execution of Joab, who had killed innocent people, and to bury him, so that the guilt of innocent blood would be removed from Solomon and his family line. The verse shows Solomon acting to uphold justice and clear his father David’s house from the consequences of Joab’s violent actions.

In this scene, King Solomon is speaking to Benaiah, one of his trusted officials, about Joab, who had taken refuge at the altar after being found guilty of shedding "innocent blood." Solomon’s command is both a legal and moral response, aiming to remove the stain of bloodguilt from his reign and his father’s legacy. The verse highlights the seriousness with which ancient Israel viewed the shedding of innocent blood and the responsibility of the king to address such wrongs.

The Hebrew behind 1 Kings 2:31

  • "innocent" (נָקִי, naqiy): This word means "free from guilt" or "blameless." Its use here emphasizes that the people Joab killed were not deserving of death, making his actions especially serious in the eyes of the law.
  • "blood" (דָּם, dam): In Hebrew thought, blood represents life and its wrongful shedding brings guilt not just on the individual, but on the whole community or family. Solomon’s concern is to remove this communal guilt.
  • "shed" (שָׁפַךְ, shafakh): This verb means "to pour out" or "to spill." It is often used for violent or unjust killing, underlining that Joab’s actions were not accidental but deliberate acts of violence.

Why 1 Kings 2:31 matters

  • This verse clarifies that Solomon’s order was not just about punishing Joab personally, but about removing the spiritual and moral consequences of his crimes from the royal family and the nation.
  • The emphasis on "innocent blood" shows how seriously the law viewed murder, especially by someone in a position of power, and the need for justice to be seen and done.
  • The verse connects to the broader transition of power from David to Solomon, showing Solomon establishing his rule by dealing with unresolved injustices from David’s reign.

Where else these words appear

“innocent” Hebrew H2600 · used in 31 verses

  • Genesis 29:15 And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?
  • Job 9:17 For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.
  • Proverbs 23:29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?

“fall” Hebrew H6293 · used in 43 verses

  • Genesis 23:8 And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight; hear me, and intreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,
  • Joshua 19:27 And turneth toward the sunrising to Bethdagon, and reacheth to Zebulun, and to the valley of Jiphthahel toward the north side of Bethemek, and Neiel, and goeth out to Cabul on the left hand,
  • 1 Kings 2:34 So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and slew him: and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.

“shed” Hebrew H8210 · used in 111 verses

  • Genesis 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
  • Psalms 22:14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
  • Ezekiel 16:36 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness discovered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers, and with all the idols of thy abominations, and by the blood of thy children, which thou didst give unto them;

“bury” Hebrew H6912 · used in 122 verses

  • Genesis 15:15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
  • Judges 16:31 Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.
  • 2 Kings 15:7 So Azariah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.