1 Kings 2:6 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace— David's dying order was an order worthy of a good king, and fit to be given in the last moments of his life. The crimes which drew down this punishment upon Joab, have already been expatiated upon in the course of these notes. Many reasons concurred to prevent David's calling him to an account; but it is plain, that he could not, consistently with the law, have forgiven him, if he had been so inclined. His deferring his punishment so long, was no reason why he should always do it. Reasons of state prevented its being inflicted before, and reasons of state required its being put in execution at this juncture. In time of war it was dangerous to attempt it, on account of the power, influence, and military skill of Joab; in a time of peace it was safe, because Joab's power was then upon the decline. Joab was ambitious, enterprising, and restless, and, not having proved very loyal to the father, might have practised the same perfidy against the son; who, being young, and scarcely settled in his throne, might have suffered from his treachery, his want of fidelity, and his ambitious views, which were insatiable. We may consider this transaction in another light: we may consider Joab as relative to David in his public capacity. Now David, in his public capacity, was king of Israel: Joab, in his public capacity, stood related to him as his general, and assisted him, and adhered to him in his extremities. David therefore, in his public capacity, was obliged by the laws of God and man to punish assassinations and murders; and Joab in his public capacity too, as general, was an assassin and murderer; and therefore, David in his public capacity, as king, was obliged to punish Joab with death in his public capacity as general, assassin, and murderer. Though Joab had been his faithful general, and frequently assisted David in his extremities, private obligations are in their nature inferior, and ought to give way to public ones; and the yielding up of such an offender to public justice, when personal obligations might have been pleaded in his favour, was a nobler sacrifice in its nature, and renders David's character as a prince the more illustrious. In this light we must commend the master, who died meditating and ordering the punishment of a servant, who, by basely stabbing two worthier men than himself, forfeited the protection of his king and country, and cancelled all the obligations which could arise from his former services. It should be added, that whatever Joab's past services were to David, and however faithfully he had formerly been attached to him, yet he had now been engaged in a conspiracy to depose him, and to set aside the intended succession to the crown, and had actually proclaimed Adonijah king, during his father's life. This was adding rebellion to murder. What was David to do? Was he to have forgiven him at his last hours, in order to manifest his own charity? No! For if a prince's charity influences him, living or dying, to pardon repeated offences, inconsistent with the public safety, it is folly and weakness, and not virtuous charity; it is cruelty to his people, instead of real generosity and goodness. David had not this charity, and it heightens his character that he had not. His last charge to Solomon shews his inviolable regard to justice, by positively ordering the execution of a murderer too powerful for himself to punish; and he would neither have been a wise nor a righteous prince had he forgotten or failed to do it.