And one of Joab's men stood by him, and said, He that favoureth Joab, and he that is for David, let him go after Joab.
He that favoureth Joab, and he that is for David, let him go after Joab. On the fall of Amasa, Joab of his own accord, assumed the command; and it is a striking proof of his unrivalled influence over the army, that with this villainous murder perpetrated before their eyes, they unanimously followed him as their leader in pursuit of Sheba. A soldier conjoined his name with David's, and such a magic spell was in the world. "Joab," that all the people "went on" - Amasa's men as well as the rest. The conjunction of these two names is very significant. It shows that the one could not afford to do without the other-neither Joab to rebel against David, nor David to get rid of Joab, though hating him.