What Does II Samuel 20:8 Mean?

The forces converge at Gibeon: "When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa went before them. And Joab's garment that he had put on was girded unto him, and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out." The detail of the sword falling from its sheath is a narrative sleight of hand: the sword appears to fall accidentally, creating the impression that Joab is unarmed. In reality, Joab has arranged the drop to place the sword in his left hand, concealed by the natural gesture of picking it up.

The encounter at Gibeon, where the great stone serves as a landmark, recalls the earlier battle at Gibeon (2:12-17) where Joab's men first clashed with Abner's. Gibeon is Joab's killing ground, the place where his career of violence began, and the murder of Amasa at the same location creates a grim symmetry: the general who killed Abner at the gate of Hebron and Absalom in the forest of Ephraim now adds Amasa at the great stone of Gibeon to his list of extra-judicial executions.

The deception of the fallen sword is a reminder that the schemes of violent men are often concealed beneath the appearance of innocence. "The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords." The Lord Jesus warned His disciples to beware of wolves in sheep's clothing, and the discernment that the church requires is the ability to see past the fallen sword to the murderous intention that arranged its fall.