What Does 1 Chronicles 11:6 Mean?

(6) **Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first.**—The account diverges more and more from the parallel passage. 2Samuel 5:8, reads, “And David said in that day, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusite, let him hurl down the waterfall (Psalm 42:7), both the lame and the blind, the hated of David’s soul! Therefore they say, Blind and lame must not enter the house” (*i.e.,* the Temple). Such is the simplest rendering of an obscure, but evidently original record. The chronicler appears to have followed another and clearer account, which made Joab play at the storm of Jebus the part of Othniel at that of Kirjath-sepher (Judges 1:12-13). **Chief and captain.**—Literally, *shall become a head and a captain.* **Joab the son of Zeruiah** is not mentioned at all in the parallel passage. Joab already appears as David’s general, while Ishbosheth is yet reigning at Mahanaim (2Samuel 2:13; 2Samuel 3:23). Perhaps the phrase here used means head and governor of Jerusalem. (Comp. 1Chronicles 11:8.) **Went up.**—Scaled the rampart, “and became a head.”