2 Samuel 20:7-11: a reflection

7Joab’s men went out after him with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men; and they went out of Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri. 8When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was clothed in his apparel of war that he had put on, and on it was a sash with a sword fastened on his waist in its sheath; and as he went along it fell out. 9Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. 10But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand. So he struck him with it in the body and shed out his bowels to the ground, and didn’t strike him again; and he died. Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri. 11One of Joab’s young men stood by him, and said, “He who favors Joab, and he who is for David, let him follow Joab!”

In a dark act of treachery, Joab greets Amasa warmly, taking him by the beard as if to kiss him, and in that very gesture of friendship strikes him down. Joab said to Amasa, Is it well with you, my brother? and took him by the beard with his right hand to kiss him; but Amasa took no heed to the sword in Joab's hand. The warmth was a mask; the gesture of brotherly greeting concealed a murderous intent. Joab used a show of friendship to get close enough to do harm. This is a sobering picture of treachery cloaked in friendliness, betrayal disguised as warmth. Treachery can hide behind a show of friendliness. Joab's warm greeting masked a murderous intent. Betrayal can be disguised as friendly warmth. A show of friendship can conceal harmful intent.

Notice the treachery of Joab's act. He came to Amasa with every appearance of warmth and brotherhood: is it well with you, my brother? he asked, taking him by the beard as if to give a kiss of greeting. But behind this show of friendship was a hidden intent to harm; the warm gesture was the very means by which he got close enough to strike. This is a dark picture of treachery: harm cloaked in friendliness, betrayal disguised as warmth. It reminds us, soberly, that not every show of friendliness is sincere, that warmth can sometimes mask harmful intent, and that we do well to be discerning, not naive. But it also holds up, by contrast, the value of sincerity: how important it is that our own friendliness be genuine, not a mask for other intentions. There is something especially wicked about using a show of friendship to do harm, about betraying under the guise of warmth. We are called to sincerity in our dealings, to let our warmth be real and not a cloak, and to be wisely discerning of others without becoming cynical. Sincerity, not treacherous warmth, is what God calls us to. Treacherous warmth that masks harm is especially wicked. Let your friendliness be sincere, not a mask. Be discerning, for not every show of warmth is sincere. God calls us to genuine sincerity, not cloaked treachery.

That is worth taking to heart, for treachery cloaked in friendliness is especially wicked, and we are called instead to sincerity, letting our warmth be genuine. We can use a show of warmth to mask other intentions, or be naive to the treachery of others; but Joab's warm greeting of Amasa, taking him by the beard as if to kiss him, concealed a murderous intent. Warmth can be a mask. Let your own friendliness be sincere, not a cloak for harm, and be wisely discerning of others without cynicism. Let your friendliness be sincere rather than a mask for other intentions, and be wisely discerning that not every show of warmth is genuine, as Joab greeted Amasa warmly, asking, is it well with you, my brother, and took him by the beard as if to kiss him, while concealing a murderous intent behind the gesture of friendship; for there is something especially wicked about using a show of friendship to do harm, about betraying under the guise of warmth, and this reminds us soberly that not every show of friendliness is sincere and that we do well to be discerning without becoming cynical, while it also holds up by contrast the value of sincerity, how important it is that our own warmth be real and not a cloak for other intentions, so that we are called to genuine sincerity in our dealings, letting our friendliness be true rather than a mask, as God calls us to sincerity and not to treacherous warmth.

Lord, in a dark act of treachery, Joab greets Amasa warmly, taking him by the beard as if to kiss him, and in that very gesture of friendship strikes him down. Joab said to Amasa, Is it well with you, my brother? and took him by the beard with his right hand to kiss him; but Amasa took no heed to the sword in Joab's hand. The warmth was a mask; the gesture of brotherly greeting concealed a murderous intent. Joab used a show of friendship to get close enough to do harm. This is a sobering picture of treachery cloaked in friendliness. Show me the treachery of Joab's act. He came to Amasa with every appearance of warmth and brotherhood; but behind this show of friendship was a hidden intent to harm, the warm gesture the very means by which he got close enough to strike. This is a dark picture of treachery: harm cloaked in friendliness. It reminds me, soberly, that not every show of friendliness is sincere, that warmth can sometimes mask harmful intent, and that I do well to be discerning, not naive. But it also holds up, by contrast, the value of sincerity: how important it is that my own friendliness be genuine, not a mask for other intentions. There is something especially wicked about using a show of friendship to do harm. I am called to sincerity in my dealings. Take that to my heart, for treachery cloaked in friendliness is especially wicked, and I am called instead to sincerity. Keep me from ever using a show of warmth to mask other intentions; help me let my friendliness be sincere and genuine, Lord, not a cloak for harm, and make me wisely discerning of others without becoming cynical, called as I am to genuine sincerity rather than treacherous warmth.