And it was told King Solomon that Joab was fled unto the
tabernacle of the Lord
This account was brought him very probably by some of his courtiers:
and, behold, [he is] by the altar;
to which he betook himself for refuge, laying hold on the horns of it:
then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, go, fall upon
him;
slay him; Josephus F7 says, the orders were to cut off his head; but perhaps it might be only to lay hold on him, and take him thence, and bring him to Solomon to have judgment passed upon him; for the Targum is,
``exercise your power over him,''take him into custody; and certain it is that the first orders were not to slay him, at least upon the spot where he was.