²⁹ May his blood^(A) fall on the head of Joab and on his whole family!^(B) May Joab’s family never be without someone who has a running sore^(C) or leprosy^[a] or who leans on a crutch or who falls by the sword or who lacks food.”

¹⁶ For David had said to him, “Your blood be on your own head.^(A) Your own mouth testified against you when you said, ‘I killed the Lord’s anointed.’”

⁴ When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand,^(A) they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.”^(B)

²⁷ Naaman’s leprosy^(A) will cling to you and to your descendants forever.” Then Gehazi^(B) went from Elisha’s presence and his skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow.^(C)

Naaman Healed of Leprosy

5 Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram.^(A) He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.^[a](B)

³¹ Then the king commanded Benaiah, “Do as he says. Strike him down and bury him, and so clear me and my whole family of the guilt of the innocent blood^(A) that Joab shed. ³² The Lord will repay^(B) him for the blood he shed,^(C) because without my father David knowing it he attacked two men and killed them with the sword. Both of them—Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa^(D) son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army—were better^(E) men and more upright than he. ³³ May the guilt of their blood rest on the head of Joab and his descendants forever. But on David and his descendants, his house and his throne, may there be the Lord’s peace forever.”

³⁴ So Benaiah^(F) son of Jehoiada went up and struck down Joab^(G) and killed him, and he was buried at his home out in the country.

³² and you will see distress^(A) in my dwelling. Although good will be done to Israel, no one in your family line will ever reach old age.^{(B) 33} Every one of you that I do not cut off from serving at my altar I will spare only to destroy your sight and sap your strength, and all your descendants^(C) will die in the prime of life.

³⁴ “‘And what happens to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will be a sign^(D) to you—they will both die^(E) on the same day.^{(F) 35} I will raise up for myself a faithful priest,^(G) who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his priestly house, and they will minister before my anointed^(H) one always. ³⁶ Then everyone left in your family line will come and bow down before him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread and plead,^(I) “Appoint me to some priestly office so I can have food to eat.^(J)”’”