שמואל ב, פרק כ׳, פסוק כ׳

Joab strongly clarifies his intentions, emphasizing that he has no desire to harm the city, as he knows the city itself is not in rebellion [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. He responds with a forceful, repeated denial, expressing that such an act would be a profound disgrace. This repetition highlights just how foreign and distant the very thought of destroying the city is to him [מצודת ציון]. Another perspective views this repeated denial as a twofold rejection: it would be unthinkable for Joab himself to commit such an act, and equally unthinkable for the king to have such a deed carried out in his name [רש״י].

To further reassure them, Joab explicitly denies any plan to wipe out the city and its residents [מצודת דוד]. By detailing his refusal to cause harm, he carefully rules out any level of destruction. He promises that he will neither completely annihilate the city nor cause even minor damage to it, such as harming its walls or buildings [מלבי״ם].