Amasa

How Nave’s arranged it

• 1. Nephew of David2 Samuel 17:251 Chronicles 2:17
• Joins Absalom2 Samuel 17:25
• Returns to David, and is made captain of the host2 Samuel 19:13
• Sam2 Samuel 20:8–121 Kings 2:51 Kings 2:32
• 2. Son of Hadlai2 Chronicles 28:12

The passages, in Bible order (7)

The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 7 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.

1. 2 Samuel 17:25

   Absalom had appointed Amasa over the army in place of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra, the Ishmaelite who had married Abigail, the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah the mother of Joab.

   ›Commentary on 2 Samuel 17:252 voices

   “Amasa--By the genealogy it appears that this captain stood in the same relation to David as Joab, both being his nephews. Of course, Amasa was Absalom's cousin, and though himself an Israelite, his father was an Ishmaelite (1Ch 2:17). Nahash--is thought by some to be another name of Jesse, or according to others, the name of Jesse's wife.

   “Ithra an Israelite - Or “Jether the Ishmeelite” 1Ch 2:17. “Ithra” and “Jether” are practically the same names. “Israelite” in the text is wrong. It should be either “Ishmaelite” or “Jezreelite” 2Sa 3:2. Abigail the daughter of Nahash - If Zeruiah and Abigail were Jesse’s daughters, the only probable way of reconciling our text with 1Ch 2:16-17, is to suppose that Nahash was Jesse’s wife. If Zeruiah and Abigail were only sisters of David by the mother, then Nahash might be the name of her first husband.

   Everything gathered on 2 Samuel 17:25→

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2. 2 Samuel 19:13

   And say to Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my flesh and blood? May God punish me, and ever so severely, if from this time you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab!’”

   ›Commentary on 2 Samuel 19:132 voices

   “Of my bone ... - Render as in preceding verse, “art thou not my bone and my flesh?” It is curious to note how the phrase is used in 2Sa 5:1 of common descent from Israel, in 2Sa 19:12 of the closer kindred of the tribe of Judah, and in this verse of the yet nearer kindred between David and Amasa his sister’s son. Captain ... in the room of Joab - It is very plain that David felt the weight of Joab’s overbearing influence to be very oppressive (compare 2Sa 19:22; 2Sa 3:39; 2Sa 16:10).

   “He owns him for his kinsman, and promises him that, if he will appear for him now, he will make him captain-general of all his forces in the room of Joab, will not only pardon him (which, it may be, Amasa questioned), but prefer him. Sometimes there is nothing lost in purchasing the friendship of one that has been an enemy.

   Everything gathered on 2 Samuel 19:13→

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3. 2 Samuel 20:8–12

   And while they were at the great stone in Gibeon, Amasa joined them. Now Joab was dressed in military attire, with a dagger strapped to his belt. And as he stepped forward, he slipped the dagger from its sheath.

   ›Commentary on 2 Samuel 20:8–122 voices

   “Girded - After the manner of travelers and soldiers. Went forth - To meet and salute Amasa, who was coming towards him to do him honour. It fell - Things having (it is likely) been so contrived by Joab, that upon the least motion of his body, his sword should drop out, and he might take it up without raising Amasa's suspicion.

   “The more there is of plot in a sin the worse it is. He did it treacherously, and under pretence of friendship, that Amasa might not be upon his guard.

   Everything gathered on 2 Samuel 20:8–12→

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4. 1 Kings 2:5

   Moreover, you know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether, the two commanders of the armies of Israel. He killed them in peacetime to avenge the blood of war. He stained with the blood of war the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet.

   ›Commentary on 1 Kings 2:52 voices

   “[David] orders Solomon to punish [Joab], not out of viciousness or hatred for him but because he knew that he was wicked and that, if he had acted with hostility against him who was a mature man, he would act even worse against a young …

   “In his directions with respect to certain important persons, David, anxious for the security of his young successor’s kingdom, allows old animosities to revive, and is willing to avenge himself indirectly and by deputy, though he had been withheld by certain scruples from taking vengeance in his own person. We must not expect Gospel morality from the saints of the Old Testament. They were only the best men of their several ages and nations.

   Everything gathered on 1 Kings 2:5→

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5. 1 Kings 2:32

   The LORD will bring his bloodshed back upon his own head, for without the knowledge of my father David he struck down two men more righteous and better than he when he put to the sword Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army.

   Verse page →Original language →

6. 1 Chronicles 2:17

   Abigail was the mother of Amasa, whose father was Jether the Ishmaelite.

   ›Commentary on 1 Chronicles 2:172 voices

   “And Abigail bare Amasa,.... Who was Absalom's general, afterwards reconciled to David, and designed to be made general of his army, but was slain by Joab, see 2Sa 17:25, and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmaelite; he is called an Israelite, 2Sa 17:25, and so in the Targum here, he being either a proselyte, or else he was an Israelite by birth, but called an Ishmaelite, because he had dwelt among the Ishmaelites some time, as Obededom is called the Gittite for the like reason; so Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it.

   “The presumption is in favor of the reading followed by the Septuagint, which calls him "Jetra the Jezreelite." The circumstance of his settling in another tribe, or of a woman marrying out of her own tribe, was sufficiently rare and singular to call for the statement that Abigail was married to a man of Jezreel.

   Everything gathered on 1 Chronicles 2:17→

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7. 2 Chronicles 28:12

   Then some of the leaders of the Ephraimites—Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai—stood in opposition to those arriving from the war.

   ›Commentary on 2 Chronicles 28:121 voice

   “In this they discovered an obedient regard to the word of God by his prophet and a tender compassion towards their brethren, which was wrought in them by the tender mercy of God; for he regarded the affliction of this poor people, and hears their cry, and made them to be pitied of all those that carried them captive, Ps. cvi.

   Everything gathered on 2 Chronicles 28:12→

   Verse page →Original language →