I Chronicles 2:17
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Abigail was the mother of Amasa, whose father was Jether the Ishmaelite.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
And Segub begat Jair, who had twenty three cities in the land of Gilead. Which, according to Kimchi, he inherited in right of his wife, which, he says, he took out of the land of Gilead; but they seem to be rather what he took by force of arms from the former inhabitants; see Num 32:41. . 1 Chronicles 2:23 ch1 2:23 ch1 2:23 ch1 2:23And he took Geshur, and Aram, with the towns of Jair, from them,.... Cities or countries which the Geshurites and Aramaeans, or Syrians, before inhabited; and which he took from them, together with other towns, which, being taken by him, were called after his name; the Targum is, the Geshurites and Aramaeans took the villages of Jair from them; that is, from the sons of Jair in later times; see Jos 12:5. with Kenath, and the towns thereof; which Jair took by Nobah his general, and called it after his name, Num 32:42, even sixty cities; see Deu 3:4. all these belonged to the sons of Machir the father of Gilead: being given him by Moses, Num 32:40.
Open source ↗We have now come to what was principally intended, the register of the children of Israel, that distinguished people, that were to "dwell alone, and not be reckoned among the nations." Here we have, I. The names of the twelve sons of Israel (Ch1 2:1, Ch1 2:2). II. An account of the tribe of Judah, which has the precedency, not so much for the sake of David as for the sake of the Son of David, our Lord, who sprang out of Judah, Heb 7:14. 1. The first descendants from Judah, down to Jesse (Ch1 2:3-12). 2. The children of Jesse (Ch1 2:13-17). 3. The posterity of Hezron, not only through Ram, from whom David came, but through Caleb (Ch1 2:18-20), Segub (Ch1 2:21-24), Jerahmeel (Ch1 2:25-33, and so to Ch1 2:41), and more by Caleb (Ch1 2:42-49), with the family of Caleb the son of Hur (Ch1 2:50-55). The best exposition we can have of this and the following chapters, and which will give the clearest view of them, is found in those genealogical tables which were published with some of the first impressions of the last English Bible about 100 years ago, and continued for some time; and it is a pity but they were revived in some of our later editions, for they are of great use to those who diligently search the scriptures. They are said to be drawn up by that great master in scripture-learning, Mr. Hugh Broughton. We meet with them sometimes in old Bibles.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
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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.
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.
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.
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!’”