2-я Царств 17:25

Absalom had made Amasa captain over his army instead of Joab, who had remained true to David, and had gone with his king to Mahanaim. Amasa was the son of a man named Jithra, היּשׂראלי, who had gone in to (i.e., had seduced) Abigail, the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah, Joab's mother. He was therefore an illegitimate cousin of Joab. The description given of Jithra as ישׂראלי is very striking, since there was no reason whatever why it should be stated that Amasa's father was an Israelite. The Seventy have therefore given ὁ Ἰεζραηλίτης, i.e., sprung from Jezreel, where David's wife Ahinoam came from (Sa1 27:3); but they have done so apparently from mere conjecture. The true reading is evidently היּשׁמעאלי, an Ishmaelite, according to Ch1 2:17, where the name is written Jether, a contracted form of Jithra. From the description given of Abigail as a daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah, not of David, some of the earlier commentators have very justly concluded that Abigail and Zeruiah were only step-sisters of David, i.e., daughters of his mother by Nahash and not by Jesse.

The contest between David and Absalom is now hasting towards a crisis. It must be determined by the sword, and preparation is made accordingly in this chapter. I. Absalom calls a council of war, in which Ahithophel urges despatch (Sa2 17:1-4), but Hushai recommends deliberation (Sa2 17:5-13); and Hushai's counsel is agreed to (Sa2 17:14), for vexation at which Ahithophel hangs himself (Sa2 17:23). II. Secret intelligence is sent to David (but with much difficultly) of their proceedings (Sa2 17:15-21). III. David marches to the other side Jordan (Sa2 17:22-24), and there his camp is victualled by some of his friends in that country (Sa2 17:27-29). IV. Absalom and his forces march after him into the land of Gilead on the other side Jordan (Sa2 17:25, Sa2 17:26). There we shall, in the next chapter, find the cause decided by a battle: hitherto, every thing has looked black upon poor David, but now the day of his deliverance begins to dawn.

17:25 According to 1 Chr 2:15-16, Abigail and Zeruiah were David’s sisters. But since Abigail is called the daughter of Nahash, she and Zeruiah were apparently David’s half sisters (Nahash was probably their father; his widow would then have married Jesse and given birth to David and his brothers).