2 Samuel 17:25

Amasa It has been supposed by some that he is the same as Amasaiwho came to David at Hebron (1 Chronicles 12:16-18). But if so, would not the fact of his relationship to David have been mentioned there?

Ithra an Israelite Called in 1 Chronicles 2:17 Jether the Ishmeelite. Jetherand Ithraare different forms of the same name: and Ishmaeliteshould probably be read here in place of Israelite, which has no point. The Alex. MS. of the LXX reads Ishmaelite, the Vatican MS. Jezreelite.

Abigal the daughter of Nahash Amasa's mother Abigal (or Abigail) was David's sister, and we should naturally infer from 1 Chronicles 2:16-17 that Abigail and Zeruiah were Jesse's daughters. Who then was Nahash? To this three answers may be given. (1) The obvious one, that she was Jesse's wife, to which the objection is that Nahash is not a woman's name. (2) That Nahash is another name for Jesse, which is the Jewish tradition, but is not supported by any evidence. (3) That Nahash was the first husband of Jesse's wife, so that Abigail and Zeruiah were only step-sisters to David. This view has in its favour the guarded statement of 1 Chronicles 2:16, which does not say that they were Jesse's daughters, but sisters of his sons. To go on to identify Nahash with the king of the Ammonites defeated by Saul is mere conjecture. It should be noted that Amasa and Joab were cousins.