Amasa
Conspirator Absalom's commander then King David's replacement for Joab as commander. (2 Samuel 17:25; 2 Samuel 19:13)
Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra the Ishmaelite, who had married Abigal the daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab's mother. (2 Samuel 17:25)
Stats
- Death: Murdered by Joab with a sword while he went in for a kiss (2 Samuel 20:8-10)
- Burial: Thrown in a field next to a highway (2 Samuel 20:10-12) Hopefully somebody went back to give him a better funeral.
- Father: Ithra the Ishmaelite (2 Samuel 17:25), Jether the Ishmaelite (1 Chronicles 2:17)
- Mother: Abigal the daughter of Nahash
- Aunt on mother's side: Zeruiah
- Grandfather on mother's side: Nahash
- Cousin on mother's side: Joab
Amasa leads Israel under conspirator Absalom after King David
Then David came to Mahanaim. Following the counsel of Hushai the Archite, Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. Now Absalom had set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra the Ishmaelite, who had married Abigal the daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab's mother. And Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead.
Amasa tarries in David's orders to assemble Judah against Sheba the son of Bichri's rebellion, and Joab kills him
Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjaminite, led Israel and the Bichrites away from him, saying, "We have no portion in David, and we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse; every man to his tents, O Israel!” Meanwhile, Judah steadfastly stayed by David's side from the Jordan to Jerusalem.
David told Amasa, "Call the men of Judah together to me within three days, and be here yourself.” Amasa tried but delayed beyond the set time appointed him. David told Abishai to go after Sheba before he escapes to a fortified city, and he leads Joab's men, the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men.
Amasa meets them at the great stone that is in Gibeon. Joab was wearing a solder's garment under a belt with a sword in its sheath fastened on his thigh. As he went forward, it fell out. Joab asked Amasa, "Is it well with you, my brother?” Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him, and Amasa did not observe the sword in Joab's hand. Joab struck him in the stomach and spilled his entrails to the ground without striking twice. Amasa died.
Joab and Abishai went on after Sheba, while one of Joab's young men took his stand by Amasa, saying, "Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab.” Amasa lay wallowing in his own blood in the highway, though, so whoever came by stopped when they saw him. When the man saw all the people stopped, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field and threw a garment over him. When he was taken out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab.
Amasa Avenged
For killing Amasa, David's final advice for Solomon included executing Joab. When King Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada to strike Joab down, he hoped Amasa's blood was coming back on the head of Joab and his descendants forever. (1 Kings 2:5-6,28-35)