Absalom's army commander and later David's appointed supreme commander
Även känd som: Amasa
Det enade kungariketArmy commanderSupreme commanderWarriorc. 1000 BC
Amasa was the son of Jether (Jitra) and Abigail, who was David's sister or half-sister. When Absalom rose up in rebellion against his father David, he appointed Amasa as commander-in-chief of the rebel forces. After Absalom's army was crushed in the forest of Ephraim and Absalom himself was killed, David sought reconciliation with the tribe of Judah and offered Amasa the position of army commander instead of Joab—a political move with far-reaching consequences. When the Benjamite Sheba soon afterward led a new rebellion, Amasa received orders to mobilize the men of Judah within three days, but he failed to meet the deadline. Joab seized the opportunity: at the great stone in Gibeon, he greeted Amasa as a friend, only to stab him with his sword in a cold-blooded betrayal reminiscent of his earlier murder of Abner. Amasa's tragic fate was not forgotten. When David lay on his deathbed, he charged Solomon to hold Joab accountable for the blood he had shed, including the killing of Amasa.
25Absalom had put Amasa in command of the army in place of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra the Israelite, who had married Abigail daughter of Nahash, the sister of Zeruiah, Joab's mother.
Absalom's forces, with Amasa as supreme commander, suffered a crushing defeat against David's army in the forest of Ephraim. Although Amasa is not mentioned by name in the battle description itself, he bore responsibility as the commander for the losing side.
14And say to Amasa, 'Are you not my own bone and flesh? So may God do to me, and more also, if you do not become commander of my army for all time, in place of Joab.'"
When Sheba son of Bichri led a rebellion against David, Amasa was tasked with gathering the men of Judah within three days, but he failed to meet the deadline.
At the great stone in Gibeon, Joab met Amasa and killed him with a sword. Joab used a seemingly friendly greeting to stab Amasa in the stomach—a cold-blooded betrayal driven by jealousy and ambition for power.
8When they reached the great stone at Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was wearing his military tunic, and strapped over it at his waist was a belt with a sword in its sheath. As he stepped forward, the sword fell out.
10Amasa was not on guard against the sword in Joab's hand, and Joab struck him in the belly with it, spilling his entrails on the ground. He needed no second blow, and Amasa died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri.
12But Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the road. When the man saw that all the troops were stopping there, he dragged Amasa off the road into a field and threw a garment over him, for everyone who came upon him stopped at the sight.
Before his death, David instructed his son Solomon to hold Joab accountable for the blood he had shed during peacetime, including the murders of Amasa and Abner.
5You also know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to the two commanders of Israel's armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He killed them, shedding the blood of war in a time of peace, and he put the blood of war on the belt around his waist and on the sandals on his feet.
32The LORD will bring Joab's blood back on his own head, because he struck down two men more righteous and better than himself and killed them with the sword, without my father David's knowledge: Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel's army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah's army.