Amasa
Encyclopedia
Amasa is a person in the Hebrew Bible
. He was the son of Abigail
, who was sister to King David
and Zeruiah
, the mother of Joab
. Hence, Amasa was a nephew to David, a cousin to Joab, as well as a cousin to Absalom
.
Absalom, David's mutinous son, revolted and won over the tribes of Israel . He appointed Amasa over the army, in effect replacing Joab, who had been general for his father David.
After the revolt was crushed, David held out an olive branch to Amasa (in a likely effort to appease and reunite Judah with the other 10 tribes of Israel) by offering to appoint Amasa as his new army commander . While being fiercely loyal to David, Joab was also suspicious of any potential rivals for Joab
's power or threats to David's kingdom, and had no qualms about taking the lives of any who might stand in his way (E.G., Abner
: , and Absalom: ). So it was not difficult for Joab to also decide to murder Amasa . Joab's own justification for killing Amasa was that he believed Amasa to be conspiring with Sheba
the Benjamite, due to Amasa's slowness to mobilize the army against Sheba's rebels .
Hebrew Bible
The Hebrew Bible is a term used by biblical scholars outside of Judaism to refer to the Tanakh , a canonical collection of Jewish texts, and the common textual antecedent of the several canonical editions of the Christian Old Testament...
. He was the son of Abigail
Abigail (mother of Amasa)
Abigail is a character in the Hebrew Bible She was the mother of Amasa, the commander-in-chief of Absalom's army .-Family: refers to Abigail as a Zeruiah's sister, and therefore and aunt to Joab. In , Abigail and Zeruiah are referred to as sisters to David...
, who was sister to King David
David
David was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible and, according to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, an ancestor of Jesus Christ through both Saint Joseph and Mary...
and Zeruiah
Zeruiah
Zeruiah , daughter of King Nahash and stepdaughter of Jesse of the Tribe of Judah, was an older sister of King David. Zeruiah had three sons, Abishai, Joab, and Asahel, all of whom were soldiers in David's army.Very little is told of her...
, the mother of Joab
Joab
Joab the son of Zeruiah, was the nephew of King David and the commander of his army, according to the Hebrew Bible.- Name :...
. Hence, Amasa was a nephew to David, a cousin to Joab, as well as a cousin to Absalom
Absalom
According to the Bible, Absalom or Avshalom was the third son of David, King of Israel with Maachah, daughter of Talmai, King of Geshur. describes him as the most handsome man in the kingdom...
.
Absalom, David's mutinous son, revolted and won over the tribes of Israel . He appointed Amasa over the army, in effect replacing Joab, who had been general for his father David.
After the revolt was crushed, David held out an olive branch to Amasa (in a likely effort to appease and reunite Judah with the other 10 tribes of Israel) by offering to appoint Amasa as his new army commander . While being fiercely loyal to David, Joab was also suspicious of any potential rivals for Joab
Joab
Joab the son of Zeruiah, was the nephew of King David and the commander of his army, according to the Hebrew Bible.- Name :...
's power or threats to David's kingdom, and had no qualms about taking the lives of any who might stand in his way (E.G., Abner
Abner
In the Book of Samuel, Abner , is first cousin to Saul and commander-in-chief of his army...
: , and Absalom: ). So it was not difficult for Joab to also decide to murder Amasa . Joab's own justification for killing Amasa was that he believed Amasa to be conspiring with Sheba
Sheba
Sheba was a kingdom mentioned in the Jewish scriptures and the Qur'an...
the Benjamite, due to Amasa's slowness to mobilize the army against Sheba's rebels .