The Meaning of 2 Samuel 17:25 Explained

2 Samuel 17:25

KJV: And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab: which Amasa was a man's son, whose name was Ithra an Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab's mother.

YLT: and Amasa hath Absalom set instead of Joab over the host, and Amasa is a man's son whose name is Ithra the Israelite who hath gone in unto Abigail, daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, mother of Joab;

Darby: And Absalom set Amasa over the host instead of Joab; which Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Jithra the Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah, Joab's mother.

ASV: And Absalom set Amasa over the host instead of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man, whose name was Ithra the Israelite, that went in to Abigal the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah, Joab's mother.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Absalom  made  Amasa  captain of the host  instead of Joab:  which Amasa  [was] a man's  son,  whose name  [was] Ithra  an Israelite,  that went in  to Abigail  the daughter  of Nahash,  sister  to Zeruiah  Joab's  mother. 

What does 2 Samuel 17:25 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 17:15-29 - The Helpers Of The King
The two young men were narrowly watched, and had it not been for the deception practiced on Absalom's servants by the mistress of the house at Bahurim, they would probably not have reached David in time to put him on his guard. That her device secured his safety does not extenuate nor justify her falsehood. God could have found some other method of delivering his servant. Let us remember the warning voices that speak to us, bidding us beware of temptation. There is a river that we also may put between us and our pursuers. It is the Jordan of Calvary-the Cross of our Savior. Reckon yourselves dead unto sin!
As Ahithophel foreshadowed Judas in his treachery, so did he in his end. See Psalms 41:9; Matthew 27:5. He was not only mortified by the refusal of his advice, but clearly saw therein the inevitable triumph of David's cause and the punishment that would follow. On the farther bank friends awaited the fugitives. For Shobi, see 2 Samuel 10:1-2; Machir, 2 Samuel 9:4. But Psalms 42:1-11; Psalms 43:1-5 reflect David's feelings at this sad hour. Even in the night God's song was with him. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 17

1  Ahithophel's counsel is overthrown by Hushai's
15  Secret intelligence is sent unto David
23  Ahithophel hangs himself
25  Amasa is made captain
27  David at Mahanaim is furnished with provisions

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 17:25 mean?

And Amasa made Absalom instead of Joab Captain of the army and this Amasa [was] the son of a man and whose name [was] Jithra an Israelite who had gone in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash sister of Zeruiah mother of Joab
וְאֶת־ עֲמָשָׂ֗א שָׂ֧ם אַבְשָׁלֹ֛ם תַּ֥חַת יוֹאָ֖ב עַל־ הַצָּבָ֑א וַעֲמָשָׂ֣א בֶן־ אִ֗ישׁ וּשְׁמוֹ֙ יִתְרָ֣א הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִ֔י אֲשֶׁר־ בָּא֙ אֶל־ אֲבִיגַ֣ל בַּת־ נָחָ֔שׁ אֲח֥וֹת צְרוּיָ֖ה אֵ֥ם יוֹאָֽב

עֲמָשָׂ֗א  Amasa 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֲמָשָׂא  
Sense: son of Ithra or Jether by Abigail the sister of David and general of the army of Absalom.
שָׂ֧ם  made 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
אַבְשָׁלֹ֛ם  Absalom 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִישָׁלֹום 
Sense: father-in-law of Rehoboam.
תַּ֥חַת  instead 
Parse: Preposition
Root: מִתְחָה 
Sense: the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas.
יוֹאָ֖ב  of  Joab 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄואָב  
Sense: son of David’s sister Zeruiah and general of David’s army.
עַל־  Captain 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הַצָּבָ֑א  of  the  army 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
וַעֲמָשָׂ֣א  and  this  Amasa  [was] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֲמָשָׂא  
Sense: son of Ithra or Jether by Abigail the sister of David and general of the army of Absalom.
בֶן־  the  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
אִ֗ישׁ  of  a  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
וּשְׁמוֹ֙  and  whose  name  [was] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
יִתְרָ֣א  Jithra 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִתְרָא  
Sense: father of Amasa, the commander of Absalom’s army; also ‘Jether’.
הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִ֔י  an  Israelite 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרְאֵלִי  
Sense: a descendant or inhabitant of the nation of Israel.
בָּא֙  had  gone  in 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אֲבִיגַ֣ל  Abigail 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲבִיגַיִל  
Sense: wife of Nabal, then of David.
בַּת־  the  daughter 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: בַּת  
Sense: daughter.
נָחָ֔שׁ  of  Nahash 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָחָשׁ  
Sense: a king of the Ammonites during the time of king Saul.
אֲח֥וֹת  sister 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אָחֹות  
Sense: sister.
צְרוּיָ֖ה  of  Zeruiah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: צְרוּיָה  
Sense: sister of David and mother of the 3 leading heroes of David’s army—Abishai, Joab, and Asahel.
אֵ֥ם  mother 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֵם  
Sense: mother.
יוֹאָֽב  of  Joab 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄואָב  
Sense: son of David’s sister Zeruiah and general of David’s army.