2 Samuel 17:24-26

24 Then David went to Mahanaim, and Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel.

25 Absalom had appointed Amasa over the army in place of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra, ^[a] the Ishmaelite ^[b] who had married Abigail, ^[c] the daughter of Nahash ^[d] and sister of Zeruiah the mother of Joab.

26 So the Israelites and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.

2 Samuel 17:24-26 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 17

This chapter relates the advice Ahithophel gave to march out speedily with a number of men in pursuit of David, which at first seemed agreeable, 2Sa 17:1-4; but Hushai's opinion being asked, and he giving counsel to raise a larger army, which required time, and was taken to, hereby the counsel of Ahithophel was defeated, 2Sa 17:5-14; upon which he hanged himself, 2Sa 17:23; these different counsels being communicated by Hushai to the priests, they found means to transmit them to David, with an instruction to him to pass over Jordan immediately; which he did, and pitched in Gilead, and whither he was followed by Absalom, 2Sa 17:15-26; and where he met with a supply of provisions for his army from some eminent persons in and near that place, 2Sa 17:27-29.

Footnotes

• [a] Ithra is a variant of Jether; see 1 Kings 2:5.
• [b] Some LXX manuscripts (see also 1 Chronicles 2:17); MT and other LXX manuscripts Israelite
• [c] Or Abigal, a variant of Abigail
• [d] Or of Jesse; see DSS and 1 Chronicles 2:13–16