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a-mā´sa (עמש×, ‛ămaÌ„saÌ„), or read עמּש××™, ‛ammishai, i.e. ×¢× ×™×©××™, ‛am yishai, “people of Jesseâ€): The form עמש×, is based upon a mistaken etymology (from = עמס, ‛aÌ„masÌ£ “to burdenâ€).
(1) According to , Amasa is the son of Abigail, the sister of Zeruiah and David, and Ithra, an Israelite; but another source, , calls his father Jether the Ishmaelite. He was a nephew of David and a cousin of Absalom, who made him commander of the army of rebellion. When the uprising had been quelled, David, in order to conciliate Amasa, promised him the position held by Joab; the latter had fallen from favor (). When a new revolt broke out under Sheba, the son of Bichri (2 Sam 20), Amasa was entrusted with the task of assembling the men of Judah. But Joab was eager for revenge upon the man who had obtained the office of command that he coveted. When Amasa met Joab at Gibeon, the latter murdered him while pretending to salute (-10; ).
(2) Son of Hadlai, of the BeneÌ„ 'Ephrayim (“Children of Ephraimâ€), who, obeying the words of the prophet Oded, refused to consider as captives the Judeans who had been taken from Ahaz, king of Judah, by the victorious Israelites under the leadership of Pekah ().