Jether יֶ֫תֶר
An Ishmaelite, father of Amasa.
Biography
Jether, also known as Ithra, was an Ishmaelite and the father of Amasa. Amasa was the son of Jether and Abigail, who was David's sister. Despite being David's nephew, Amasa sided with Absalom during his rebellion against David and was appointed as the commander of Absalom's army. After Absalom's death, David offered Amasa the position of commander over his army, replacing Joab. However, when Amasa failed to mobilize the troops quickly enough, David sent Abishai to pursue the rebel Sheba. Joab, who had been demoted, accompanied Abishai and took the opportunity to kill Amasa, viewing him as a threat to his position. The fact that Jether is described as an Ishmaelite suggests that he was not an Israelite, which may have contributed to Amasa's complex loyalties within David's family and kingdom.
Family
In Scripture
3 biblical books1 Kings 2 verses
- 1 Kings 2:5
"“Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, even what he did to the two captains of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner, and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war on his sash that..."
- 1 Kings 2:32
"Yahweh will return his blood on his own head, because he fell on two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword, and my father David didn’t know it: Abner the son of Ner, captain of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the army..."
1 Chronicles 1 verse
- 1 Chronicles 2:17
"Abigail bore Amasa; and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmaelite."
2 Samuel 1 verse
- 2 Samuel 17:25
"Absalom set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Ithra the Israelite, who went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah, Joab’s mother."
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Strong's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | יֶ֫תֶר | H3500H |
| Named | Hebrew | יִתְרָא | H3501 |