The king said to Amasa, “Tell the men of Judah to meet with me in three days, and you must also be here.”
And say to Amasa, ‘You are part of my own family. May God punish me terribly if I don’t make you commander of the army in Joab’s place!’ ”
Absalom had made Amasa captain of the army instead of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Jether the Ishmaelite. Amasa’s mother was Abigail daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother.
Abigail was the mother of Amasa, and his father was Jether, an Ishmaelite.
David touched the hearts of all the people of Judah at once. They sent a message to the king that said, “Return with all your men.”