1 Chronicles 2:17

“And Abigail bare Amasa, etc.] Who was Absalom’s general, afterwards reconciled to David, and designed to be made general of his army, but was slain by Joab, (see <101725>2 Samuel 17:25 19:13 20:10), and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmaelite; he is called an Israelite, (<101725>2 Samuel 17:25), and so in the Targum here, he being either a proselyte, or else he was an Israelite by birth, but called an Ishmaelite, because he had dwelt among the Ishmaelites some time, as Obededom is called the Gittite for the like reason; so Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it.”

“Jether the Ishmaelite--(compare Sa2 17:25). In that passage he is called Ithra an Israelite; and there seems no reason why, in the early days of David, anyone should be specially distinguished as an Israelite. The presumption is in favor of the reading followed by the Septuagint, which calls him "Jetra the Jezreelite." The circumstance of his settling in another tribe, or of a woman marrying out of her own tribe, was sufficiently rare and singular to call for the statement that Abigail was married to a man of Jezreel.”

“Jether the Ishmeelite - See the marginal note and reference. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Ishmaelite - By birth or habitation, but by profession an Israelite, Sa2 17:25. 1 Chronicles 2:18”

“Amasa: Sa2 17:25, Sa2 19:13, Sa2 20:4-12; Kg1 2:5, Kg1 2:32 Jether: Jether, יתר \[Strong's H3500\], is essentially the same with יתרא \[Strong's H3501\], Ithra, the latter only having the addition of an א aleph; and it is probable, that he was an Ishmaelite by birth but an Israelite by religion. Sa2 17:25, Ithra an Israelite Ishmeelite: \[Strong's H3459\] a descendant of Ishmael 1 Chronicles 2:18”