This verse gives details about the leadership of Absalom’s army and provides specific information about Amasa, the newly appointed commander. Amasa, Joab, and Absalom were all cousins, and both Amasa and Joab were nephews of David. The conflict was therefore very much a family affair.
Ishmaelite: the traditional Hebrew text has “Israelite” at this point, but the parallel in 1 Chr 2.17, as well as in a few manuscripts of the ancient Greek version, has “Ishmaelite.” Some scholars have proposed that the original reading was “Jezreelite” (Moffatt and Goldman). New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New International Version, New American Standard Bible, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Stuttgarter Erklärungsbibel, and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible hold to the traditional text and translate “Israelite,” but in addition to textual considerations, it would be strange indeed for the writer to make a special comment if Amasa had been an Israelite. There would be nothing unusual or noteworthy in this. Most modern versions translate “Ishmaelite” as in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, although this is not the recommendation of Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, which gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament suggests that at the time of David an Israelite was considered to be a foreigner in a Judean family. According to Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament the term “an Israelite” is used here in a way that was archaic at the time of writing. Translators may follow either the recommendation of Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament or the example of Revised Standard Version.
Ithra: this name refers to the same person as “Jether” (see 1 Kgs 2.5, 32; and 1 Chr 2.17). For this reason New International Version and New Century Version as well as Good News Translation use the same form in both cases.
Had married: literally “had gone in to” (compare King James Version). This Hebrew verb is used several times in the Old Testament with the meaning “to have sexual relations with a woman,” whether with one’s wife or with another woman (for example, Gen 6.4; 16.2, 4; Deut 22.13). It may be overtranslating here to say had married. Better are those translations that say “had had intimate relations with” (Biblia Dios Habla Hoy) or “who lived with” (Nueva Biblia Española). Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch avoids the problem of whether Ithra (or, Jether) and Abigail were married by stating “Amasa was the son of the Ishmaelite Jether and his mother was Abigail….” Compare also Revised English Bible, “he was the son of a man named Ithra, an Ishmaelite, by Abigail daughter of Nahash….”
Abigal: the spelling of this name in Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, and Revised English Bible reflects the Hebrew spelling. Good News Translation, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, and New International Version reflect the Hebrew spelling of this same name earlier in 1 and 2 Samuel. In 1 Chr 2 the Hebrew spelling of this woman’s name is “Abigail.” Translators should use one spelling consistently for the same name, even though the Hebrew does not.
The words the daughter of Nahash constitute another textual problem. The ancient Greek version has “the daughter of Jesse,” which is followed by Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Nueva Biblia Española,Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, New American Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible. The genealogical explanation in 1 Chr 2.16-17 also indicates that Jesse was the father of Abigail. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {D} rating to the Masoretic Text and admits that the reading “Jesse” may be original. Translators may follow either reading here, Jesse or Nahash.
The relationships between the persons named are the following: Zeruiah, Abigail, and King David were brother and sisters according to 1 Chr 2.16. The difficulty, from the standpoint of interpretation, is that, since Jesse is the father of David, Jesse should also be the father of Abigail; but the Masoretic Text of this verse, 2 Sam 17.25, claims that Nahash was the father of Abigail. Interpreters have proposed various solutions to remove what seems to be a contradiction, but none are satisfactory; so translators must simply choose between the two names “Nahash” and “Jesse.”
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .