17:25 Amasa. According to 1 Chr. 2:13–17, Amasa was David’s nephew. This would make Amasa a cousin of both Absalom and Joab (2:18 note). Absalom appoints Amasa to replace Joab as commander of the army, and David will later do the same (19:13). Amasa’s tenure will be short, however, for Joab was never slow in dealing with a competitor (20:9, 10).

Abigail. Amasa’s mother was either David’s sister (1 Chr. 2:15–17) or perhaps his half-sister since she is here described as ‘‘the daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah.”

Nahash. This is presumably a different Nahash than the Ammonite “Nahash from Rabbah” in v. 27.