Amasa

Amasa (meaning burden or sparing the people) is the name of two individuals in the Old Testament. (1) The son of Abigail, a sister of King David, making him David's nephew and a cousin of Joab. During Absalom's rebellion he served as commander of the rebel army (2 Sam. 17:25). After Absalom's defeat, David appointed Amasa to replace Joab as army commander (2 Sam. 19:13). Joab, refusing to accept this displacement, murdered him treacherously at Gibeon while appearing to embrace him (2 Sam. 20:8–10) — a killing for which Solomon later held Joab accountable. (2) A son of Hadlai who opposed the enslavement of Judean captives brought to Samaria by Israel during Ahaz's reign (2 Chr. 28:12).