Abigail, Abigal

See also Abigail

2. Apparently a half-sister of David and of Zeruiah, the mother of Joab (1 Chron 2:16; 2 Sam 17:25). She was the daughter of Nahash and the mother of Amasa (17:25). It has been suggested that “daughter of Nahash” might be a text corruption, or that Nahash was another name for Jesse, or that Jesse married the widow of Nahash. Whether or not any of these surmises are true, Abigail and David had the same mother. Her husband was called Jether the Ishmaelite (1 Chron 2:16, 17 KJV) and Ithra the Israelite (2 Sam 17:25 KJV). Since Israelite or Ishmaelite might refer to the area in which he lived or to his race, both could be true. Abigail was the mother of Amasa who for a while was commander of David’s army (2 Sam 20:4).