2 Sa 17:25
Absalom set Amasa over the army in place of Joab.
Now Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Ithra the Israelite,
who went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab's mother.

David had placed Amasa as commander of his army, replacing Joab.
A move designed to win over the army and Judah.

2 Sa 19:13
“Say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh?
May God do so to me, and more also,
if you will not be commander of the army before me continually in place of Joab.’”

Now…the story continues…

2Sa 20:4-13

Then the king said to Amasa,
“Call out the men of Judah for me within three days, and be present here yourself.”

So Amasa went to call out the men of Judah,
but he delayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him.

And David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom; take your lord’s servants and pursue him, so that he does not find for himself fortified cities and escape from our sight.”

So Joab’s men went out after him, along with the Cherethites and the Pelethites and all the mighty men; and they went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

When they were at the large stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them.
Now Joab was dressed in his military attire, and over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath fastened at his waist; and as he went forward, it fell out.

Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?”
And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.

But Amasa was not on guard against the sword which was in Joab’s hand so he struck him in the belly with it and poured out his inward parts on the ground, and did not strike him again, and he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.

Now there stood by him one of Joab’s young men, and said,
“Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab.”

But Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the highway.
And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa from the highway into the field and threw a garment over him when he saw that everyone who came by him stood still.

As soon as he was removed from the highway,
all the men passed on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

David gave Amasa a direct order - rally the men in three days.
Amasa did not follow the order in a timely fashion.

David then sent Abishai to pursue Sheba.

Joab’s men and others pursued Sheba.

Amasa met them on the way.

Joab approached Amasa feigning a greeting.
Well, it was a greeting of sort.

Joab’s sword fell out as he went to greet.
Apparently Joab picked up the sword.
Amasa was not on guard.
Joab struck him with the sword.

We have seen Joab do this type of thing.
Taking matters into his own hands.

Joab and Abishai pursued Sheba.
They left a young man by the dying body of Amasa.
The young man rallied the me to join Joab.

Amasa’s body was a distraction in the road.
He was removed.
The men passed on.

Truly the sword would not pass from David and his family.

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