David sent to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah had come to him, David asked him how Joab did, and how the people fared, and how the war prospered. David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” Uriah departed out of the king’s house, and a gift from the king was sent after him. But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and didn’t go down to his house. When they had told David, saying, “Uriah didn’t go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Haven’t you come from a journey? Why didn’t you go down to your house?”
Uriah said to David, “The ark, Israel, and Judah, are staying in tents; and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open field. Shall I then go into my house to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing!”
David said to Uriah, “Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will let you depart.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day, and the next day. When David had called him, he ate and drank before him; and he made him drunk. At evening, he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but didn’t go down to his house.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv8, 11, 13 David thought that if Uriah lay with his wife,…
David thought that if Uriah lay with his wife, his fault might be cloaked.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv6–13 2Sa 11:6 And David sent to Joab, [saying], Send…
2Sa 11:6 And David sent to Joab, [saying], Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.
Ver. 6. And David sent to Joab, &c.] To prevent Bathsheba’s miseries, wherein he also was sure to have a great share, David casteth about how to colour and cover his sin with fair pretences, - as Alcibiades embroidered a curtain with lions and eagles, to cover his pictures of owls and apes, - but all would not do, God so disposing that David’s sin should come to light.
Read full note →
Send me Uriah the Hittite.] As before, like the devil, {Mat 13:25} he had sowed another man’s ground, so now he would fain father upon him his bastardly brood, intrudens filium suum in agros Uriae, thrusting his son into Uriah’s inheritance.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13 Frivolous questions, which any common messenger could have answered;…
Frivolous questions, which any common messenger could have answered; which probably made Uriah suspect that there was some other secret cause why he was sent for. And he might understand something, either by David’s messengers, 2Sa 11:4, or by some of his own family, concerning her being sent for to the court; which, together with other circumstances, might give him cause of further suspicion. Yet such might be the questions (though not here particularly mentioned) concerning those heads, as every private person might not be acquainted with, nor able to resolve, but such only as were acquainted with the counsel of war.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain On v6 Uriah, we may suppose, had now been absent from…
Uriah, we may suppose, had now been absent from his wife some weeks, making the campaign in the country of the Ammonites, and not intending to return till the end of it. The situation of his wife would bring to light the hidden works of darkness; and when Uriah, at his return, should find how he had been abused, and by whom, it might well be expected, 1. That he would prosecute his wife, according to law, and have her stoned to death; for jealousy is the rage of a man, especially a man of honour, and he that is thus injured will not spare in the day of vengeance, Pro 6:34. This Bath-sheba was apprehensive of when she sent to let David know she was with child, intimating that he was concerned to protect her, and, it is likely, if he had not promised her so to do (so wretchedly abusing his royal power), she would not have consented to him. Hope of impunity is a great encouragement to iniquity. 2. It might also be expected that since he could not prosecute David by law for an offence of this nature he would take his revenge another way, and raise a rebellion against him. There have been instances of kings who by provocations of this nature, given to some of their powerful subjects, have lost their crowns. To prevent this double mischief, David endeavours to father the child which should be born upon Uriah himself, and therefore sends for him home to stay a night or two with his wife. Observe,
I. How the plot was laid. Uriah must come home from the army under pretence of bringing David an account how the war prospered, and how they went on with the siege of Rabbah, Sa2 11:7. Thus does he pretend a more than ordinary concern for his army when that was the least thing in his thoughts; if he had not had another turn to serve, an express of much less figure than Uriah might have sufficed to bring him a report of the state of the war. David, having had as much conference with Uriah as he thought requisite to cover the design, sent him to his house, and, that he might be the more pleasant there with the wife of his youth, sent a dish of meat after him for their supper, Sa2 11:8. When that project failed the first night, and Uriah, being weary of his journey and more desirous of sleep than meat, lay all night in the guard-chamber, the next night he made him drunk (Sa2 11:13), or made him merry, tempted him to drink more than was fit, that he might forget his vow (Sa2 11:11), and might be disposed to go home to his own bed, to which perhaps, if David could have made him dead drunk, he would have ordered him to be carried. It is a very wicked thing, upon any design whatsoever, to make a person drunk. Woe to him that does so, Hab 2:15, Hab 2:16. God will put a cup of trembling into the hands of those who put into the hands of others the cup of drunkenness. Robbing a man of his reason is worse than robbing him of his money, and drawing him into sin worse than drawing him into any trouble whatsoever. Every good man, especially every magistrate, should endeavour to prevent this sin, by admonishing, restraining, and denying the glass to those whom they see falling into excess; but to further it is to do the devil's work, to officiate as factor for him.
Read full note →
II. How this plot was defeated by Uriah's firm resolution not to lie in his own bed. Both nights he slept with the life-guard, and went not down to his house, though, it is probable, his wife pressed him to do it as much as David, Sa2 11:9, Sa2 11:12. Now, 1. Some think he suspected what was done, being informed of his wife's attendance at court, and therefore he would not go near her. But if he had had any suspicion of that kind, surely he would have opened the letter that David sent by him to Joab. 2. Whether he suspected any thing or no, Providence put this resolution into his heart, and kept him to it, for the discovering of David's sin, and that the baffling of his design to conceal it might awaken David's conscience to confess it and repent of it. 3. The reason he gave to David for this strange instance of self-denial and mortification was very noble, Sa2 11:11. While the army was encamped in the field, he would not lie at ease in his own house. "The ark is in a tent," whether at home, in the tent David had pitched for it, or abroad, with Joab in the camp, is not certain. "Joab, and all the mighty men of Israel, lie hard and uneasy, and much exposed to the weather and to the enemy; and shall I go and take my ease and pleasure at my own house?" No, he protests he will not do it. Now, (1.) This was in itself a generous resolution, and showed Uriah to be a man of a public spirit, bold and hardy, and mortified to the delights of sense. In times of public difficulty and danger it does not become us to repose ourselves in security, or roll ourselves in pleasure, or, with the king and Haman, to sit down to drink when the city Shushan was perplexed, Est 3:15. We should voluntarily endure hardness when the church of God is constrained to endure it. (2.) It might have been of use to awaken David's conscience, and make his heart to smite him for what he had done. [1.] That he had basely abused so brave a man as Uriah was, a man so heartily concerned for him and his kingdom, and that acted for him and it with so much vigour. [2.] That he was himself so unlike him. The consideration of the public hardships and hazards kept Uriah from lawful pleasures, yet could not keep David, though more nearly interested, from unlawful ones. Uriah's severity to himself should have shamed David for his indulgence of himself. The law was, When the host goeth forth against the enemy then, in a special manner, keep thyself from every wicked thing, Deu 23:9. Uriah outdid that law, but David violated it.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv6–13 And David sent to Joab,.... Who was with the…
And David sent to Joab,.... Who was with the army besieging Rabbah, which, according to Bunting (k), was sixty four miles from Jerusalem:
saying, send me Uriah the Hittite; the scheme David had contrived in his mind was to get Uriah home to his wife for a few days, that it might be thought the child she had conceived was his, whereby the sin of David, and her own, might be concealed:
Read full note →
and Joab sent Uriah to David; not knowing his business, and besides it was his duty to obey his command.
(k) Travels, &c. p. 146.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv8–11 Go down - Not doubting but he would there…
Go down - Not doubting but he would there converse with his wife, and so cover their sin and shame.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv8, 9, 10, 11, 13 Verse 8. Go down to thy house, and wash…
Verse 8. Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet.] Uriah had come off a journey, and needed this refreshment; but David's design was that he should go and lie with his wife, that the child now conceived should pass for his, the honour of Bath-sheba be screened, and his own crime concealed. At this time he had no design of the murder of Uriah, nor of taking Bath-sheba to wife.
A mess of meat from the king.] All this was artfully contrived.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv8, 10, 11, 12 2Sa 11:8-9. David said, Go down to thy house…
2Sa 11:8-9. David said, Go down to thy house — Not doubting but he would there converse with his wife, and so hide their sin and shame. There followed him a mess of meat from the king — In token of David’s peculiar favour and kindness to him; and that, eating freely of good cheer, he might be the more desirous of enjoying the company of his wife. But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house — Like a true soldier, he lay all night in the guard-chamber, and did not go home to his wife. This he did by the secret influence of God upon his mind, and the order of his wise providence, that David’s sin might be brought to light notwithstanding all his contrivances to conceal it.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv7, 8, 11 David was forced to stoop to falsehood and dissimulation…
David was forced to stoop to falsehood and dissimulation in the vain hope of hiding his sin.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv8, 9, 10, 11, 13 Feet. As they did not wear stockings, this practice…
Feet. As they did not wear stockings, this practice was very common after a journey. David thus insinuated that Urias might take his rest, and go to his wife, that so he might suppose that the child was his own, and the crime of Bethsabee might be concealed. (Calmet) --- King, as a mark of honour, but in reality that he might be more excited to indulge his pleasures. (Abulensis) (Menochius)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv8–9 David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house--This…
David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house--This sudden recall, the manner of the king, his frivolous questions (Sa2 11:7), and his urgency for Uriah to sleep in his own house, probably awakened suspicions of the cause of this procedure.
there followed him a mess of meat from the king--A portion of meat from the royal table, sent to one's own house or lodgings, is one of the greatest compliments which an Eastern prince can pay.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv8, 11, 12, 13 DAVID’S ARTIFICES TO CONCEAL HIS SIN AND TO KILL…
DAVID’S ARTIFICES TO CONCEAL HIS SIN AND TO KILL URIAH, 2Sa_11:6-27.
8. Go down to thy house and wash thy feet — David’s ostensible object in sending for Uriah was to learn how the war prospered; and, being apparently pleased with his report of affairs, he directs him to go home and rest himself before returning to the scenes of war. Washing the feet was customary after a journey and before retiring to sleep. Gen_18:4; Gen_19:2. But the king’s real design was to have Uriah pass the night with his wife, that the child already conceived by her might not be regarded as the fruit of their adultery.
Read full note →
There followed him a mess — As a royal present to convince him of the king’s affection for him. Very likely David feared that his sin was known or suspected, for the guilty soul is ever clouded with such suspicions.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13 6–13. Uriah summoned to Jerusalem
6–13. Uriah summoned to Jerusalem
7. David demanded, &c.] David sent for Uriah ostensibly to bring him word about the progress of the war. Uriah, as one of the “mighty men,” no doubt held some command in the army.
Read full note →
demanded] Rather, asked. The use of demand, like Fr. demander, meaning simply ‘to ask,’ is an archaism.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv6, 8, 9, 11, 13 (6) Send me Uriah.—David proposed thus to cover up…
(6) Send me Uriah.—David proposed thus to cover up his crime. By calling for Uriah and treating him with marked consideration, he thought to establish a friendly feeling on his part, and then by sending him to his wife to have it supposed that the child, begotten in adultery, was Uriah’s own.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv6, 8, 11, 13 Uriah the Hittite.
Uriah the Hittite.
Like Ahimelech, (1Sa_26:6) he belonged to a notable people (Gen_23:3; Eze_16:3; 1Ki_10:29; 2Ki_7:6) had adopted the faith of Israel, and joined David in exile; he was one of the famous "thirty" (1Ch_11:41; 2Sa_23:39) married Bathsheba (the young and beautiful daughter of a brother officer), to whom he was fondly attached, (2Sa_12:3) and had a house overlooked by the king"s palace. The story of this man, "immortal by his wrongs," constitutes a little tragedy. He was:
Read full note →
1. Greatly distinguished for his heroic courage. For more than twenty years he had taken part in the conflicts of David, and contributed to his victories; and, by the valour which he displayed, gained and kept an honourable position.
2. Grievously wronged by his royal master. Having been secretly dishonoured by the king, he was specially sent for, treated with guile, and tempted to become an unconscious agent in concealing the crime. "Were honour driven out of the world, it should find a refuge in the breast of kings.
3. A noble example of patriotic devotion. "The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents," etc. (ver. 11). He "may be regarded from a moral standpoint as a type of the marvellous power and self-control for which those troops, then in their prime, must have been distinguished" (Ewald). In contrast with the indulgent habit (ver. 1) of the king, he exhibited sympathy, self-denial, zeal, and determination: "I will not do this thing.
The ark of God is in the field, Like clouds around the alien armies sweep; Each by his spear, beneath his shield, In cold and dew the anointed warriors sleep.
And can it be? thou liest awake, Sworn watchman, tossing on thy couch of down; And doth thy recreant heart not ache To hear the sentries round the leaguered town?
Oh, dream no more of quiet life; Care finds the careless out; more wise to vow Thine heart entire to faith"s pure strife; So peace will come, thou knowest not when or how. ("Lyra Apostolica.")
1. A pitiable instance of a common failing. (Ver. 13.) He was susceptible to the power of temptation, even as others. Though proof against indulgence in one form, he was overcome by it in another. But he did not entirely lose his self-control. And the guilt of the tempted is far surpassed by that of the tempter. Intoxication weakens the sense of duty, strengthens the force of the passions, is often used as an incitement to vice, and is a fruitful source of incalculable moral, and physical evil in the individual, the family, and society (1Sa_25:37, 1Sa_25:38; 2Sa_13:38)
2. The unsuspecting bearer of his own death warrant. "And David wrote a letter to Joab," etc. the first letter mentioned in the Bible telling him "that he had offended him," etc. (Josephus). And without suspecting its contents, he delivered the treacherous missive.
3. The hapless victim of his unswerving fidelity. "He assigned Uriah a place where he knew that valiant men were" (ver. 16). "Honour is pretended to poor Uriah; death is meant. He was not the first or last that perished by his friends" (Hall). "He fell unconscious of his wife"s dishonour" (Stanley). "Thus fell this brave man, a sacrifice to his own heroic virtue and his prince"s guilt. He fell, but not alone; some of his brave companions in arms stood by him to the last, nor deserted him in death" (Delany). The report of his fate was received by the king with the cold and commonplace reflection, "The sword devoureth one as well as another" (ver. 25). "That the sin of David was fulfilling some righteous judgment of God against Uriah and his house, I doubt not for God often makes his enemies his instruments and, without sanctifying the means, strikes out of them good. Still, a sin it was, great and grievous and offensive to that God to whom the blood of Uriah cried from the ground" (Blunt). D.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On v13 And when David had called him he made him…
2Sa_11:13
And when David had called him he made him drunk.
Read full note →
The sinfulness of causing drunkenness
It is a very wicked thing, under any design whatsoever, to make a person drunk. Woe to him that does so (Hab_2:15-16.) God will put a cup of trembling into the hands of those who put into the hands of others the cup of drunkenness. Robbing a man of Ins reason is worse than robbing him of his money, and drawing him into sin worse than drawing him into any trouble whatsoever. (M. Henry.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv6, 9, 12 Then David sent
Then David sent
Here the word "sent" means that David sent a messenger. AT: "Then David sent a messenger" (See: Idiom)
Read full note →
how Joab was, how the army was doing, and how the war was going
David was asking if Joab and the army were well and about the progress of the war. AT: "if Joab was well, if other soldiers were well, and how the war was progressing" (See: Idiom)
Go down to your house
Possible meanings for the phrase "go down" are 1) Uriah's house was located at a lower elevation than the king's palace or 2) Uriah's house was of lesser importance than the king's palace. AT: "Go to your house" (See: Idiom)
wash your feet
This phrase is a metonym for returning home to rest for the night after working all day. AT: "rest for the night" (See: Metonymy)
the king sent a gift for Uriah
David sent someone to bring the gift to Uriah. This can be stated clearly. AT: "the king sent someone to take a gift to Uriah" (See: Metonymy)
translationWords
David
Joab
Uriah
Hittite
palace
gift
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv8, 11 11:8 and relax: David assumed that Uriah would have…
11:8 and relax: David assumed that Uriah would have sex with Bathsheba while on this weekend pass. Then everyone except Bathsheba would assume that the child was Uriah’s, conceived on this night. • a gift: David might not have even cared whether the husband and wife were intimate. Uriah’s return to his house would stifle any rumors as to how and when Bathsheba became pregnant.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.