2 Samuel 11:17 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uriah the Hittite also died.

NIV: When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David’s army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died.

NASB: And the men of the city went out and fought against Joab, and some of the people among David’s servants fell; and Uriah the Hittite also died.

CSB: Then the men of the city came out and attacked Joab, and some of the men from David’s soldiers fell in battle; Uriah the Hethite also died.

NLT: And when the enemy soldiers came out of the city to fight, Uriah the Hittite was killed along with several other Israelite soldiers.

KJV: And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

NKJV: Then the men of the city came out and fought with Joab. And some of the people of the servants of David fell; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

The king of Israel has ordered the commander of Israel's army to ensure one of Israel's mightiest warriors is killed in battle against the Ammonites. Joab doesn't know why David would order such a thing; he simply conducts David's order (2 Samuel 11:15).

Joab assigns Uriah and his men to attack a strategic place at the wall of Rabbah where the most skilled Ammonite fighters are defending their city. Interestingly, Joab joins Uriah and his fighters in the attack, perhaps so he can call for the retreat that will leave Uriah exposed. The plan succeeds, though several other Israelite soldiers are killed along with Uriah.

It's unclear if Joab, who is also David's nephew (1 Chronicles 2:13–17), ever learns why David gave him instructions to kill Uriah. While the army was fighting, David saw Uriah's wife, Bathsheba, bathing on her rooftop. He sent for her and had sex with her. Not long after, she sent a message that she was pregnant (2 Samuel 11:1–5).

At first, David tried to arrange things so that Uriah would believe the baby was his. When that didn't work, David decided to kill Uriah, marry Bathsheba, and let everyone think the baby was legitimate (2 Samuel 11:6–15).

David's instructions remind Joab of the story of Abimelech, who stood too close to the wall of a city he was fighting and got a millstone on the head for his troubles (Judges 9:50–53). Joab probably has no idea that Uriah' death is more closely related to Saul's attempt to kill David. Saul told David that David could marry Saul's daughter if he killed one hundred Philistines. Saul assumed the Philistines would kill David, instead. But David killed two hundred Philistines and returned for his bride (1 Samuel 18:25–29).

Unfortunately, unlike David, Uriah doesn't survive.

In 2 Samuel 11:14–21, David completes his greatest sin. While the army is away, David has sex with one of his greatest warriors' wives. She's now pregnant. David calls him back to Jerusalem, intending him to sleep with his wife and claim the child, but he refuses (2 Samuel 11:1–13). To hide his sin, David sends the man back to the battle with instructions for the general to have him die in battle. David's secret is safe until God tells Nathan, the prophet. Nathan confronts David, and God judges David by taking his son (2 Samuel 12).

In 2 Samuel 11, David commits grievous sins. Joab and the Israelite army, including the warrior Uriah, are finishing the battle against the Ammonites. Back in Jerusalem, David takes notice of Uriah's wife and impregnates her. When she informs David of the pregnancy, David recalls Uriah. The king expects the soldier to sleep with his wife and claim the child. Uriah's intense loyalty and integrity prevent him from even visiting his house while the others are still at war. David tells Joab to have Uriah killed in battle. God sends Nathan to confront David. David sincerely repents, but God takes the child (2 Samuel 12).

Second Samuel 11 begins the account of David's greatest sins. David sleeps with and impregnates a soldier's wife, Bathsheba. To hide his sin, David has the soldier killed in battle. God tells Nathan to rebuke David, and David repents fully. But God still takes the life of the baby boy (2 Samuel 12; Psalm 51). The story reveals two things about God. First, He is willing to restore His relationship with us when we repent from even the most horrible sin. And second, He has no interest in shaming vulnerable victims of powerful people.