2 Samuel 11:21 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Who killed Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’ then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.’"

NIV: Who killed Abimelek son of Jerub-Besheth ? Didn’t a woman drop an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you get so close to the wall?’ If he asks you this, then say to him, ‘Moreover, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.’ "

NASB: Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did a woman not throw an upper millstone on him from the wall so that he died at Thebez? Why did you move against the wall?’—then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite also died.’?'

CSB: At Thebez, who struck Abimelech son of Jerubbesheth? Didn’t a woman drop an upper millstone on him from the top of the wall so that he died? Why did you get so close to the wall?’—then say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hethite is dead also.’"

NLT: Wasn’t Abimelech son of Gideon killed at Thebez by a woman who threw a millstone down on him from the wall? Why would you get so close to the wall?’ Then tell him, ‘Uriah the Hittite was killed, too.’'

KJV: Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

NKJV: Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Was it not a woman who cast a piece of a millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go near the wall?’—then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.’ ”

Joab, the commander of David's army, is imagining what David will say when the messenger delivers the report of the latest battle at the siege of Rabbah. Joab thinks that the king will be furious over his battle tactics. The messenger will tell David that several Israelite warriors were killed because they were lured in close to the wall within range of the archers.

Joab has told the messenger that the king will demand to know why this happened. Joab thinks David might angrily mention the story of Abimelech from Israel's history. Abimelech, the son of Gideon, had trapped the people of Thebez in a tower. He came close to the wall to set a fire and burn them out, but a woman dropped a millstone from the wall at just the right moment and caved in Abimelech's skull (Judges 9:50–53).

An interesting sidenote: Not quite dead, Abimelech ordered his young sword-bearer to quickly kill him so that nobody could say he was killed by a woman, which the younger man did (Judges 9:54). Clearly, though, it didn't work. The story was still told in Israel that Abimelech was killed by a woman.

Joab now tells the messenger to save one detail of his report until the end to silence the king's rage. The messenger should say, simply, that David's servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead. Joab knows that David will then understand that he did not make a tactical error, after all, but was carrying out the king's order (2 Samuel 11:15).

David's orders are more like a completely different story. After David killed Goliath and started fighting the Philistines for King Saul, Saul became terribly jealous. Twice, he tried to kill David with a spear (1 Samuel 18:6–11). When that didn't work, Saul told David he could marry Saul's daughter if David killed one hundred Philistines. Saul thought the Philistines would kill David, instead. When David came home with proof that he killed twice as many, Saul realized his plans were no match for God's (1 Samuel 18:20–29).

David is taking Saul's example. He's afraid of Uriah because he got Uriah's wife pregnant. If Uriah is dead, David can marry Bathsheba and claim she conceived after the wedding. David's not going to care about a few more casualties if it means he can hide his sin.

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.