2 Samuel 11:1

Introduction

David sends Joab against the Ammonites, who besieges the city of Rabbah, 2Sam 11:1. He sees Bath-sheba, the wife of Uriah, bathing; is enamoured of her; sends for and takes her to his bed, 2Sam 11:2-4. She conceives, and informs David, 2Sam 11:5. David sends to Joab, and orders him to send to him Uriah, 2Sam 11:6. He arrives; and David having inquired the state of the army, dismisses him, desiring him to go to his own house, 2Sam 11:7, 2Sam 11:8. Uriah sleeps at the door of the king's house, 2Sam 11:9. The next day the king urges him to go to his house; but he refuses to go, and gives the most pious and loyal reasons for his refusal, 2Sam 11:10-11. David after two days sends him back to the army, with a letter to Joab, desiring him to place Uriah in the front of the battle, that he may be slain, 2Sam 11:12-15. He does so; and Uriah falls, 2Sam 11:16, 2Sam 11:17. Joab communicates this news in an artful message to David, 2Sam 11:18-25. David sends for Bath-sheba and takes her to wife, and she bears him a son, 2Sam 11:26, 2Sam 11:27.

Verse 1

When kings go forth - This was about a year after the war with the Syrians spoken of before, and about the spring of the year, as the most proper season for military operations. Calmet thinks they made two campaigns, one in autumn and the other in spring; the winter being in many respects inconvenient, and the summer too hot.
Copyright information for Clarke