2 Samuel 11 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

Bible Comments

  • 2 Samuel 11:1-27 open_in_new

    Sam 11. David, Bath-sheba, and Uriah (J).

    2 Samuel 11:1-5. In the spring, at the beginning of the season suitable for military operations, Joab and the army set out to besiege Rabbah (Jeremiah 49:2 *); David stayed at home. He committed adultery with Bath-sheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite, who was in the field with Joab. Uriah would be a ger (2 Samuel 1:13 *); his name, Yahweh is light, shows that he was a worshipper of Yahweh.

    2 Samuel 11:6-13. David makes an unsuccessful attempt to conceal the facts. Note that the Ark was taken into the field as a talisman (2 Samuel 11:11), as in 1 Samuel 4:3.

    2 Samuel 11:14-27. By David's instructions, Joab arranges that Uriah is slain by the enemy. On hearing the news, David marries Bath-sheba.

    2 Samuel 11:21. Cf. Judges 9:50 ff. Jerubbesheth: Jerubbaal (cf. 1 Samuel 14:49 *).

    2 Samuel 11:22. After this verse, LXX, probably giving the correct text, adds that David was angry and addressed the messenger in very much the words of 2 Samuel 11:20 f.