2 Samuel 11:17
in 2 Samuel 11And when the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of David’s servants fell, and Uriah the Hittite also died.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people, even of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.
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.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 11
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The men of the city went out - i. e. they made a sally and attacked the troops which were blockading the city on that side, chiefly to entice them to pursue them, and so come within shot of the archers who lined the wall 2Sa 11:20, 2Sa 11:24. There fell some of the people ... - They, too, as well as the brave and faithful Uriah, were victims of David’s cruel artifice.
This site's exposition
where he knew that valiant men were
on 2 Samuel 11:16-17
Joab carries out the order but widens it. He places Uriah where he knows the defenders are strongest, and when the men of the city sally out, soldiers fall alongside him, David's own servants among the dead. A single death might have raised questions; a skirmish with several losses does not. Uriah dies in the company of other men killed to make his own death appear ordinary, the cost of David's scheme paid twice over.
This site's exposition
Uriah the Hittite also died
Barnes says the men of the city came out as a lure, to draw the besiegers within reach of the archers on the wall. Henry says Uriah fought on in hope that Joab would come to his aid. Clarke says he gave his life gladly for his king.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
We have taken up the task of writing an apology for the present style of the prophet David, not because he needs this gift, who has excelled in such great merits and flourished in virtues, but because many people, reading the sequence of his deeds without considering the power of the Scriptures or the hidden mysteries, wonder how such a great prophet did not avoid the contagion of adultery first and then of murder. Therefore, it was our desire to review the history itself, which seems to have been exposed to sin.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
And the men of the city went out,....
It is common for those who have done ill themselves to desire to be countenanced therein by others doing ill likewise, especially by the sins of those that are eminent in the profession of religion.
Joab executes these orders. In the next assault that is made upon the city Uriah has the most dangerous post assigned him, is encouraged to hope that if he be repulsed by the besieged he shall be relieved by Joab, in dependence on which he marches on with resolution, but, succours not coming on, the service proves too hot, and he is slain in it,
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Uriah the Hittite died also - He was led to the attack of a place defended by valiant men; and in the heat of the assault, Joab and his men retired from this brave soldier, who cheerfully gave up his life for his king and his country.
The words behind it
15 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֵּ֨צְא֜וּ | vaiyetzeu | and they went out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| אַנְשֵׁ֤י | ʾanshei | [the] men of | H582 → | 566 times |
| הָעִיר֙ | hair | the city | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| וַיִּלָּחֲמ֣וּ | vaiyilachamu | and they fought | H3898 → | 177 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | with | H854 → | 929 times |
| יוֹאָ֔ב | yoav | Joab | H3097 → | 144 times |
| וַיִּפֹּ֥ל | vaiyipol | and it fell | H5307 → | 435 times |
| מִן־ | min- | some of | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הָעָ֖ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| מֵעַבְדֵ֣י | meavdei | some of [the] servants of | H5650 → | 799 times |
| דָוִ֑ד | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| וַיָּ֕מָת | vaiyamot | and he died | H4191 → | 839 times |
| גַּ֖ם | gam | also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| אוּרִיָּ֥ה | ʾuriyah | Uriah | H223 → | 39 times |
| הַחִתִּֽי׃ | hachiti | the Hittite | H2850 → | 48 times |
וַיֵּ֨צְא֜וּand they went out
vaiyetzeuH3318 →1067 times
אַנְשֵׁ֤י[the] men of
ʾansheiH582 →566 times
הָעִיר֙the city
hairH5892 →1090 times
וַיִּלָּחֲמ֣וּand they fought
vaiyilachamuH3898 →177 times
אֶת־with
ʾet-H854 →929 times
יוֹאָ֔בJoab
yoavH3097 →144 times
וַיִּפֹּ֥לand it fell
vaiyipolH5307 →435 times
מִן־some of
min-H4480 →1188 times
הָעָ֖םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
מֵעַבְדֵ֣יsome of [the] servants of
meavdeiH5650 →799 times
דָוִ֑דDavid
davidH1732 →999 times
וַיָּ֕מָתand he died
vaiyamotH4191 →839 times
גַּ֖םalso
gamH1571 →769 times
אוּרִיָּ֥הUriah
ʾuriyahH223 →39 times
הַחִתִּֽי׃the Hittite
hachitiH2850 →48 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 51:14Deliver me from bloodguilt, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing of Your righteousness.
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 12:9
Why then have you despised the command of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You put Uriah the Hittite to the sword and took his wife as your own, for you have…
- Psalms 35:28
Then my tongue will proclaim Your righteousness and Your praises all day long.
- Acts 20:26
Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men.
- 2 Samuel 12:9
Through
2 Samuel 12:9Why then have you despised the command of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You put Uriah the Hittite to the sword and took his wife as your own, for you have…
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 15:19
So why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you rush upon the plunder and do evil in the sight of the LORD?”
- Psalms 139:1–2
O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
- Amos 2:4
This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Judah, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they reject the Law of the LORD and fail to keep His statutes; they…
- 1 Samuel 15:23
For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance is like the wickedness of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.”
- Psalms 90:8
You have set our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your presence.
- 1 Samuel 15:19
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 2 Samuel
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; Ambrose of Milan, Apology for the Prophet David, Chapter 1; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.