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2 Samuel 11:21

in 2 Samuel 11

Who was the one to strike Abimelech son of Jerubbesheth? Was it not a woman who dropped an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you get so close to the wall?’ If so, then you are to say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead as well.’”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast an upper millstone upon him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? why went ye so nigh the wall? then shalt thou say, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

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.

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This verse in 2 Samuel 11

Commentary

5 notes on this verse
Who smote Abimelech ... - This reference indicates the existence in David’s time of the national annals of that period in an accessible form, and the king’s habit of reading, or having read to him, the history of his country. (Compare Est 6:1.)

This site's exposition

all the things concerning the war

on 2 Samuel 11:18-21

Joab reports the fighting to David and coaches the messenger for the moment David's anger rises over troops sent too near the wall. He is told to answer with the old precedent of Abimelech, killed at Thebez when a woman cast a piece of a millstone from the wall onto him, a story known well enough that naming it would explain why men should not approach a wall so closely. Only after that defense is ready does the messenger have leave to add, almost in passing, that Uriah the Hittite is dead also. Joab manages David's expected reaction before David has reacted at all, and buries Uriah's name inside a report about tactics.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

Ambrose of Milan

Apology for the Prophet David, Chapter 1 · Written before 397.

proposed

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 Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

53 ), which book, it is likely, was published as a part of the sacred history in Samuel's time; and (be it noted to their praise, and for imitation) even the soldiers were conversant with their bibles, and could readily quote the scripture-story, and make use of it for admonition to themselves not to run upon the same attempts which they found had been fatal.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number+unbalanced-parens

Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth?....

The words behind it

26 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • מִֽי־who?

    mi-H4310 →423 times

  • הִכָּ֞הdid he strike down

    hikahH5221 →499 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • אֲבִימֶ֣לֶךְAbimelech

    ʾavimelekhH40 →

  • בֶּן־[the] son of

    ben-H1121 →4930 times

  • יְרֻבֶּ֗שֶׁתJerub-Besheth

    yerubeshetH3380 →

  • הֲלֽוֹא־¿ not

    halo'-H3808 →5168 times

  • אִשָּׁ֡הa woman

    ʾishahH802 →781 times

  • הִשְׁלִ֣יכָהdid she throw

    hishlikhahH7993 →125 times

  • עָלָיו֩on him

    ʾalavH5921 →5755 times

  • פֶּ֨לַחa mill-stone

    pelachH6400 →

  • רֶ֜כֶבan upper mill-stone

    rekhevH7393 →119 times

  • מֵעַ֤לfrom on

    mealH5921 →5755 times

  • הַֽחוֹמָה֙the wall

    hachomahH2346 →133 times

  • וַיָּ֣מָתand he died

    vaiyamotH4191 →839 times

  • בְּתֵבֵ֔ץin Thebez

    betevetzH8405 →

  • לָ֥מָּה<to> why?

    lamahH4100 →752 times

  • נִגַּשְׁתֶּ֖םdid you draw near

    nigashtemH5066 →125 times

  • אֶל־to

    ʾel-H413 →5510 times

  • הַֽחוֹמָ֑הthe wall

    hachomahH2346 →133 times

  • וְאָ֣מַרְתָּ֔and you will say

    veamartaH559 →5305 times

  • גַּ֗םalso

    gamH1571 →769 times

  • עַבְדְּךָ֛servant your

    ʾavdekhaH5650 →799 times

  • אוּרִיָּ֥הUriah

    ʾuriyahH223 →39 times

  • הַחִתִּ֖יthe Hittite

    hachitiH2850 →48 times

  • מֵֽת׃he has died

    metH4191 →839 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

11 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Judges 9:53But a woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, crushing his skull.7 worksJudges 9:50–54Then Abimelech went to Thebez, encamped against it, and captured it.4 worksJudges 7:1Early in the morning Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the men with him camped beside the spring of Harod. And the camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh.4 worksJudges 6:32So on that day Gideon was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, “Let Baal contend with him,” because he had torn down Baal’s altar.4 works2 Samuel 3:34Your hands were not bound, your feet were not fettered. As a man falls before the wicked, so also you fell.” And all the people wept over him even more.3 works2 Samuel 3:27When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died on account of the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel.3 works
The other 5 cross-references, with their words ▾
Ezekiel 16:51–52Furthermore, Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You have multiplied your abominations beyond theirs, and all the abominations you have committed have made your sisters appear righteous.2 worksPsalms 39:8Deliver me from all my transgressions; do not make me the reproach of fools.2 worksIsaiah 14:10They will all respond to you, saying, “You too have become weak, as we are; you have become like us!”2 works1 Samuel 26:6And David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, “Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?” “I will go with you,” answered Abishai.2 works2 Samuel 11:16So as Joab besieged the city, he assigned Uriah to a place where he saw the strongest enemy soldiers.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    Judges 7:1

    Early in the morning Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the men with him camped beside the spring of Harod. And the camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the…

    it leads to

    • Judges 6:32

      So on that day Gideon was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, “Let Baal contend with him,” because he had torn down Baal’s altar.

    • Genesis 12:6

      Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the Oak of Moreh at Shechem. And at that time the Canaanites were in the land.

    • Ecclesiastes 9:10

      Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.

  • Through

    Judges 6:32

    So on that day Gideon was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, “Let Baal contend with him,” because he had torn down Baal’s altar.

    it leads to

    • 1 Samuel 12:11

      So the LORD sent Jerubbaal, Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel, and He delivered you from the hands of your enemies on every side, and you dwelt securely.

    • Judges 7:1

      Early in the morning Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the men with him camped beside the spring of Harod. And the camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the…

  • Through

    2 Samuel 3:27

    When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died on account of the…

    it leads to

    • 2 Samuel 20:9–10

      “Are you well, my brother?” Joab asked Amasa. And with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him.

    • 1 Kings 2:5

      Moreover, you know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether, the two commanders of the armies of Israel. He killed them…

    • Deuteronomy 27:24

      ‘Cursed is he who strikes down his neighbor in secret.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’

Where this verse is studied

About 2 Samuel

David Mourns the Death of Absalom, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
David Mourns the Death of Absalom, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
2 Samuel: the study guide →Read 2 Samuel 11 →

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; 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.

Read on in 2 Samuel 11 →