The ark - Perhaps there was a double purpose in taking the ark; one, to excite to the utmost the enthusiasm of the people for its defense and against the Ammonites; the other, to have the means at hand of inquiring of the Lord, which David had found so serviceable. read more
Observed the city - In the sense of besieging it closely. read more
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 2 Samuel 11:20, 2 Samuel 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. read more
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 Esther 6:1.) read more
Bath-sheba’s mourning, like that of Abigail 1 Samuel 25:39-42, was probably limited to the customary time of seven days. read more
A.M. 2969. B.C. 1035. David commits adultery with Bath-sheba, 2 Samuel 11:1-5 . Endeavours to father the child upon Uriah, 2 Samuel 11:6-13 . Contrives the death of Uriah, 2 Samuel 11:14-25 . Marries Bath-sheba, 2Sa 11:26 , 2 Samuel 11:27 . read more
2 Samuel 11:1. After the year was expired Hebrew, at the return of the year: when that year ended, and the next began, which was in the spring-time. When kings go forth to battle Which is, when the ground is fit for the march of soldiers, and brings forth provision for man and beast. David sent Joab and all Israel All his soldiers. And they destroyed the children of Ammon Laid waste their country, and killed all the people they could meet with. But David tarried still at Jerusalem ... read more
2 Samuel 11:2. David arose from off his bed Where he had lain down to sleep in the heat of the day, as the manner was in those countries; and where he had probably slept for some time. The bed of sloth often proves the bed of lust. And walked upon the roof of his house To take the fresh air, for the roofs of the houses in that country were flat for this purpose. He saw a woman washing herself In a bath, which was in her garden; probably from some ceremonial pollution. read more
2 Samuel 11:3. David sent and inquired after the woman Thus, instead of suppressing that desire which the sight of his eyes had kindled, he seeks rather to feed it; and first inquires who she was; that if she were unmarried he might make her either his wife or his concubine. And one said, Is not this Bath-sheba? This seems to have been an answer given by some one to David’s inquiry. Uriah is called a Hittite, because he was such by nation, but a proselyte to the Jewish religion; and for... read more
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Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 2 Samuel 11:8
A mess of meat - Compare Genesis 43:34. The word denotes the honorable portion given by the host to his chief guest. read more