2 Samuel 11:1-27

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 11:1-5

Here is, I. David's glory, in pursuing the war against the Ammonites, 2 Sam. 11:1. We cannot take that pleasure in viewing this great action which hitherto we have taken in observing David's achievements, because the beauty of it was stained and sullied by sin; otherwise we might take notice of David's wisdom and bravery in following his blow. Having routed the army of the Ammonites in the field, as soon as ever the season of the year permitted he sent more forces to waste the country and... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 11:6-13

Uriah, we may suppose, had now been absent from his wife some weeks, making the campaign in the country of the Ammonites, and not intending to return till the end of it. The situation of his wife would bring to light the hidden works of darkness; and when Uriah, at his return, should find how he had been abused, and by whom, it might well be expected, 1. That he would prosecute his wife, according to law, and have her stoned to death; for jealousy is the rage of a man, especially a man of... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 11:14-27

When David's project of fathering the child upon Uriah himself failed, so that, in process of time, Uriah would certainly know the wrong that had been done him, to prevent the fruits of his revenge, the devil put it into David's heart to take him off, and then neither he nor Bath-sheba would be in any danger (what prosecution could there be when there was no prosecutor?), suggesting further that, when Uriah was out of the way, Bath-sheba might, if he pleased, be his own for ever. Adulteries... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 11:1

And it came to pass, that after the year was expired ,.... Or at the end of the year, as the Targum, which concluded with the month Adar or February, the spring of the year: at the time when kings go forth to battle ; in the month Nisan, as the Targum on 1 Chronicles 20:1 ; adds, the same with Abib, which was the first month of the year, Exodus 12:2 , a fit time to go out to war; when, as the Jewish commentators observe, the rains were over, and there were grass in the fields, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 11:2

And it came to pass in an eveningtide ,.... Some time in the afternoon, when the sun began to decline; not in the dusk of the evening, for then the object he saw could not have been seen so distinctly by him: that David arose from off his bed ; having taken a nap in the heat of the day after dinner; indulging himself more than he used to do to sloth and luxury, which prepared him, and led him on the more eagerly to the lust of uncleanness: and walked upon the roof of the king's house ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 11:3

And David sent and inquired after the woman ,.... Who she was, what her name, and whether married or unmarried; if the latter, very probably his intention was to marry her, and he might, when he first made the inquiry, design to proceed no further, or to anything that was dishonourable; but it would have been better for him not to have inquired at all, and endeavoured to stifle the motions raised in him at the sight of her: and one said, is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam ;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 11:4

And David sent messengers ,.... To invite her to his palace: and took her ; not by force, but through persuasion: and she came in unto him ; into the apartment where he was: and he lay with her ; she consenting to it, being prevailed upon, and drawn into it through the greatness and goodness of the man, which might make the sin appear the lesser to her. This is recorded to show what the best of men are, when left to themselves; how strong and prevalent corrupt nature is in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 11:5

And the woman conceived ,.... Whereby the sin would be discovered, and shame, and disgrace, or worse, would follow upon it: and sent and told David, and said, I am with child ; this message she sent to David, that he might think of some ways and means to prevent the scandal that would fall both upon him and her, and the danger she was exposed unto; fearing the outcries of the people against her, in acting so unfaithful a part to her husband, so brave a man, who was now fighting for his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 11:6

And David sent to Joab ,.... Who was with the army besieging Rabbah, which, according to Bunting F11 Travels, &c.; p. 146. , was sixty four miles from Jerusalem: saying , send me Uriah the Hittite ; the scheme David had contrived in his mind was to get Uriah home to his wife for a few days, that it might be thought the child she had conceived was his, whereby the sin of David, and her own, might be concealed: and Joab sent Uriah to David ; not knowing his business, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 11:7

And when Uriah was come unto him ,.... To David, to whom he came first, before he went to his own house, desirous of knowing what was the special business of the king with him: David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered ; he asked of the welfare of Joab the general, and of the common soldiers, and of the warriors, as the Targum, the mighty men that went along with Joab, 2 Samuel 10:7 . David seems to have been at a loss what to say to him.... read more

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