Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - 2 Samuel 11:21
(21) Who smote Abimelech?—See Judges 9:53. Joab anticipated David’s anger at his apparent rashness, and charged the messenger, when he should observe it, to mention’s Uriah’s death. This was not likely to awaken any suspicion in the messenger, as it would appear to him rather as an effort on Joab’s part to throw the blame from himself upon Uriah as the leader of the assaulting party. The messenger appears to have told all in one breath, so that there was no opportunity for David to express... read more
John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 11:1-27
David and BathshebaThis narrative is of the greatest value. It shows the faithfulness and the high morality of the historian, who relates, without a single attempt at palliation, this scandalous chapter in the great king’s history. Further, the position of the prophet, even in these early days, as the ’conscience’ of the individual or the nation, is clearly described. What Nathan is to David, Elijah (with equal courage) is to Ahab. In other nations, even in much later times, such an act if... read more