English Standard Version
2 Samuel 11:1
1In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.
2 Samuel 11:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.
- New International Version (NIV)In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.
- New King James Version (NKJV)It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.
- New Living Translation (NLT)In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem.
Context of 2 Samuel 11:1
In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. 2It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king's house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. 3And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, "Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?"
Read all of 2 Samuel 112 Samuel 11:1 word by word
וַיְהִי֩ לִתְשׁוּבַ֨ת הַשָּׁנָ֜ה לְעֵ֣ת׀ צֵ֣את הַמַּלְאֿכִ֗ים וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח דָּוִ֡ד אֶת־יוֹאָב֩ וְאֶת־עֲבָדָ֨יו עִמּ֜וֹ וְאֶת־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וַיַּשְׁחִ֙תוּ֙ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֔וֹן וַיָּצֻ֖רוּ עַל־רַבָּ֑ה וְדָוִ֖ד יוֹשֵׁ֥ב בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And it came to pass, after the yearשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141
- was expiredתְּשׁוּבָהteshûbâh teshûbâh · turnH8666
- at the timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
- when kingsמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messengerH4397
- when kingsמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- go forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
- that Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- Joabיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
- and his servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- with him, and all Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- and they destroyedשָׁחַתshâchath · to ruinH7843
- the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Ammonעַמּוֹן‛ammôn · AmmonH5983
- and besiegedצוּרtsûr · to confineH6696
- Rabbahרַבָּהrabbâh · RabbahH7237
- tarried stillיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- at Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 11:1
- 1 Kings 20:22Then the prophet came near to the king of Israel and said to him, "Come, strengthen yourself, and consider well what you have to do, for in the spring the king of Syria will come up against you."
- 2 Chronicles 36:10In the spring of the year King Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon, with the precious vessels of the house of the Lord, and made his brother Zedekiah king over Judah and Jerusalem.
- Ecclesiastes 3:8a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
- 1 Chronicles 20:1In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, Joab led out the army and ravaged the country of the Ammonites and came and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. And Joab struck down Rabbah and overthrew it.
- Zechariah 14:3Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle.
- 2 Samuel 12:26Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and took the royal city.
- Deuteronomy 3:11(For only Og the king of Bashan was left of the remnant of the Rephaim. Behold, his bed was a bed of iron. Is it not in Rabbah of the Ammonites? Nine cubits was its length, and four cubits its breadth, according to the common cubit.)
- Ezekiel 21:20Mark a way for the sword to come to Rabbah of the Ammonites and to Judah, into Jerusalem the fortified.
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 11:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1When kings go forth - This was about a year after the war with the Syrians spoken of before, and about the spring of the year, as the most proper season for military operations. Calmet thinks they made two campaigns, one in autumn and the other in spring; the winter being in many respects inconvenient, and the summer too hot.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1After the year was expired - The next spring after the escape of the Ammonites into their city 2 Samuel 10:14. The children of Ammon - The marginal reference supplies the word “the land of,” which is obviously the right reading. David tarried at Jerusalem - The Syrians being subdued, the war with Ammon was not of sufficient moment to require David‘s personal presence. The whole section relating to David‘s adultery and Uriah‘s death, from this verse to 2…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1David's adultery. (1-5) He tries to conceal his crime. (6-13) Uriah murdered. (14-27) Verses 1-5 Observe the occasions of David's sin; what led to it. 1. Neglect of his business. He tarried at Jerusalem. When we are out of the way of our duty, we are in temptation. 2. Love of ease: idleness gives great advantage to the tempter. 3. A wandering eye. He had not, like Job, made a covenant with his eyes, or, at this time, he had forgotten it. And observe the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1In the spring of the year, the land began to dry out after the heavy winter rains. Kings avoided war during the rainy season. David stayed behind either because he was irresponsible in carrying out his royal duties or because he trusted Joab to efficiently handle the Ammonite problem (compare 2 Samuel 10:7). This is the first mention of a leader of Israel staying off the battlefield in a time of war.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 12Sa 11:1. Joab Besieges Rabbah. 1. at the time when kings go forth to battle--The return of spring was the usual time of commencing military operations. This expedition took place the year following the war against the Syrians; and it was entered upon because the disaster of the former campaign having fallen chiefly upon the Syrian mercenaries, the Ammonites had not been punished for their insult to the ambassadors. David sent Joab and his servants…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 11:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries