God’s Word Translation
2 Samuel 11:21
21Who killed Jerubbesheth’s son Abimelech? Didn’t a woman on the wall of Thebez throw a small millstone at him and kill him? Why did you go so close to the wall?’ If the king asks this, then say, ‘Your man Uriah the Hittite is also dead.’ ”
2 Samuel 11:21 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- New International Version (NIV)Who killed Abimelek son of Jerub-Besheth? Didn’t a woman drop an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you get so close to the wall?’ If he asks you this, then say to him, ‘Moreover, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.’ ”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Who killed Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?' then you shall say, 'Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.'"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Was it not a woman who cast a piece of a millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go near the wall?’—then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.’ ”
Context of 2 Samuel 11:21
19And he commanded the messenger, “When you finish telling the king about the battle, 20the king may become angry. He might ask you, ‘Why did you go so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you know they would shoot from the wall? Who killed Jerubbesheth’s son Abimelech? Didn’t a woman on the wall of Thebez throw a small millstone at him and kill him? Why did you go so close to the wall?’ If the king asks this, then say, ‘Your man Uriah the Hittite is also dead.’ ” 22The messenger left, and when he arrived, he reported to David everything Joab told him to say. 23The messenger said, “Their men overpowered us and came to attack us in the field. Then we forced them back to the entrance of the city gate.
Read all of 2 Samuel 112 Samuel 11:21 word by word
מִֽי־הִכָּ֞ה אֶת־אֲבִימֶ֣לֶךְ בֶּן־יְרֻבֶּ֗שֶׁת הֲלֽוֹא־אִשָּׁ֡ה הִשְׁלִ֣יכָה עָלָיו֩ פֶּ֨לַח רֶ֜כֶב מֵעַ֤ל הַֽחוֹמָה֙ וַיָּ֣מָת בְּתֵבֵ֔ץ לָ֥מָּה נִגַּשְׁתֶּ֖ם אֶל־הַֽחוֹמָ֑ה וְאָ֣מַרְתָּ֔ גַּ֗ם עַבְדְּךָ֛ אוּרִיָּ֥ה הַחִתִּ֖י מֵֽת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Who smoteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ'ăbîymelek · AbimelechH40
- the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of Jerubbeshethיְרֻבֶּשֶׁתyerûbbesheth · JerubbeshethH3380
- did not a womanאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
- castשָׁלַךְshâlak · to throwH7993
- a pieceפֶּ֫לַחpelach · millstoneH6400
- of a millstoneרֶ֫כֶבrekeb · chariot: millstoneH7393
- upon him from the wallחוֹמָהchômâh · wallH2346
- that he diedמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- in Thebezתֵּבֵץtêbêts · ThebezH8405
- why went ye nighנָגַשׁnâgash · to approach: approachH5066
- then sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- thou, Thy servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- Uriahאוּרִיָּה'ûrîyâh 'ûrîyâhû · UriahH223
- the Hittiteחִתִּיchittîy · HittiteH2850
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 11:21
- Judges 9:53Then a woman threw a small millstone that hit Abimelech on the head and cracked his skull.
- Judges 6:32So that day they nicknamed Gideon “Jerubbaal” [Let Baal Defend Himself], because they said, “When someone tears down Baal’s altar, let Baal defend himself.”
- Judges 7:1Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the troops with him got up early and camped above En Harod. Midian’s camp was north of him at the hill of Moreh in the valley.
- 2 Samuel 3:27When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gateway as if to talk to him privately. There he stabbed Abner in the belly. Abner died because he spilled the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel.
- Psalms 39:8Rescue me from all my rebellious acts. Do not disgrace me in front of godless fools.
- Isaiah 14:10All of them will greet you, “You also have become weak like us! You have become like one of us!”
- Ezekiel 16:51“ ‘Samaria didn’t commit half the sins you did. You have done many more disgusting things than they ever did. Because of all the disgusting things that you have done, you make your sisters look innocent.
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 11:21
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Who 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 the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-27Verses 14-27 Adulteries often occasion murders, and one wickedness is sought to be covered by another. The beginnings of sin are much to be dreaded; for who knows where they will end? Can a real believer ever tread this path? Can such a person be indeed a child of God? Though grace be not lost in such an awful case, the assurance and consolation of it must be suspended. All David's life, spirituality, and comfort in religion, we may be sure were lost. No…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21Was it not a woman who dropped an upper millstone on him: Compare Judges 9:54.Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 11:21
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
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