2 Samuel 11:2

2 Samuel 11:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.
• New International Version (NIV)One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful,
• English Standard Version (ESV)It 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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold.

Context of 2 Samuel 11:2

1Then it happened in the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all Israel, and they brought destruction on the sons of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed in Jerusalem. Now at evening time David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the king’s house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance. 3So David sent servants and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” 4Then David sent messengers and had her brought, and when she came to him, he slept with her; and when she had purified herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her house.

2 Samuel 11:2 word by word

וַיְהִ֣י׀ לְעֵ֣ת הָעֶ֗רֶב וַיָּ֨קָם דָּוִ֜ד מֵעַ֤ל מִשְׁכָּבוֹ֙ וַיִּתְהַלֵּךְ֙ עַל־גַּ֣ג בֵּית־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיַּ֥רְא אִשָּׁ֛ה רֹחֶ֖צֶת מֵעַ֣ל הַגָּ֑ג וְהָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה טוֹבַ֥ת מַרְאֶ֖ה מְאֹֽד׃Read the interlinear

• Now at eveningעֶ֫רֶב‛ereb · eveningH6153
• timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• gotקָמָיqûm · (Leb)-kamaiH6965
• from his bedמִשְׁכָּבmishkâb · bedH4904
• and walkedהָלַךְhâlak · to go: walkH1980
• aroundהָלַךְhâlak · to go: walkH1980
• the roofגָּגgâg · roofH1406
• of the king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• he sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• a womanאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• bathingרָחַץrâchats · to wash: washH7364
• was veryמְאֹדme'ôd · muchH3966
• beautifulטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
• in appearanceמַרְאֶהmar'eh · appearanceH4758

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 11:2

• 2 Samuel 4:5So the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, departed and came to the house of Ish-bosheth in the heat of the day, while he was taking his midday rest.
• Proverbs 19:15Laziness casts one into a deep sleep, And a lazy person will suffer hunger.
• Proverbs 24:33“A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest,”
• Matthew 26:40And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and He said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour?
• 1 Thessalonians 5:6so then, let’s not sleep as others do, but let’s be alert and sober.
• 1 Peter 4:7The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.
• Deuteronomy 22:8“When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, so that you will not bring guilt for bloodshed on your house if anyone falls from it.
• Jeremiah 19:13The houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah will be defiled like the place Topheth, because of all the houses on whose rooftops they burned sacrifices to all the heavenly lights and poured out drink offerings to other gods.”’”
• Matthew 10:27What I tell you in the darkness, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim on the housetops.
• Acts 10:9On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.
• Genesis 3:6When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband with her, and he ate.
• Genesis 6:2that the sons of God saw that the daughters of mankind were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose.
• Genesis 34:2When Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he took her and lay with her and raped her.
• Job 31:1“I have made a covenant with my eyes; How then could I look at a virgin?
• Psalms 119:37Turn my eyes away from looking at what is worthless, And revive me in Your ways.
• Matthew 5:28but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 11:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2In an evening-tide - David arose - He had been reposing on the roof of his house, to enjoy the breeze, as the noonday was too hot for the performance of business. This is still a constant custom on the flat-roofed houses in the East. He saw a woman washing herself - How could any woman of delicacy expose herself where she could be so fully and openly viewed? Did she not know that she was at least in view of the king's terrace? Was there no design in all…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2An eveningtide - The evening began at three o‘clock in the afternoon.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2strolled around on the roof: The roofs of houses were flat and often used for different activities, like drying and storing food (Joshua 2:6), walking and socializing, and sleeping in warm weather. Bathsheba was bathing in clear view from the roof of the king’s palace. She might have thought everyone was inside, escaping the heat or taking a midday rest.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed--The Hebrews, like other Orientals, rose at daybreak, and always took a nap during the heat of the day. Afterwards they lounged in the cool of the evening on their flat-roofed terraces. It is probable that David had ascended to enjoy the open-air refreshment earlier than usual.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 11:2

• Adultery
• Bastard
• Bath-Sheba (Bathsheba)
• Beauty
• Covetousness
• David
• House
• Instability
• Lasciviousness
• Temptation
• Uriah
• Wife

In the dictionaries

• David
• Approach
• House
• Samuel, Books of
• Uriah
• Ablution
• Bath-Sheba
• Bath; Bathing
• Bible, the
• Even; Evening; Eventide

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