New English Translation
2 Samuel 11:1
1In the spring of the year, at the time when kings normally conduct wars, David sent out Joab with his officers and the entire Israelite army. They defeated the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed behind in 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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- 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.
Context of 2 Samuel 11:1
In the spring of the year, at the time when kings normally conduct wars, David sent out Joab with his officers and the entire Israelite army. They defeated the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed behind in Jerusalem. 2One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of his palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. Now this woman was very attractive. 3So David sent someone to inquire about the woman. The messenger said, “Isn’t 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 20:22The prophet visited the king of Israel and instructed him, “Go, fortify your defenses. Determine what you must do, for in the spring the king of Syria will attack you.”
- 2 Chronicles 36:10At the beginning of the year King Nebuchadnezzar ordered him to be brought to Babylon, along with the valuable items in the Lord’s temple. In his place he made his relative 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, at the time when kings normally conduct wars, Joab led the army into battle and devastated the land of the Ammonites. He went and besieged Rabbah, while David stayed in Jerusalem. Joab defeated Rabbah and tore it down.
- Zechariah 14:3Then the Lord will go to battle and fight against those nations, just as he fought battles in ancient days.
- 2 Samuel 12:26So Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal city.
- Deuteronomy 3:11Only King Og of Bashan was left of the remaining Rephaites. (It is noteworthy that his sarcophagus was made of iron. Does it not, indeed, still remain in Rabbath of the Ammonites? It is thirteen and a half feet long and six feet wide according to standard measure.)
- Ezekiel 21:20Mark out the routes for the sword to take: “Rabbah of the Ammonites” and “Judah with Jerusalem in it.”
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
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