New International Version
2 Samuel 11:2
2One 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,
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath.
Context of 2 Samuel 11:2
1In 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. 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, 3and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” 4Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness.) Then she went back home.
Read all of 2 Samuel 112 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- And it came to pass in an eveningtideעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
- And it came to pass in an eveningtideעֶ֫רֶב‛ereb · eveningH6153
- that Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- aroseקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
- from off his bedמִשְׁכָּבmishkâb · bedH4904
- and walkedהָלַךְhâlak · to go: walkH1980
- upon the roofגָּגgâg · roofH1406
- of the king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
- he sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- a womanאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
- washingרָחַץrâchats · to wash: washH7364
- veryמְאֹדme'ôd · muchH3966
- beautifulטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- to look uponמַרְאֶהmar'eh · appearanceH4758
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 11:2
- 2 Samuel 4:5Now Rekab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, set out for the house of Ish-Bosheth, and they arrived there in the heat of the day while he was taking his noonday rest.
- Proverbs 19:15Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless go hungry.
- Proverbs 24:33A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—
- Matthew 26:40Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:6So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober.
- 1 Peter 4:7The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.
- Deuteronomy 22:8When you build a new house, make a parapet around your roof so that you may not bring the guilt of bloodshed on your house if someone falls from the roof.
- Jeremiah 19:13The houses in Jerusalem and those of the kings of Judah will be defiled like this place, Topheth—all the houses where they burned incense on the roofs to all the starry hosts and poured out drink offerings to other gods.’ ”
- Matthew 10:27What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs.
- Acts 10:9About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray.
- Genesis 3:6When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
- Genesis 6:2the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose.
- Genesis 34:2When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the ruler of that area, saw her, he took her and raped her.
- Job 31:1“I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman.
- Psalms 119:37Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.
- Matthew 5:28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully 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
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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