New International Version
2 Samuel 11:21
21Who 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.’ ”
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.
- 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.’ ”
- New Living Translation (NLT)Wasn’t Abimelech son of Gideon killed at Thebez by a woman who threw a millstone down on him from the wall? Why would you get so close to the wall?’ Then tell him, ‘Uriah the Hittite was killed, too.’”
Context of 2 Samuel 11:21
19He instructed the messenger: “When you have finished giving the king this account of the battle, 20the king’s anger may flare up, and he may ask you, ‘Why did you get so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you know they would shoot arrows from the wall? 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.’ ” 22The messenger set out, and when he arrived he told David everything Joab had sent him to say. 23The messenger said to David, “The men overpowered us and came out against us in the open, but we drove 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 9:53a woman dropped an upper millstone on his head and cracked his skull.
- Judges 6:32So because Gideon broke down Baal’s altar, they gave him the name Jerub-Baal that day, saying, “Let Baal contend with him.”
- Judges 7:1Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh.
- 2 Samuel 3:27Now when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into an inner chamber, as if to speak with him privately. And there, to avenge the blood of his brother Asahel, Joab stabbed him in the stomach, and he died.
- Psalms 39:8Save me from all my transgressions; do not make me the scorn of fools.
- Isaiah 14:10They will all respond, they will say to you, “You also have become weak, as we are; you have become like us.”
- Ezekiel 16:51Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You have done more detestable things than they, and have made your sisters seem righteous by all these things you have done.
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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