New King James Version
2 Samuel 11:21
21Who 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.’ ”
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 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
19and charged the messenger, saying, “When you have finished telling the matters of the war to the king, 20if it happens that the king’s wrath rises, and he says to you: ‘Why did you approach so near to the city when you fought? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? 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.’ ” 22So the messenger went, and came and told David all that Joab had sent by him. 23And the messenger said to David, “Surely the men prevailed against us and came out to us in the field; then we drove them back as far as the entrance of the 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 9:53But a certain woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull.
- Judges 6:32Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, “Let Baal plead against him, because he has torn down his altar.”
- Judges 7:1Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the well of Harod, so that the camp of the Midianites was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley.
- 2 Samuel 3:27Now when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there stabbed him in the stomach, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother.
- Psalms 39:8Deliver me from all my transgressions; Do not make me the reproach of the foolish.
- Isaiah 14:10They all shall speak and say to you: ‘Have you also become as weak as we? Have you become like us?
- Ezekiel 16:51“Samaria did not commit half of your sins; but you have multiplied your abominations more than they, and have justified your sisters by all the abominations which 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries