2 Samuel 11:16

2Sa 11:16 And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men [were].

Ver. 16. He assigned Uriah, &c.] He thrust him into the jaws of death, and basely betrayed him: as holding that unsound principle, Whatsoever pleaseth the king shall please me, be it right or wrong. How much better he in the tragedian, {a} Obediemus Atridis honesta mandantibus; sin vero inhonesta mandabunt, non obediemus; We will obey the prince if he command things honest; and not, if otherwise. But Joab haply hoped hereby to ingratiate, and to come off the better, for the murder of Abner, which he had not yet answered, since David was now no less guilty than himself.

{a} Euripid., in Iphigen.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Sa 11:16-17. Where he knew that valiant men were — He ordered him, with others, to attack a part of the city which he knew would be valiantly defended; or out of which he knew the best men they had in the city would issue forth against them. Joab also was herein very guilty in complying with David’s wicked command; unless he supposed that Uriah had committed some great crime, for which David consulting his honour, chose to punish him in this manner, rather than openly. The men of the city went out —

They seem to have made a sally out of the city upon the Israelites, when they saw the latter were preparing for an assault. There fell some of the servants of David — This was a further aggravation of David’s sin, that he not only exposed an innocent and a valiant faithful servant to be killed, but other persons also with him, who might otherwise have lived to have done good service to their country. For it is not to be imagined that David meant Uriah to be set alone in the fore-front of the battle, where the service was hottest, but that there was to be a party with him, whom he was to lead on. This was accordingly ordered by Joab, and those men fell with Uriah.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

11:16-17 Uriah was not the only casualty: David sacrificed several other Israelite soldiers while attempting to hide his sin.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(16) Observed the city.—The word means watched, or blockaded. In the operations of the siege Joab so arranged some of his forces as to invite a sally from the city under circumstances in which it would be successful. It appears from 2Sa_11:24 that Uriah’s party had been sent so near as to come within reach of the archers on the wall.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

16. when Joab observed the city] Better, as Joab watched the city, i.e. besieged it.

a place where he knew that valiant men were] Uriah was posted opposite the most strongly guarded part of the city, where the fighting was likely to be fiercest in case of a sally.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city,.... Where lay its greatest strength, and where it was best defended; or besieged it, as the Targum:

that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were; who would not easily give way, and when they saw an opportunity would sally out, Joab cannot be excused from sin, unless he thought that Uriah had been guilty of death, and that David took this way of dispatching him for some political reason; however David was king, and to be obeyed.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Observed the city - In the sense of besieging it closely.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Placed there to defend it, because that part of the city was supposed either the weakest, or the place designed for the assault. Joab having formerly committed a base murder upon Abner, was ready to execute this wicked command of the king; that so he being involved in the same guilt with him, might the more willingly receive him into favour.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

16. Observed the city — Laid out his plans for besieging it.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

When Joab observed the city; Revised Version, kept watch upon the city. This does net mean, as some suppose, that Joab sent a body of men to examine the fortifications with a view to an assault, and so provoked a sally. The verb simply refers to the ordinary operations of a siege, which usually resolved itself into a long blockade, continued until starvation compelled a surrender; and to hasten this the people of the villages were forced into the town, by the rule that all left outside were put to the sword. To maintain the blockade, men were posted at all fit points round the city, and these were constantly assailed by the besieged. Joab then placed Uriah at a post which was especially the object of attack; and when the usual sally took place and was repulsed, Joab seems to have ordered Uriah to pursue them up to the very gate, where they would be exposed to a shower of arrows from the walls. Others fell besides Uriah, and that the loss was considerable, and the result of bad generalship, though designedly such, seems probable from the deprecation of the king"s anger in ver. 20.

Vers. 16-21. (RABBAH.)

Complicity in sin.

Here are three men: David, a great but sinful king, bent on the destruction of a faithful servant; Uriah, a brave but injured soldier, sent unconsciously to his doom; and Joab, an able but unscrupulous general, (2Sa_3:22-30) become a willing agent and ready accomplice in his execution "with the sword of the children of Ammon". (2Sa_12:9)

1. There is seldom wanting a suitable accomplice in effecting a sinful purpose, however iniquitous it may be. The character of Joab was well known to David. "It was his very wickedness that commended him to the king as the most fitting instrument for carrying out his infamous design." He had formerly deprecated his wickedness; (2Sa_3:29, 2Sa_3:39) but now that he had himself fallen into sin, he associated himself with it, and made use of it for his own ends, although, as he afterwards found, to his own cost. "How Joab must have rejoiced when David sank down to his own level!

2. In serving another, such an accomplice is chiefly concerned aboutserving himself. He seeks supremely his own advantage. Joab acted not from loyalty, but self-love. "To make himself great, powerful, indispensable, was the object of his life" (Plumptre). "Possibly he had some information that Bathsheba had been with David" ("Speaker"s Commentary"). Anyhow, perceiving the design of the king against Uriah, he served him, in order that he might gain complete power over him; and in this he succeeded. "When David made him a partner and secret agent of his guilty purpose touching Uriah, he sold himself into his hands, and in that fatal letter he sealed away his liberty and surrendered himself up to this his unscrupulous accomplice" (Blunt). "All fellowship in sin begets despotism." Henceforth Joab did with the king very much as he pleased.

1. No authority of man can justify the violation of the Law of God. How often have men imagined that the command or sanction of one in authority

2. has been a sufficient warrant for doing what their own consciences condemned, and laid the blame of their conduct on the instigator thereof rather than on themselves! Joab probably needed little self excuse; but it ever he should want a defence, he might plead the king"s letter. He was reckless of human life; to effect his purpose made a greater sacrifice of it than the king intended (ver. 17), and became more hardened than ever in wickedness. "We ought to obey God rather than men.

3. There may be exemption from punishment when there is no exonerationfrom blame. "How must this example needs harden Joab against the conscience of Abner"s blood! while he cannot but think, "David cannot avenge that in me which he acteth himself (Hall). Nevertheless, his guilt, in the sight of God, remains; and judgment comes at last. D. (Ecc_12:14)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

the siege upon the city

The word "siege" can be expressed with the verbs "surround" and "attack." AT: "his army surround and attack the city" (See: Abstract Nouns)

some of the soldiers of David fell

The word "fell" is a polite way to refer to the soldiers being killed. AT: "David's soldiers were killed" or "they killed some of David's soldiers" (See: Euphemism)

and Uriah the Hittite was also killed there

This can be stated in active form. AT: "including Uriah the Hittite" or "and the men of the city also killed Uriah the Hittite" (See: Active or Passive)

translationWords

siege

assign

Uriah

Hittite

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.