2 Samuel 11:26

2Sa 11:26 And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.

Ver. 26. She mourned for her husband.] Fictis lachrymis; there is little doubt to be made but that she was inwardly glad, considering her danger of being punished for an adulteress, and her hopes of being now made a queen: but if her great sin had come before her - as afterwards doubtless it did - she had cause enough to mourn with "the voice of a dove, tabering upon her breast," as Queen Huzzab. {Nah 2:7}

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.

Verse 26. She mourned for her husband.] The whole of her conduct indicates that she observed the form without feeling the power of sorrow. She lost a captain and got a king for her spouse; this must have been deep affliction indeed: and therefore: -

_____ Lachrymas non sponte cadentes

Effudit; gemitusque expressit pectore laeto.

"She shed reluctant tears, and forced out groans from a joyful heart."

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(26) Mourned for her husband.—How long this mourning lasted we are not told. The usual period was seven days (Gen_1:10; 1Sa_31:13), and although that of a widow may well have been somewhat longer, it was doubtless, under the circumstances, made as short as was consistent with decency.

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

26, 27. Bath-sheba becomes David’s wife

26. she mourned for her husband] Seven days was the usual period of mourning. See Gen_50:10; 1Sa_31:13; Jdt_16:24; Sir_22:12. In exceptional cases thirty days were observed. See Num_20:29; Deu_34:8. No special time seems to have been prescribed for widows. There is no indication that Bath-sheba’s mourning was more than a formal ceremony.

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 when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead,.... The news of which were soon sent her by David, though it is very probable she knew nothing of the plot to take away his life; and, besides, David chose to have his death published abroad as soon as possible, the more to hide his sin:

she mourned for her husband; expressed tokens of mourning by shedding tears, putting on a mourning habit, seeing no company, and this continued for the space of seven days, it may be, Sa1 31:13; as little time as possible was spent in this way, and the marriage hastened, that the adultery might not be discovered.

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

Bath-sheba’s mourning, like that of Abigail 1Sa 25:39-42, was probably limited to the customary time of seven days.

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

For him. We may apply to her tears those words of Lucan: -----Lachrymas non sponte cadentes

Effudit, gemitusque expressit pectore læto.

"None affected more sorrow for the death of Germanicus, than those who rejoiced the most at that event." (Tacitus, An. ii.) --- The mourning for the dead usually lasted seven days; (Ecclesiasticus xxii. 13.) and after that period, David seems to have married Bethsabee. (Abulensis, q. 21.)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

26. She mourned for her husband — Probably seven days. Compare Gen_50:10; 1Sa_31:13. David would seek to take her to wife as long as possible before childbirth, in order to hide his sin, and there appears to have been no reluctance on her part. “The whole of her conduct indicates that she observed the form without feeling the power of sorrow. She lost a captain and got a king for her spouse; and therefore ‘she shed reluctant tears, and forced out groans from a joyful heart.’” — Clarke.

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

And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. There is something pathetic in this repetition of the name of the murdered man, and his close relationship with Bathsheba is dwelt upon by his being twice called "her husband," and she "Uriah"s wife." Having been the cause of his murder, she is careful to make for him the customary mourning. How long it lasted is uncertain. The mourning for Aaron (Num_20:29) and that for Moses (Deu_34:8) were each for thirty days; while that for Jacob at (Gen_50:10) and that of the men of Jabesh-Gilead for Saul (1Sa_31:13) lasted only for seven days. Both these, however, were under such exceptional circumstances as made them no rule; but in Ecc 22:12 we read, "Seven days do men mourn for him that is dead," and the national lamentation for Judith lasted the same time. (RAPC Jdt 16:24) Probably, however, the mourning of a widow for her husband would last a month.

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

she lamented deeply

Here the author speaks of her lamenting very much as if it were deep inside her. AT: "she lamented very much" or "she lamented greatly" (See: Metaphor)

sorrow

a deep feeling of sadness caused by suffering, disappointment or misfortune

David sent and took her home

Here the word "sent" means that he sent a messenger to get her and bring her to him. AT: "David sent a messenger to her to bring her home" (See: Idiom and Metonymy)

displeased Yahweh

"saddened Yahweh" or "angered Yahweh"

translationWords

Uriah

lament

Yahweh

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