2 Samuel 11:6

¶ And David sent to Joab, [saying], Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.

And David {H1732} sent {H7971} to Joab {H3097}, saying, Send {H7971} me Uriah {H223} the Hittite {H2850}. And Joab {H3097} sent {H7971} Uriah {H223} to David {H1732}.

David sent this order to Yo'av: "Send me Uriyah the Hitti." Yo'av sent Uriyah to David.

At this, David sent orders to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent him to David.

And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.

Commentary

2 Samuel 11:6 presents a critical turning point in the tragic narrative of King David and Bathsheba, revealing David's desperate attempt to conceal his sin.

Context

This verse immediately follows David's adultery with Bathsheba and his learning of her pregnancy (2 Samuel 11:5). David, seeking to cover up his transgression and avoid public scandal, devises a scheme to make it appear that Uriah, Bathsheba's husband, is the father of the child. Uriah was a loyal soldier, a "Hittite" (a non-Israelite, yet fully integrated into David's elite fighting force, one of his "mighty men"), who was away fighting Israel's battles against the Ammonites in Rabbah (2 Samuel 11:1). David's command to Joab, his trusted general, to send Uriah home, was the first step in this calculated deception.

Key Themes

  • Attempted Cover-up: David's actions here highlight the immediate human tendency to hide sin rather than confess it. His sending for Uriah is a manipulative act designed to shift blame and protect his reputation.
  • Manipulation and Abuse of Power: As king, David wielded immense authority. He uses this power not for justice or the good of his people, but to exploit his loyal general and a faithful soldier for his own selfish ends.
  • Uriah's Unwavering Loyalty: Though only mentioned briefly in this verse, Uriah's character becomes starkly evident in the verses that follow (2 Samuel 11:9-13). His commitment to his fellow soldiers and the war effort, even refusing the comforts of home while his comrades were in the field, stands in stark contrast to David's self-serving actions.
  • The Slippery Slope of Sin: This verse marks David's transition from an initial sin (adultery) to a premeditated act of deception, which would tragically escalate into murder (2 Samuel 11:15). It illustrates how unconfessed sin often leads to greater evils.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "Uriah the Hittite" is significant. While a Hittite, Uriah had evidently converted or was deeply committed to Israel and its God, serving faithfully in David's army. His identity underscores that loyalty and integrity are not bound by ethnic origin but by character and devotion, making David's betrayal of him all the more heinous.

Practical Application

This verse serves as a powerful warning about the dangers of attempting to cover up sin. David's actions demonstrate that secrecy often begets further, more grievous sins. Instead of facing the consequences of his actions with integrity, he chose a path of deception, ultimately leading to devastating personal and national repercussions, as later detailed by the prophet Nathan (2 Samuel 12:7-12). The narrative reminds us that true repentance and confession, as exemplified by David in Psalm 51, are the only paths to restoration and peace.

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Cross-References

  • Proverbs 28:13 (3 votes)

    ¶ He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh [them] shall have mercy.

  • Matthew 26:70 (2 votes)

    But he denied before [them] all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.

  • Isaiah 29:13 (2 votes)

    Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near [me] with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:

  • Job 20:12 (2 votes)

    Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, [though] he hide it under his tongue;

  • Job 20:14 (2 votes)

    [Yet] his meat in his bowels is turned, [it is] the gall of asps within him.

  • 1 Samuel 15:30 (2 votes)

    Then he said, I have sinned: [yet] honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD thy God.

  • Matthew 26:72 (2 votes)

    And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.