Text -- 2 Samuel 11:23-27 (NET)

11:23 The messenger said to David, “The men overpowered us and attacked us in the field. But we forced them to retreat all the way to the door of the city gate. 11:24 Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall and some of the king’s soldiers died. Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.” 11:25 David said to the messenger, “Tell Joab, ‘Don’t let this thing upset you. There is no way to anticipate whom the sword will cut down. Press the battle against the city and conquer it.’ Encourage him with these words.” 11:26 When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband Uriah was dead, she mourned for him. 11:27 When the time of mourning passed, David had her brought to his palace. She became his wife and she bore him a son. But what David had done upset the Lord.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: 2Sa 11:23

¹ tn Heb “and came out to us.”

² tn Heb “but we were on them.”

NET Notes: 2Sa 11:24

¹ tc The translation follows the Qere (“your servants”) rather than the Kethib (“your servant”).

NET Notes: 2Sa 11:25

¹ tn Heb “let not this matter be evil in your eyes.”

² tn Heb “according to this and according to this the sword devours.”

³ tn Heb “overthrow.”

⁴ tn The Hebrew text does not have “with these words.” They are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.

NET Notes: 2Sa 11:26

¹ tn Heb “for her lord.”

NET Notes: 2Sa 11:27

¹ tn Heb “David sent and gathered her to his house.”

² tn Heb “and the thing which David had done was evil in the eyes of the Lord.” Note the verbal connection with v. 25. Though David did not regard the matter as evil, the Lord certainly did.