11:22 So the messenger departed. When he arrived, he informed David of all the news that Joab had sent with him. 11:23 The messenger said to David, “The men overpowered us and attacked us 2 in the field. But we forced them to retreat all the way 3 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 4 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. 5 There is no way to anticipate whom the sword will cut down. 6 Press the battle against the city and conquer 7 it.’ Encourage him with these words.” 8
11:26 When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband Uriah was dead, she mourned for him. 9 11:27 When the time of mourning passed, David had her brought to his palace. 10 She became his wife and she bore him a son. But what David had done upset the Lord. 11
1 sn The upper millstone (Heb “millstone of riding”) refers to the heavy circular stone that was commonly rolled over a circular base in order to crush and grind such things as olives.
1 tn Heb “and came out to us.”
2 tn Heb “but we were on them.”
1 tc The translation follows the Qere (“your servants”) rather than the Kethib (“your servant”).
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.
1 tn Heb “for her lord.”
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