2 Samuel 11 in Hebrew, English & Transliteration

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Tenakh Study · We are reading through the book of 2 Samuel together, every Wednesday at 7 pm (Central Time) on Zoom. Text us for the Zoom link. Our Messianic Jewish notes appear below each passage; tap Commentary above to hide them.

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Tenakh Study · 2 Samuel 11:1–27

2 Samuel, Chapter 11

שמואל ב יא

While Yo’av besieges Rabbah, David stays in Yerushalayim, sees Bat-Sheva from his roof and takes her. When she conceives he recalls her husband Uriyah, who will not go home while the ark is in the field, and then has him killed in battle. David marries the widow, “but the thing that David had done displeased Hashem.”

11:1And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Yo’av (Joab), and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Yerushalayim (Jerusalem).

Vayehi litshuvat hashanah le'et tzet hamelaḥim vayishlaḥ David et-Yo'av ve'et-avadav imo ve'et-kol-Yisra'el vayashḥitu et-benei Amon vayatzuru al-Rabah veDavid yoshev biRushalayim.

אוַיְהִי֩ לִתְשׁוּבַ֨ת הַשָּׁנָ֜ה לְעֵ֣ת ׀ צֵ֣את הַמְּלָאכִ֗ים וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח דָּוִ֡ד אֶת־יוֹאָב֩ וְאֶת־עֲבָדָ֨יו עִמּ֜וֹ וְאֶת־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וַיַּשְׁחִ֙תוּ֙ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֔וֹן וַיָּצֻ֖רוּ עַל־רַבָּ֑ה וְדָוִ֖ד יוֹשֵׁ֥ב בִּירוּשָׁלָֽםִ׃

11:2And it came to pass in an evening, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house; and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.

Vayehi le'et ha'erev vayakom David me'al mishkavo vayithaleḥ al-gag beit-hameleḥ vayar ishah roḥetzet me'al hagag veha'ishah tovat mar'eh me'od.

בוַיְהִ֣י ׀ לְעֵ֣ת הָעֶ֗רֶב וַיָּ֨קָם דָּוִ֜ד מֵעַ֚ל מִשְׁכָּבוֹ֙ וַיִּתְהַלֵּךְ֙ עַל־גַּ֣ג בֵּית־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיַּ֥רְא אִשָּׁ֛ה רֹחֶ֖צֶת מֵעַ֣ל הַגָּ֑ג וְהָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה טוֹבַ֥ת מַרְאֶ֖ה מְאֹֽד׃

11:3And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bat-Sheva (Bath-sheba), the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriyah (Uriah) the Chitti (Hittite)?”

Vayishlaḥ David vayidrosh la'ishah vayomer halo-zot Bat-Sheva bat-Eli'am eshet Uriyah haḤiti.

גוַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח דָּוִ֔ד וַיִּדְר֖שׁ לָֽאִשָּׁ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הֲלוֹא־זֹאת֙ בַּת־שֶׁ֣בַע בַּת־אֱלִיעָ֔ם אֵ֖שֶׁת אוּרִיָּ֥ה הַחִתִּֽי׃

11:4And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness; and she returned unto her house.

Vayishlaḥ David mal'aḥim vayikaḥeha vatavo elav vayishkav imah vehi mitkadeshet mitum'atah vatashov el-beitah.

דוַיִּשְׁלַח֩ דָּוִ֨ד מַלְאָכִ֜ים וַיִּקָּחֶ֗הָ וַתָּב֚וֹא אֵלָיו֙ וַיִּשְׁכַּ֣ב עִמָּ֗הּ וְהִ֥יא מִתְקַדֶּ֖שֶׁת מִטֻּמְאָתָ֑הּ וַתָּ֖שָׁב אֶל־בֵּיתָֽהּ׃

11:5And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, “I am with child.”

Vatahar ha'ishah vatishlaḥ vataged leDavid vatomer harah anoḥi.

הוַתַּ֖הַר הָֽאִשָּׁ֑ה וַתִּשְׁלַח֙ וַתַּגֵּ֣ד לְדָוִ֔ד וַתֹּ֖אמֶר הָרָ֥ה אָנֹֽכִי׃

Commentary · 11:1–5

The roof

“Kings go forth, and the king stayed home.” The Hebrew of verse 1 has a ketiv and qere: the written word is hamal’achim, “the messengers,” the reading hamelachim, “the kings” (Minchat Shai; Radak). Nothing in the verse accuses David, but Uriyah will say it to his face in verse 11. The Talmud frames the roof with a warning: “A person should never bring himself to a test, for David king of Israel brought himself to a test and stumbled.” David had prayed, “Examine me, O Hashem, and prove me” (Psalm 26:2); Hashem tested him, and he fell. Bat-Sheva was washing behind a screen; Satan came as a bird, David shot at it, the arrow struck the screen, and he saw her (Sanhedrin 107a). The fall begins before the roof.

The same page says something that explains the whole chapter: “Bat-Sheva the daughter of Eliam was fit for David from the six days of creation, but he ate her unripe” (pagah, an unripe fig; Sanhedrin 107a). She was meant to be the mother of Shlomo; the sin was not the woman but the hour. Ariel Cohen Alloro builds on this: Bat-Sheva is “the fig that was not ready,” and David, like Adam in the garden, “didn’t wait.” We offer that as the Sages’ own hint. Eliam is one of David’s thirty mighty men, “the son of Achitophel the Gilonite” (23:34), so Bat-Sheva was Achitophel’s granddaughter (Sanhedrin 69b, 101b); Uriyah too is one of the thirty (23:39). Radak says Uriyah was either a convert or an Israelite who had lived among the Hittites; the Talmud says he “dwelt in Chet” (Kiddushin 76b).

Uriyah will not go home

11:6And David sent to Yo’av, saying, “Send me Uriyah the Chitti.” And Yo’av sent Uriyah to David.

Vayishlaḥ David el-Yo'av shelaḥ elay et-Uriyah haḤiti vayishlaḥ Yo'av et-Uriyah el-David.

ווַיִּשְׁלַ֚ח דָּוִד֙ אֶל־יוֹאָ֔ב שְׁלַ֣ח אֵלַ֔י אֶת־אֽוּרִיָּ֖ה הַחִתִּ֑י וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח יוֹאָ֛ב אֶת־אֽוּרִיָּ֖ה אֶל־דָּוִֽד׃

11:7And when Uriyah had come unto him, David asked of him how Yo’av did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.

Vayavo Uriyah elav vayish'al David lishlom Yo'av velishlom ha'am velishlom hamilḥamah.

זוַיָּבֹ֥א אוּרִיָּ֖ה אֵלָ֑יו וַיִּשְׁאַ֣ל דָּוִ֗ד לִשְׁל֚וֹם יוֹאָב֙ וְלִשְׁל֣וֹם הָעָ֔ם וְלִשְׁל֖וֹם הַמִּלְחָמָֽה׃

11:8And David said to Uriyah, “Go down to your house, and wash your feet.” And Uriyah departed out of the king’s house, and there followed him a portion of food from the king.

Vayomer David le'Uriyah red leveiteḥa ureḥatz ragleḥa vayetze Uriyah mibeit hameleḥ vatetze aḥarav mas'at hameleḥ.

חוַיֹּ֚אמֶר דָּוִד֙ לְא֣וּרִיָּ֗ה רֵ֥ד לְבֵיתְךָ֖ וּרְחַ֣ץ רַגְלֶ֑יךָ וַיֵּצֵ֚א אֽוּרִיָּה֙ מִבֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַתֵּצֵ֥א אַחֲרָ֖יו מַשְׂאַ֥ת הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

11:9But Uriyah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.

Vayishkav Uriyah petaḥ beit hameleḥ et kol-avdei adonav velo yarad el-beito.

טוַיִּשְׁכַּ֣ב אוּרִיָּ֗ה פֶּ֚תַח בֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֵ֖ת כָּל־עַבְדֵ֣י אֲדֹנָ֑יו וְלֹ֥א יָרַ֖ד אֶל־בֵּיתֽוֹ׃

11:10And when they had told David, saying, “Uriyah went not down unto his house,” David said unto Uriyah, “Have you not come from a journey? Why then did you not go down unto your house?”

Vayagidu leDavid lemor lo-yarad Uriyah el-beito vayomer David el-Uriyah halo midereḥ atah va madua lo-yaradta el-beiteḥa.

יוַיַּגִּ֚דוּ לְדָוִד֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹֽא־יָרַ֥ד אוּרִיָּ֖ה אֶל־בֵּית֑וֹ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֜ד אֶל־אוּרִיָּ֗ה הֲל֚וֹא מִדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ אַתָּ֣ה בָ֔א מַדּ֖וּעַ לֹֽא־יָרַ֥דְתָּ אֶל־בֵּיתֶֽךָ׃

11:11And Uriyah said unto David, “The ark, and Israel, and Yehudah (Judah), abide in tents; and my lord Yo’av, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into my house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.”

Vayomer Uriyah el-David ha'aron veYisra'el viYhudah yoshevim basukot vadoni Yo'av ve'avdei adoni al-penei hasadeh ḥonim va'ani avo el-beiti le'eḥol velishtot velishkav im-ishti ḥayeḥa veḥei nafsheḥa im-e'eseh et-hadavar hazeh.

יאוַיֹּ֨אמֶר אוּרִיָּ֜ה אֶל־דָּוִ֗ד הָ֠אָרוֹן וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל וִֽיהוּדָ֜ה ישְׁבִ֣ים בַּסֻּכּ֗וֹת וַאדֹנִ֨י יוֹאָ֜ב וְעַבְדֵ֚י אֲדֹנִ֨י עַל־פְּנֵ֚י הַשָּׂדֶה֙ חֹנִ֔ים וַאֲנִ֞י אָב֧וֹא אֶל־בֵּיתִ֛י לֶאֱכֹ֥ל וְלִשְׁתּ֖וֹת וְלִשְׁכַּ֣ב עִם־אִשְׁתִּ֑י חַיֶּ֙ךָ֙ וְחֵ֣י נַפְשֶׁ֔ךָ אִֽם־אֶעֱשֶֹ֖ה אֶת־הַדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה׃

11:12And David said to Uriyah, “Tarry here today also, and tomorrow I will let you depart.” So Uriyah stayed in Yerushalayim that day, and the next.

Vayomer David el-Uriyah shev bazeh gam-hayom umaḥar ashaleḥeka vayeshev Uriyah viRushalayim bayom hahu umimoḥorat.

יבוַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֜ד אֶל־אוּרִיָּ֗ה שֵׁ֥ב בָּזֶ֛ה גַּם־הַיּ֖וֹם וּמָחָ֣ר אֲשַׁלְּחֶ֑ךָּ וַיֵּ֨שֶׁב אוּרִיָּ֧ה בִירוּשָׁלַ֛םִ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא וּמִמָּחֳרָֽת׃

11:13And when David had called him, he ate and drank before him; and he made him drunk; and at evening he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.

Vayikra-lo David vayoḥal lefanav vayesht vayeshakerehu vayetze va'erev lishkav bemishkavo im-avdei adonav ve'el-beito lo yarad.

יגוַיִּקְרָא־ל֣וֹ דָוִ֗ד וַיֹּ֧אכַל לְפָנָ֛יו וַיֵּ֖שְׁתְּ וַֽיְשַׁכְּרֵ֑הוּ וַיֵּצֵ֣א בָעֶ֗רֶב לִשְׁכַּ֚ב בְּמִשְׁכָּבוֹ֙ עִם־עַבְדֵ֣י אֲדֹנָ֔יו וְאֶל־בֵּית֖וֹ לֹ֥א יָרָֽד׃

Commentary · 11:6–13

The man who would not go home

Every word of Uriyah’s answer is a reproach the speaker does not know he is making. The ark is in a tent; the king is in a house of cedar. Israel is in the field; the king is on his roof. Uriyah will not do with his own wife what David has done with Uriyah’s. Radak hears the double oath, “as you live, and as your soul lives,” as in this world and in the world to come. David tries once more, with wine, and the drunk Hittite is still more faithful than the sober king.

Our Benei Avraham class once discussed a tradition that softens this scene: that soldiers of David’s army gave their wives a conditional bill of divorce before going to war, so that Bat-Sheva was technically unmarried (Shabbat 56a; Ketubot 9b). The person who raised it answered it well: “Natan rebukes him by giving him an analogy to what he had done. So the idea that he was free of sin doesn’t make any sense.” The text does not let Uriyah’s loyalty become David’s loophole.

The letter

11:14And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Yo’av, and sent it by the hand of Uriyah.

Vayehi vaboker vayiḥtov David sefer el-Yo'av vayishlaḥ beyad Uriyah.

ידוַיְהִ֣י בַבֹּ֔קֶר וַיִּכְתֹּ֥ב דָּוִ֛ד סֵ֖פֶר אֶל־יוֹאָ֑ב וַיִּשְׁלַ֖ח בְּיַ֥ד אוּרִיָּֽה׃

11:15And he wrote in the letter, saying, “Set Uriyah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and withdraw from him, that he may be struck down, and die.”

Vayiḥtov basefer lemor havu et-Uriyah el-mul penei hamilḥamah haḥazakah veshavtem me'aḥarav venikah vamet.

טווַיִּכְתֹּ֥ב בַּסֵּ֖פֶר לֵאמֹ֑ר הָב֣וּ אֶת־אֽוּרִיָּ֗ה אֶל־מוּל֙ פְּנֵ֚י הַמִּלְחָמָה֙ הַֽחֲזָקָ֔ה וְשַׁבְתֶּ֥ם מֵאַחֲרָ֖יו וְנִכָּ֥ה וָמֵֽת׃

11:16And it came to pass, when Yo’av observed the city, that he assigned Uriyah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.

Vayehi bishmor Yo'av el-ha'ir vayiten et-Uriyah el-hamakom asher yada ki anshei-ḥayil sham.

טזוַיְהִ֕י בִּשְׁמ֥וֹר יוֹאָ֖ב אֶל־הָעִ֑יר וַיִּתֵּן֙ אֶת־א֣וּרִיָּ֔ה אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יָדַ֔ע כִּ֥י אַנְשֵׁי־חַ֖יִל שָֽׁם׃

11:17And the men of the city went out, and fought with Yo’av; and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriyah the Chitti died also.

Vayetze'u anshei ha'ir vayilaḥamu et-Yo'av vayifol min-ha'am me'avdei David vayamot gam Uriyah haḤiti.

יזוַיֵּ֨צְאוּ֜ אַנְשֵׁ֚י הָעִיר֙ וַיִּלָּחֲמ֣וּ אֶת־יוֹאָ֔ב וַיִּפֹ֥ל מִן־הָעָ֖ם מֵעַבְדֵ֣י דָוִ֑ד וַיָּ֕מָת גַּ֖ם אוּרִיָּ֥ה הַחִתִּֽי׃

11:18Then Yo’av sent and told David all the things concerning the war;

Vayishlaḥ Yo'av vayaged leDavid et-kol-divrei hamilḥamah.

יחוַיִּשְׁלַ֖ח יוֹאָ֑ב וַיַּגֵּ֣ד לְדָוִ֔ד אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֖י הַמִּלְחָמָֽה׃

11:19and charged the messenger, saying, “When you have made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king,

Vayetzav et-hamal'aḥ lemor keḥaloteḥa et kol-divrei hamilḥamah ledaber el-hameleḥ.

יטוַיְצַ֥ו אֶת־הַמַּלְאָ֖ךְ לֵאמֹ֑ר כְּכַלּוֹתְךָ֗ אֵ֛ת כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֥י הַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה לְדַבֵּ֥ר אֶל־הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

11:20and if so be that the king’s wrath arises, and he says unto you, ‘Why did you approach so near unto the city when you fought? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall?

Vehayah im-ta'aleh ḥamat hameleḥ ve'amar leḥa madua nigashtem el-ha'ir lehilaḥem halo yeda'tem et asher-yoru me'al haḥomah.

כוְהָיָ֗ה אִֽם־תַּעֲלֶה֙ חֲמַ֣ת הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְאָמַ֣ר לְךָ֔ מַד֛וּעַ נִגַּשְׁתֶּ֥ם אֶל־הָעִ֖יר לְהִלָּחֵ֑ם הֲל֣וֹא יְדַעְתֶּ֔ם אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־יֹר֖וּ מֵעַ֥ל הַחוֹמָֽה׃

11:21Who struck Avimelech (Abimelech) the son of Yerubeshet (Jerubbesheth)? Did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Tevetz (Thebez)? Why did you go near the wall?’ then say, ‘Your servant Uriyah the Chitti is dead also.’”

Mi-hikah et-Avimeleḥ ben-Yerubeshet halo-ishah hishliḥah alav pelaḥ reḥev me'al haḥomah vayamot beTevetz lamah nigashtem el-haḥomah ve'amarta gam avdeḥa Uriyah haḤiti met.

כאמִֽי־הִכָּ֞ה אֶת־אֲבִימֶ֣לֶךְ בֶּן־יְרֻבֶּ֗שֶׁת הֲלֽוֹא־אִשָּׁ֡ה הִשְׁלִ֣יכָה עָלָיו֩ פֶּ֨לַח רֶ֜כֶב מֵעַ֚ל הַֽחוֹמָה֙ וַיָּ֣מָת בְּתֵבֵ֔ץ לָ֥מָּה נִגַּשְׁתֶּ֖ם אֶל־הַֽחוֹמָ֑ה וְאָ֣מַרְתָּ֔ גַּ֗ם עַבְדְּךָ֛ אוּרִיָּ֥ה הַחִתִּ֖י מֵֽת׃

11:22So the messenger went, and came and showed David all that Yo’av had sent him for.

Vayeleḥ hamal'aḥ vayavo vayaged leDavid et kol-asher shelaḥo Yo'av.

כבוַיֵּ֖לֶךְ הַמַּלְאָ֑ךְ וַיָּבֹא֙ וַיַּגֵּ֣ד לְדָוִ֔ד אֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר שְׁלָח֖וֹ יוֹאָֽב׃

11:23And the messenger said unto David, “Surely the men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entrance of the gate.

Vayomer hamal'aḥ el-David ki-gaveru aleinu ha'anashim vayetze'u eleinu hasadeh vanihyeh aleihem ad-petaḥ hasha'ar.

כגוַיֹּ֚אמֶר הַמַּלְאָךְ֙ אֶל־דָּוִ֔ד כִּֽי־גָבְר֚וּ עָלֵ֙ינוּ֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים וַיֵּצְא֥וּ אֵלֵ֖ינוּ הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה וַנִּהְיֶ֥ה עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם עַד־פֶּ֥תַח הַשָֽׁעַר׃

11:24And the shooters shot from off the wall upon your servants; and some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriyah the Chitti is dead also.”

Vayoru hamorim el-avadeḥa me'al haḥomah vayamutu me'avdei hameleḥ vegam avdeḥa Uriyah haḤiti met.

כדוַיֹּר֨וּ (כתיב וַיֹּרא֨וּ) הַמּוֹרִ֚ים (כתיב הַמּוֹרִ֚אים) אֶל־עֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ מֵעַ֣ל הַחוֹמָ֔ה וַיָּמ֖וּתוּ מֵעַבְדֵ֣י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וְגַ֗ם עַבְדְּךָ֛ אוּרִיָּ֥ה הַחִתִּ֖י מֵֽת׃

11:25Then David said unto the messenger, “Thus shall you say unto Yo’av, ‘Let not this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another; make your battle stronger against the city, and overthrow it’; and encourage him.”

Vayomer David el-hamal'aḥ koh-tomar el-Yo'av al-yera be'eineḥa et-hadavar hazeh ki-ḥazoh veḥazeh toḥal heḥarev haḥazek milḥamteḥa el-ha'ir veharesah veḥazekehu.

כהוַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֜ד אֶל־הַמַּלְאָ֗ךְ כֹּֽה־תֹאמַ֚ר אֶל־יוֹאָב֙ אַל־יֵרַ֚ע בְּעֵינֶ֙יךָ֙ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה כִּֽי־כָזֹ֥ה וְכָזֶ֖ה תֹּאכַ֣ל הֶחָ֑רֶב הַחֲזֵ֨ק מִלְחַמְתְּךָ֧ אֶל־הָעִ֛יר וְהָרְסָ֖הּ וְחַזְּקֵֽהוּ׃

Commentary · 11:14–25

The letter

David sends the death warrant by Uriyah’s own hand, and other men die with him. Yo’av’s message is a knowing one: if the king is angry about the losses, remind him of Avimelech and the millstone at Tevetz (Judges 9:53), “then say, Your servant Uriyah the Chitti is dead also.” The king’s anger vanishes at that name, and David answers with the coldest sentence he ever speaks: “the sword devours one as well as another.”

Jewish law holds the one who strikes, not the one who sends; but “Shammai the Elder says in the name of Chaggai the prophet: the sender is liable, as it is said, ‘him you have slain with the sword of the children of Ammon’” (12:9; Kiddushin 43a). The Gemara explains that a human court cannot execute the sender, but Heaven holds him guilty. Radak says the same: “as if you yourself struck him… for a king’s command is not disobeyed” (Radak on 12:9). Hebrew lesson: שָׁלַח (shalaḥ), “to send.” David sent Yo’av to the war (11:1), sent and inquired (11:3), sent and took her (11:4), sent for Uriyah (11:6), sent the letter (11:14), sent and fetched the widow (11:27). Then the first words of chapter 12: “And Hashem sent Natan.” A king who does everything through messengers is answered by a Messenger he did not send.

“The thing that David had done”

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

Vatishma eshet Uriyah ki-met Uriyah ishah vatispod al-ba'lah.

כווַתִּשְׁמַע֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת אֽוּרִיָּ֔ה כִּי־מֵ֖ת אוּרִיָּ֣ה אִישָׁ֑הּ וַתִּסְפֹּ֖ד עַל־בַּעְלָֽהּ׃

11:27And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased Hashem.

Vaya'avor ha'evel vayishlaḥ David vaya'asfah el-beito vatehi-lo le'ishah vateled lo ben vayera hadavar asher-asah David be'einei Adonai.

כזוַיַּעֲבֹ֣ר הָאֵ֗בֶל וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח דָּוִ֜ד וַיַּאַסְפָ֚הּ אֶל־בֵּיתוֹ֙ וַתְּהִי־ל֣וֹ לְאִשָּׁ֔ה וַתֵּ֥לֶד ל֖וֹ בֵּ֑ן וַיֵּ֧רַע הַדָּבָ֛ר אֲשֶׁר־עָשָֹ֥ה דָוִ֖ד בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃

Commentary · 11:26–27

“The thing that David had done”

The narrator has said nothing for twenty-six verses. Now one sentence: vayera hadavar be’einei Hashem, “the thing was evil in the eyes of Hashem.” Here the Sages divide. Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said in Rabbi Yonatan’s name, “Whoever says David sinned is nothing but mistaken,” for “Hashem was with him” (1 Samuel 18:14): “he sought to do, but did not do.” The defense: the soldiers’ conditional divorce made Bat-Sheva unmarried, and Uriyah was a rebel against the kingdom for saying “my lord Yo’av” in the king’s presence (Shabbat 56a; Ketubot 9b). But the same page records Rav: “Rebbi, who descends from David, turns the verse over and expounds it in David’s favor,” and Rav’s own view is the verse from Kings: “save only in the matter of Uriyah the Chitti” (1 Kings 15:5). Another page says the deepest word: “David was not fit for that deed, nor were Israel fit for the calf… to tell you that if an individual sinned, we say to him, Go to the individual,” and it calls David “the man who raised up the yoke of repentance” (Avodah Zarah 4b–5a).

When this came up in our class, the teaching was plain: “Even though he could not be convicted of adultery in a court of law, it was still sin before the eyes of Hashem, because of what the prophet said, and because of his punishment, and because he repented.” That is how we read it. Matthew’s genealogy of Yeshua names four women before Miriam: Tamar, Rachav, Ruth, and “her that had been the wife of Urias” (Matthew 1:6). Matthew does not even write her name; he writes the sin. The Son of David is born into a line that carries David’s worst day in its record, and the Gospel does not hide it. That is the first reason the house of David needed a Son who would not fall.

Sources & method

Hebrew text: The Masoretic text with vowels (nikkud) and cantillation marks (ta’amim), as published on Chabad.org. Every verse was checked character by character against Chabad’s Tenakh. Where the written text (ketiv) differs from the reading (qere), the reading is shown and the written form follows in small type.
English translation: The King James Version (public domain), lightly modernized by Benei Avraham: “thee/thou/ye” become “you,” older verb forms are updated (“hath” to “has”), and archaic words are replaced only where the meaning would otherwise be unclear. People and places carry their Hebrew names, with the familiar English name in parentheses the first time on each page (e.g., Shaul (Saul)). The Divine Name (יהוה, “the LORD” in the KJV) is written “Hashem”; “God” (Elohim) is unchanged. Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible.
Transliteration: Produced from the Hebrew with the open-source hebrew-transliteration library, adapted to Sephardic/Israeli pronunciation and reviewed by hand: ḥ for Chet and Chaf, tz for Tzadi, k for Kuf, and the Divine Name read “Adonai.” Names are capitalized.
Commentary: Written for our Wednesday Tenakh study from a Messianic Jewish perspective, in line with the Benei Avraham Statement of Faith. It reads the passage first in its Torah setting, then with the Sages, and then with the witness of the Brit Hadashah. Its sources include the Talmud and Midrash, Rashi, Radak, Metzudat David, Rambam, the First Fruits of Zion End of Days lessons, and teachings of Rabbi Efraim Palvanov and Ariel Cohen Alloro. Numerical readings (gematria) are offered as hints, not proofs. It is shown by default; tap Commentary to hide it.
Hebrew font: SBL Hebrew, by the Society of Biblical Literature.

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2 Samuel 11 (Shmuel Bet) in Hebrew, Transliteration and English

2 Samuel, Chapter 11

Sources & method