2 Samuel 11 22

2 Samuel 11:22 kjv

So the messenger went, and came and showed David all that Joab had sent him for.

2 Samuel 11:22 nkjv

So the messenger went, and came and told David all that Joab had sent by him.

2 Samuel 11:22 niv

The messenger set out, and when he arrived he told David everything Joab had sent him to say.

2 Samuel 11:22 esv

So the messenger went and came and told David all that Joab had sent him to tell.

2 Samuel 11:22 nlt

So the messenger went to Jerusalem and gave a complete report to David.

2 Samuel 11 verses

2 Samuel 11 22 Meaning

This verse states that the messenger, dispatched by Joab, successfully completed his mission of delivering the entirety of Joab's message to King David. It is a transitional verse, emphasizing the reliable transfer of critical and ethically complex information, which sets the stage for David's response to the death of Uriah the Hittite, orchestrated by David himself.

2 Samuel 11 22 Context

This verse serves as a crucial point of transition within 2 Samuel Chapter 11. The preceding verses detail David's descent into sin: his illicit affair with Bathsheba (vv. 2-5), followed by his escalating attempts to cover up the resulting pregnancy, culminating in his scheme to have Bathsheba's husband, Uriah the Hittite, killed in battle (vv. 6-17). Joab, David's military commander, executes this murderous command (v. 17). Verses 18-21 recount Joab instructing his messenger on precisely how to report the battle, especially if David reacts poorly, giving him specific information to relay, including the death of Uriah, and importantly, reminding David of the tragic outcome of the attack on Thebez and the death of Abimelech from Judges 9. This strategy was to deflect suspicion and shift blame to the soldiers' tactical mistakes, rather than exposing David's calculated evil. Verse 22 then confirms the completion of the messenger's journey and the faithful delivery of this meticulously prepared and incriminating report directly to King David, setting the stage for David's reception and his subsequent actions in the face of Uriah's death.

2 Samuel 11 22 Word analysis

• So (וַיֵּלֶךְ, vayyelekh): This conjunction signifies a direct consequence or continuation. It indicates that the action described is a completion of the command given by Joab. It emphasizes the sequential, methodical nature of events leading to the revelation of Uriah's death.
• the messenger (הַמַּלְאָךְ, hammal'akh): From the Hebrew word mal'akh, which can mean 'angel' or 'human emissary/messenger'. Here, it clearly refers to Joab's human courier. The definite article 'the' (ha-) points to the specific messenger previously instructed by Joab in verses 18-21. This individual represents the channel through which critical, morally charged information flows. His role is to transmit, not to filter or interpret.
• went (וַיֵּלֶךְ, vayyelekh): A simple past tense verb meaning 'he went'. It denotes the commencement of the messenger's journey from the battlefront.
• and came (וַיָּבֹא, vayyavo): A simple past tense verb meaning 'he came' or 'he arrived'. This signifies the successful completion of the journey to David's presence. Together, "went, and came" succinctly confirms the full journey.
• and told (וַיַּגֵּד, vayyagged): From the root NGD, meaning 'to tell,' 'to declare,' 'to report.' This verb is pivotal as it denotes the act of verbal communication, making the information known. The narrative builds to this moment of disclosure.
• David (לְדָוִד, l'dāwiḏ): The recipient of the message. The entire chapter focuses on David's actions and character. This is the moment the full implications of his command, orchestrated through Joab, reach him directly.
• all (אֵת כָּל־, 'et kol-): The prepositive particle 'et marks the definite direct object, emphasizing the totality implied by kol ('all,' 'whole,' 'every'). This stresses the complete and exhaustive nature of the report. The messenger omitted nothing; he delivered every single detail Joab instructed him to, no matter how sensitive or revealing.
• that Joab (אֲשֶׁר שְׁלָחוֹ יוֹאָב, 'asher sh'lāchô Yô'āv): "That" ('asher) acts as a relative pronoun, linking back to "all." It specifies the origin of the information. Joab is the one who "sent him" (sh'lāchô). This confirms the source and authority behind the message.
• had sent him (שְׁלָחוֹ, sh'lāchô): Derived from the verb shalakh ('to send'). It highlights Joab's active role in dispatching the messenger and orchestrating the message, implicating him as David's accomplice in the overall scheme.
• to tell (לְהַגִּיד, l'haggid): An infinitive construct, again from the root NGD, meaning 'to tell' or 'to report'. This phrase reiterates the purpose of the messenger's mission, emphasizing faithful relay of Joab's specific instructions, which included how to frame Uriah's death.

• "So the messenger went, and came and told David": This phrase describes the obedient fulfillment of a duty. It is a straightforward, almost clinical account of information transmission. It shows the reliability of ancient messenger systems.
• "all that Joab had sent him to tell": This part emphasizes the completeness and fidelity of the message delivery. It highlights the fact that the messenger held back no detail instructed by Joab, ensuring David received the entire (and manipulative) account of the battle, including the orchestrated death of Uriah. This complete transfer of information implies David's full knowledge and therefore full culpability.

2 Samuel 11 22 Bonus section

This verse's very neutrality – simply stating the fact of message delivery – creates dramatic tension. The narrator intentionally does not immediately reveal David's reaction here, building anticipation for the subsequent verses (23-25). This subtle literary choice highlights the burden of truth arriving at David's doorstep, irrespective of his desires or the elaborate cover-up plan. It underscores the biblical principle that dark deeds, even those meticulously hidden, will eventually be brought into the light, demanding a response. The meticulous detailing of every step in David's sin, including the confirmation of message delivery, underscores God's omnipresence and justice, showing that nothing is hidden from Him, and the natural progression of sin from thought to act to consequences.

2 Samuel 11 22 Commentary

2 Samuel 11:22 is a seemingly simple narrative verse, yet it marks a pivotal moment in the tragic account of David's sin. It meticulously describes the culmination of Joab's execution of David's murderous plot: the messenger has successfully completed his journey and delivered the precise, detailed report as commanded by Joab. This emphasis on "all that Joab had sent him to tell" is crucial, signifying the meticulous and comprehensive nature of the communication, which included the intentional placement of Uriah in mortal danger and the subsequent details of his death (as laid out in verses 19-21). The verse serves as the immediate precursor to David's reception and response to Uriah's death, highlighting that David now possesses full knowledge of the horrific outcome of his sin. This truthful, albeit manipulated, transmission of events ensures David's accountability.