2 Samuel 11 4

2 Samuel 11:4 kjv

And 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.

2 Samuel 11:4 nkjv

Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house.

2 Samuel 11:4 niv

Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness.) Then she went back home.

2 Samuel 11:4 esv

So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house.

2 Samuel 11:4 nlt

Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home.

2 Samuel 11 verses

2 Samuel 11 4 Meaning

This verse describes David's act of taking Bathsheba, a married woman, and lying with her. David initiated this interaction by sending messengers, thereby using his royal authority. The parenthetical remark about Bathsheba having just purified herself after menstruation is a critical detail, highlighting the calculated nature of David's action and immediately setting the stage for the revelation of her pregnancy, the inevitable consequence of the union. The verse reveals David's moral failure, an act of adultery driven by lust and enabled by his power.

2 Samuel 11 4 Context

Chapter 11 marks a dramatic shift in David’s reign. While his army, led by Joab, is actively engaged in war against the Ammonites at Rabbah, David remains in Jerusalem. This stands in stark contrast to his past role as a warrior king who personally led his troops. The chapter begins with David rising from his rest in the evening and walking on the palace roof, from which vantage point he sees Bathsheba bathing. She is explicitly identified as the wife of Uriah the Hittite, one of David’s loyal and elite warriors, who is currently fighting in the very war David is absent from. The seemingly casual observation leads directly to David's calculated action in this verse, an abuse of his immense power and a profound moral lapse that initiates a cascade of divine judgment and personal suffering for David's household, radically altering the trajectory of his reign.

2 Samuel 11 4 Word analysis

• So David sent messengers (וַיִּשְׁלַח דָּוִד מַלְאָכִים - vayyishlakh david mal'akhim):

  • וַיִּשְׁלַח (vayyishlakh): "And he sent." The Hebrew verb shalach implies an authoritative sending, often with a specific purpose or mission. This highlights David's proactive and deliberate initiative in this affair, demonstrating his power and control over the situation. He isn't passive but acts decisively.
  • דָּוִד (david): David, the King. Emphasizes his high status and the responsibility that comes with it, making his transgression more severe. His actions carry royal weight.
  • מַלְאָכִים (mal'akhim): "messengers." This word can also mean "angels." In this context, they are agents of the king, implying official royal command. The messengers are a physical extension of David's will, ensuring Bathsheba's arrival. This action underscores David's deliberate intent, moving from a glance to a direct command.

• to get her (וַיִּקָּחֶהָ - vayyiqqacheha):

  • וַיִּקָּחֶהָ (vayyiqqacheha): "and he took her" or "and he got her." The verb laqach ("to take," "to seize," "to acquire") is stronger than merely inviting. It can imply acquisition or seizure, often used in contexts of marriage (taking a wife) or conquest (taking spoils). In this illicit context, it conveys an element of non-consensual possession from Bathsheba's perspective, reflecting her vulnerable position under the king's command. David is not inviting but summoning/taking.

• and she came to him (וַתָּבֹוא אֵלָיו - vatevo eilav):

  • וַתָּבֹוא (vatevo): "and she came." The verb bo' ("to come") is often used in a passive sense or indicates obedience to a command. There is no indication of agency or free will on Bathsheba's part in this summons. Given the power imbalance and cultural context of a king's command, refusal would be exceptionally dangerous. Her "coming" reflects the king's authority, not necessarily her desire.
  • אֵלָיו (eilav): "to him." Specifies David as the destination, again emphasizing his central role and the unidirectional nature of the command.

• and he lay with her (וַיִּשְׁכַּב עִמָּהּ - vayyishkav immah):

  • וַיִּשְׁכַּב (vayyishkav): "and he lay down." This is the common Hebrew idiom for sexual intercourse. It is a direct and explicit statement of the sexual act itself.
  • עִמָּהּ (immah): "with her." A straightforward preposition denoting the co-occurrence of the act.

• Now she had just purified herself from her uncleanness (וְהִיא מִתְקַדֶּשֶׁת מִטֻּמְאָתָהּ - veh-hi mitqaddeshet mitumatatah):

  • וְהִיא (veh-hi): "And she..." introduces the parenthetical clause, offering crucial explanatory context.
  • מִתְקַדֶּשֶׁת (mitkaddeshet): "was purifying herself" or "had made herself clean/holy." From the root qadash, meaning "to be holy," "to purify." This is the Niphal participle, implying a state of having been ceremonially purified. In Mosaic Law (Lev 15:19-24), a woman was ritually unclean during and seven days after her menstrual period. Purification typically involved a ritual bath (mikvah) at the end of this period.
  • מִטֻּמְאָתָהּ (mitumatatah): "from her uncleanness/impurity." From the root tame', meaning "to be unclean." This specifically refers to ritual impurity due to menstruation. This detail indicates two critical points: 1) David would have known Bathsheba was married to Uriah and potentially privy to knowledge about her menstrual cycle; 2) Most importantly, a woman's purification from menstruation marks the point when she becomes fertile again, making conception highly likely. This adds to the gravity of David's sin, underscoring its immediate consequence and implicating David's knowledge. It is a subtle but potent detail foreshadowing the pregnancy.

• Then she returned to her house (וַתָּשָׁב אֶל-בֵּיתָהּ - vatashev el-beitah):

  • וַתָּשָׁב (vatashev): "And she returned." Indicates the conclusion of the episode and her swift dismissal from the royal presence.
  • אֶל-בֵּיתָהּ (el-beitah): "to her house." She returns to her domestic sphere, while the powerful king remains in his palace, having carried out his desire. This marks the transactional nature of the encounter from David's perspective – a brief gratification, after which she is sent back.

2 Samuel 11 4 Bonus section

The inclusion of 2 Samuel 11:4 in the biblical narrative serves a profound theological purpose. Unlike many ancient Near Eastern texts that idealize kings, the Bible starkly portrays David's depravity and vulnerability to sin, even after being anointed by God. This narrative directly challenges any notion of inherent royal infallibility or the idea that God's chosen are exempt from moral accountability. It serves as a stark reminder that even individuals favored by God can fall significantly when they disregard divine law and succumb to temptation and abuse of power. The absence of Uriah and David's stay at home instead of leading his troops also underlines a failure in his royal duty, preceding his moral failure.

2 Samuel 11 4 Commentary

2 Samuel 11:4 reveals a pivotal moment in the life of King David, marking his significant moral downfall. His act was not a spontaneous outburst but a deliberate, authoritative decision to take Bathsheba, the wife of one of his most loyal soldiers, Uriah. The use of royal messengers underscores the king's immense power, which he flagrantly abused. The verb "to take" (laqach) implies a lack of Bathsheba's consent, placing her in a highly vulnerable position. The detailed mention of her purification from menstrual uncleanness is crucial; it highlights the timing of the sexual act to a period when conception was most likely, prefiguring the central issue of her subsequent pregnancy. This precise detail is an intentional part of the narrative, laying the groundwork for the immediate and catastrophic consequences that will unfold. David's actions in this single verse are a profound violation of the Mosaic Law, trust, and righteousness, establishing the tragic trajectory of sin and divine judgment that will plague his household for generations.