2 Samuel 11:6 meaning, Cross Ref, ai commentary KJV NIV ESV NLT

2 Samuel 11:6 kjv

And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.

2 Samuel 11:6 nkjv

Then David sent to Joab, saying, "Send me Uriah the Hittite." And Joab sent Uriah to David.

2 Samuel 11:6 niv

So David sent this word to Joab: "Send me Uriah the Hittite." And Joab sent him to David.

2 Samuel 11:6 esv

So David sent word to Joab, "Send me Uriah the Hittite." And Joab sent Uriah to David.

2 Samuel 11:6 nlt

Then David sent word to Joab: "Send me Uriah the Hittite." So Joab sent him to David.

2 Samuel 11 6 Cross References

Verse	Text	Reference
Gen 3:12	The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree..."	Attempting to blame others for one's sin.
Ex 20:14	"You shall not commit adultery."	David's initial transgression.
Lev 18:20	"You shall not lie sexually with your neighbor’s wife and make yourself unclean with her."	Prohibitions against adultery.
Dt 17:14-20	...he must not acquire many horses... nor shall he acquire many wives for himself...	Warning against king's excesses, related to David's fall.
1 Sam 8:11-17	He will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen...	Warning about royal power being abused.
1 Kgs 21:7-16	...Ahab’s wife Jezebel said to him, "Do you now govern Israel? Arise..."	King misusing power to harm innocent for personal gain (Ahab and Naboth).
2 Sam 11:2	David saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful.	David's initial lust and opportunity for sin.
2 Sam 11:5	And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, "I am pregnant."	The immediate crisis prompting David's action in v.6.
2 Sam 11:7	When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab was...	David's deceptive questions upon Uriah's arrival.
2 Sam 11:8	David said to Uriah, "Go down to your house and wash your feet."...	David's continued attempt to cover his sin.
2 Sam 11:13	...David called him, and he ate and drank before him, and he made him drunk...	David's escalated attempts at manipulation.
2 Sam 11:15	...David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.	David’s ultimate act of treachery – plotting Uriah's death.
2 Sam 12:7-14	Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man!"...	Nathan's rebuke of David, revealing the depth of his sin.
Ps 32:3-5	For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long...	David's internal suffering before confession.
Ps 51:4	Against you, you only, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight...	David's contrite prayer for repentance.
Prov 6:29	So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife; none who touches her will go unpunished.	Warning against adultery's consequences.
Prov 28:13	Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses...	The futility of trying to hide sin.
Ecc 10:5-7	There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceeds from the ruler.	Abuse of power by rulers.
Isa 59:2	But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God...	Sin separating man from God.
Jer 17:9	The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick...	The corrupting nature of the human heart, leading to such schemes.
Jas 1:14-15	But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire...	The progression of lust to sin and then to death.
Rom 6:23	For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life...	The ultimate outcome of unchecked sin.

2 Samuel 11 verses

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

2 Samuel 11 6 Meaning

David's directive in 2 Samuel 11:6 is his initial, deliberate act of employing his royal authority to conceal his sin of adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah. By recalling Uriah from the battlefield, David seeks to orchestrate a scenario where Uriah will spend the night with his wife, thus attributing Bathsheba's pregnancy to him and diverting suspicion from David himself. This verse marks the pivotal moment David transitions from merely sinning to actively scheming deception.

2 Samuel 11 6 Context

Chapter 11 of 2 Samuel details the severe moral failure of King David, contrasting sharply with his earlier integrity. The chapter opens with David remaining in Jerusalem while his armies, led by Joab, are engaged in a siege of Rabbah. From his rooftop, David observes Bathsheba bathing and sends for her, committing adultery. The crucial development preceding verse 6 is Bathsheba's message to David informing him that she is pregnant. This news forces David's hand, compelling him to devise a plan to cover his sin and prevent exposure. His decision to send for Uriah the Hittite marks the beginning of his escalating series of deceptions and wicked acts to hide his transgression.

2 Samuel 11 6 Word analysis

So David (vav-yishlach David, וַיִּשְׁלַח דָּוִד): The Hebrew word vayyishlach is a sequential perfect, indicating David's deliberate and immediate action following Bathsheba's revelation. "David" refers to the King, a figure traditionally righteous, but now acting out of personal sin. This marks his active initiation of a scheme.
sent word (vayyishlach, וַיִּשְׁלַח): This specific verb, used frequently for sending messengers or issuing commands, underscores David's authority. He is not merely suggesting, but actively exercising his royal power and communication channels for a deceptive purpose.
to Joab (ʾel-Yoʾav, אֶל־יוֹאָב): Joab was David's loyal and ruthless army commander. David’s choice to involve Joab indicates his confidence in Joab's compliance and effectiveness, which later proves true in Uriah's death.
'Send me (shelach ʾelai, שְׁלַח אֵלַי): This is a direct imperative, a command from the king. It highlights the urgency and non-negotiable nature of the order within the hierarchical structure. "Me" emphasizes David's personal requirement.
Uriah (Uriyyah, אוּרִיָּה): His name means "Yahweh is my light," an ironic detail given David's dark actions against him. Uriah is presented as a loyal and honorable soldier, a member of David's elite "mighty men" (2 Sam 23:39).
the Hittite (ha-Chitti, הַחִתִּי): This descriptive title is significant. It highlights Uriah's non-Israelite origin, yet he is shown to be more loyal to Israel and the divine code of conduct in warfare (abstaining from comforts while on duty, v. 11) than King David, the Israelite sovereign. His foreign ethnicity amplifies David's moral failing – he betrays a loyal foreigner.

Words-group by words-group analysis

"So David sent word to Joab": This phrase shows David using his position and authority to orchestrate a personal agenda rather than fulfilling his duties as king. It represents the corrupting influence of unchecked power when coupled with unconfessed sin. It implies a strategic move by the king, deploying his command structure to solve a deeply personal, morally bankrupt problem.
"'Send me Uriah the Hittite.'": This direct command signifies the initiation of David's elaborate cover-up. The simple demand belies the intricate, malicious plan it sets into motion. The specific identification of "Uriah the Hittite" pinpoints David's focus on him as the necessary piece in his deceitful scheme, exploiting Uriah’s known loyalty.

2 Samuel 11 6 Bonus section

The seemingly routine order to summon a soldier from the field highlights a tragic irony: Uriah, a Gentile mercenary serving faithfully in David's army, ultimately displays greater integrity and loyalty to his military oath and comrades than the very King of Israel. David’s action in this verse, therefore, not only demonstrates his immediate moral compromise but also foreshadows the complete perversion of justice and military code that culminates in Uriah’s murder, showcasing the king’s complete abuse of divine authority and trust. This also serves as a poignant reminder that even "a man after God's own heart" is vulnerable to the devastating consequences of unchecked desires and the spiraling effects of attempting to conceal sin rather than confessing it.

2 Samuel 11 6 Commentary

This verse encapsulates David's calculated effort to manipulate circumstances following his sin with Bathsheba. Having heard of Bathsheba's pregnancy, David understands the imminent threat of public exposure and severe judgment under Mosaic Law. His command to Joab to "Send me Uriah the Hittite" is the initial, concrete step in his attempted cover-up. It demonstrates David's move from passive indulgence of lust to active, strategic deceit. He summons Uriah not for military strategy, but to compel him to cohabit with Bathsheba, thereby legitimizing the impending child. This seemingly simple command to his general reveals the dangerous spiral of sin: lust led to adultery, which now leads to an elaborate scheme of deception. This manipulation sets the stage for further, more heinous sin, showcasing how sin, when unaddressed, rapidly escalates.