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Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834], at sacred-texts.com


2 Kings (2 Samuel) Chapter 11

2 Kings (2 Samuel) 11:1

sa2 11:1

After the year was expired - The next spring after the escape of the Ammonites into their city Sa2 10:14.

The children of Ammon - The marginal reference supplies the word "the land of," which is obviously the right reading.

David tarried at Jerusalem - The Syrians being subdued, the war with Ammon was not of sufficient moment to require David's personal presence. The whole section relating to David's adultery and Uriah's death, from this verse to Sa2 12:26, is omitted in the Book of Chronicles.

2 Kings (2 Samuel) 11:2

sa2 11:2

An eveningtide - The evening began at three o'clock in the afternoon.

2 Kings (2 Samuel) 11:3

sa2 11:3

Eliam - Or Ammiel, Ch1 3:5, the component words being placed in an inverse order. Bath-sheba was the granddaughter of Ahithophel Sa2 23:34.

2 Kings (2 Samuel) 11:7

sa2 11:7

David was forced to stoop to falsehood and dissimulation in the vain hope of hiding his sin.

2 Kings (2 Samuel) 11:8

sa2 11:8

A mess of meat - Compare Gen 43:34. The word denotes the honorable portion given by the host to his chief guest.

2 Kings (2 Samuel) 11:11

sa2 11:11

The ark - Perhaps there was a double purpose in taking the ark; one, to excite to the utmost the enthusiasm of the people for its defense and against the Ammonites; the other, to have the means at hand of inquiring of the Lord, which David had found so serviceable.

2 Kings (2 Samuel) 11:16

sa2 11:16

Observed the city - In the sense of besieging it closely.

2 Kings (2 Samuel) 11:17

sa2 11:17

The men of the city went out - i. e. they made a sally and attacked the troops which were blockading the city on that side, chiefly to entice them to pursue them, and so come within shot of the archers who lined the wall Sa2 11:20, Sa2 11:24.

There fell some of the people ... - They, too, as well as the brave and faithful Uriah, were victims of David's cruel artifice.

2 Kings (2 Samuel) 11:21

sa2 11:21

Who smote Abimelech ... - This reference indicates the existence in David's time of the national annals of that period in an accessible form, and the king's habit of reading, or having read to him, the history of his country. (Compare Est 6:1.)

2 Kings (2 Samuel) 11:26

sa2 11:26

Bath-sheba's mourning, like that of Abigail Sa1 25:39-42, was probably limited to the customary time of seven days.


Next: 2 Kings (2 Samuel) Chapter 12