2 samuel 11:1 - At the return of the year, at the time when kings go out, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem.
Select Bible Verse
Filter Categories
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
U
V
W
What does "2 samuel 11:1" mean?
This verse sets the stage for the events that unfold in 2 Samuel 11, which includes David's adultery with Bathsheba and his subsequent murder of her husband, Uriah. Let's break down what it means:
"At the return of the year, at the time when kings go out...": This refers to springtime. It was the customary time for military campaigns to begin after the winter months when weather made travel and fighting difficult.
"...David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel...": David, the king, delegated the military leadership to his general, Joab. The "servants" refer to David's personal guard or officers, and "all Israel" signifies the army of Israel.
"...and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah...": The Israelite army was sent to fight against the Ammonites. They achieved initial success in destroying parts of their territory and were now laying siege to Rabbah, the Ammonite capital city. A siege was a prolonged military blockade of a city with the goal of forcing its surrender.
"But David stayed at Jerusalem.": This is the crucial detail. While it was customary for kings to lead their armies into battle (and expected of him), David remained in Jerusalem. This is the setup for his eventual sin. Because he wasn't where he was supposed to be, leading his men, he was vulnerable to temptation.
In essence, the verse means:
During the spring, when military campaigns typically began, David sent his army under Joab to fight the Ammonites and lay siege to their capital city, Rabbah. However, David himself stayed behind in Jerusalem, a deviation from the norm. This decision creates the opportunity for the events that follow, highlighting a time of weakness or perhaps dereliction of duty on David's part. The verse creates a contrast between the expected behavior of a king leading his army and David's unexpected decision to remain in Jerusalem, setting the stage for the moral crisis that follows. It foreshadows trouble, because kings are expected to lead armies into battle. David’s staying behind may be due to him feeling as if he had already fought his wars, and that Joab could finish this one. David’s staying behind is a crucial part of the story.
2 samuel 11:1 - At the return of the year, at the time when kings go out, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem.
What does "2 samuel 11:1" mean?
This verse sets the stage for the events that unfold in 2 Samuel 11, which includes David's adultery with Bathsheba and his subsequent murder of her husband, Uriah. Let's break down what it means:
"At the return of the year, at the time when kings go out...": This refers to springtime. It was the customary time for military campaigns to begin after the winter months when weather made travel and fighting difficult.
"...David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel...": David, the king, delegated the military leadership to his general, Joab. The "servants" refer to David's personal guard or officers, and "all Israel" signifies the army of Israel.
"...and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah...": The Israelite army was sent to fight against the Ammonites. They achieved initial success in destroying parts of their territory and were now laying siege to Rabbah, the Ammonite capital city. A siege was a prolonged military blockade of a city with the goal of forcing its surrender.
"But David stayed at Jerusalem.": This is the crucial detail. While it was customary for kings to lead their armies into battle (and expected of him), David remained in Jerusalem. This is the setup for his eventual sin. Because he wasn't where he was supposed to be, leading his men, he was vulnerable to temptation.
In essence, the verse means:
During the spring, when military campaigns typically began, David sent his army under Joab to fight the Ammonites and lay siege to their capital city, Rabbah. However, David himself stayed behind in Jerusalem, a deviation from the norm. This decision creates the opportunity for the events that follow, highlighting a time of weakness or perhaps dereliction of duty on David's part. The verse creates a contrast between the expected behavior of a king leading his army and David's unexpected decision to remain in Jerusalem, setting the stage for the moral crisis that follows. It foreshadows trouble, because kings are expected to lead armies into battle. David’s staying behind may be due to him feeling as if he had already fought his wars, and that Joab could finish this one. David’s staying behind is a crucial part of the story.