2 Samuel 11:4

Verse

Then David sent messengers to get her, and when she came to him, he slept with her. (Now she had just purified herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned home.

American Standard Version (1901)

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.

Bible in Basic English

And David sent and took her; and she came to him, and he took her to his bed: (for she had been made clean;) then she went back to her house.

Douay-Rheims 1899

And David sent messengers, and took her, and she came in to him, and he slept with her: and presently she was purified from her uncleanness:

Free Bible Version

David sent messengers to fetch her. When she came to him, he had sex with her. (Now she had just purified herself from having her period.) Afterwards she went back home.

Geneva Bible 1599

Then Dauid sent messengers, and tooke her away: and she came vnto him and he lay with her: (now she was purified from her vncleannes) and she returned vnto her house.

King James (Authorized) Version

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.

Translation for Translators

Then David sent more messengers to get her. They brought her to David, and he ◄slept/had sex► [EUP] with her. (She had just finished performing the rituals to make herself pure after her monthly menstrual period.) Then Bathsheba went back home.

Unlocked Literal Bible

David sent messengers and took her; she came in to him, and he slept with her (for she had just purified herself from menstruation). Then she returned to her house.

Noah Webster Bible

And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in to him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned to her house.

World English Bible

David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in to him, and he lay with her (for she was purified from her uncleanness); and she returned to her house.

Young's Literal Translation

And David sendeth messengers, and taketh her, and she cometh unto him, and he lieth with her — and she is purifying herself from her uncleanness — and she turneth back unto her house;

Context

David and Bathsheba

³So David sent and inquired about the woman, and he was told, “This is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.”⁴Then David sent messengers to get her, and when she came to him, he slept with her. (Now she had just purified herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned home.⁵And the woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant.”

Sermons

(2 Samuel) Amnon, Tamar, and Absalom

David Guzik

1.3K

Summary

This verse recounts the affair between King David and Bathsheba, highlighting David's moral failure and abuse of power. It reveals David's lustful desires and his willingness to act on them, ultimately leading to adultery and deceit. The narrative serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of yielding to temptation and the importance of upholding righteousness, even for those in positions of authority. David's actions in this verse set the stage for a series of tragic events that unfold in the following chapters of 2 Samuel.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

And she came in unto him - We hear nothing of her reluctance, and there is no evidence that she was taken by force.

John Gill Bible Commentary

And David sent messengers,.... To invite her to his palace: and took her; not by force, but through persuasion: and she came in unto him; into the apartment where he was: and he lay with her; she consenting to it, being prevailed upon, and drawn into it through the greatness and goodness of the man, which might make the sin appear the lesser to her. This is recorded to show what the best of men are, when left to themselves; how strong and prevalent corrupt nature is in regenerate persons, when grace is not in exercise; what need the saints stand in of fresh supplies of grace, to keep them from falling; what caution is necessary to everyone that stands, lest he fall; and that it becomes us to abstain from all appearance of sin, and whatever leads unto it, and to watch and pray that we enter not into temptation; and such a record as this is an argument for the integrity of the Scriptures, that they conceal not the faults of the greatest favourites mentioned in them, as well as it serves to prevent despair in truly penitent backsliders: for she was purified from her uncleanness; this clause is added in a parenthesis, partly to show the reason of her washing herself, which was not for health and pleasure, and to cool herself in a hot day, but to purify herself from her menstruous pollution, according to the law in Lev 15:19; the term of her separation being expired; and partly to give a reason why she the more easily consented, and he was the more eager to enjoy her; and in this he sinned, not that he did not lie with an unclean person; but, then, as some observe, he did that which was much worse, he committed adultery; also this may be added to observe, that she was the more apt for conception, as Ben Gersom notes, and to account for the quickness of it, with which the philosopher (i) agrees: and she returned unto her house; whether that evening, or next morning, or how long she stayed, is not said. (i) Aristot. Hist. Animal. l. 7. c. 2.

2 Samuel 11:4

David and Bathsheba

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

Then David sent messengers to get her, and when she came to him, he slept with her. (Now she had just purified herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned home.

American Standard Version (1901)

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.

Bible in Basic English

And David sent and took her; and she came to him, and he took her to his bed: (for she had been made clean;) then she went back to her house.

Douay-Rheims 1899

And David sent messengers, and took her, and she came in to him, and he slept with her: and presently she was purified from her uncleanness:

Free Bible Version

David sent messengers to fetch her. When she came to him, he had sex with her. (Now she had just purified herself from having her period.) Afterwards she went back home.

Geneva Bible 1599

Then Dauid sent messengers, and tooke her away: and she came vnto him and he lay with her: (now she was purified from her vncleannes) and she returned vnto her house.

King James (Authorized) Version

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.

Translation for Translators

Unlocked Literal Bible

David sent messengers and took her; she came in to him, and he slept with her (for she had just purified herself from menstruation). Then she returned to her house.

Noah Webster Bible

And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in to him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned to her house.

World English Bible

David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in to him, and he lay with her (for she was purified from her uncleanness); and she returned to her house.

Young's Literal Translation

And David sendeth messengers, and taketh her, and she cometh unto him, and he lieth with her — and she is purifying herself from her uncleanness — and she turneth back unto her house;

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

And she came in unto him - We hear nothing of her reluctance, and there is no evidence that she was taken by force.

John Gill Bible Commentary

2 Samuel 11:4

Verse

Context

David and Bathsheba

Sermons

Summary

Commentary

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes

2 Samuel 11:4

David and Bathsheba

(2 Samuel) Amnon, Tamar, and Absalom

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes