2 Samuel 11 · Verse 21

2 Samuel 11:21

Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.
2 Samuel 11:21, King James Version

2 Samuel 11:21 in other translations

BSBWho was the one to strike Abimelech son of Jerubbesheth? Was it not a woman who dropped an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you get so close to the wall?’ If so, then you are to say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead as well.’”
WEBWho struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Didn’t a woman cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’ then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.’”
ASVwho smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast an upper millstone upon him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? why went ye so nigh the wall? then shalt thou say, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.
YLTWho smote Abimelech son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast on him a piece of a rider from the wall, and he dieth in Thebez? why drew ye nigh unto the wall? that thou hast said, Also thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.'
DARBYWho smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast the upper stone of a handmill from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why did ye go near the wall? — then say thou, Thy servant Urijah the Hittite is dead also.
BBEWho put Abimelech, the son of Jerubbaal, to death? did not a woman send a great stone down on him from the wall, putting him to death at Thebez? why did you go so near the wall? Then say to him, Your servant Uriah the Hittite is among the dead.
WebsterWho smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

What does 2 Samuel 11:21 mean?

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 11:14-27

Adulteries often occasion murders, and one wickedness is sought to be covered by another. The beginnings of sin are much to be dreaded; for who knows where they will end? Can a real believer ever tread this path? Can such a person be indeed a child of God? Though grace be not lost in such an awful case, the assurance and consolation of it must be suspended. All David's life, spirituality, and comfort in religion, we…

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 11:14-27 →

2 Samuel 11:21 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

מִֽי\־mi-who?H4310
הִכָּ֞הhi.Kahdid he strike downH5221
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
אֲבִימֶ֣לֶךְ'a.vi.Me.lekhAbimelechH40
בֶּן\־ben-[the] son ofH1121
יְרֻבֶּ֗שֶׁתye.ru.Be.shetJerub-BeshethH3380
הֲלֽוֹא\־ha.lo'-¿ notH3808
אִשָּׁ֡ה'i.Shaha womanH802
הִשְׁלִ֣יכָהhish.Li.khahdid she throwH7993
עָלָיו֩'a.Lavon himH5921
פֶּ֨לַחPe.lacha mill-stoneH6400
רֶ֜כֶבRe.khevan upper mill-stoneH7393
מֵעַ֤לme.'Alfrom onH5921
הַֽחוֹמָה֙ha.cho.Mahthe wallH2346
וַיָּ֣מָתvai.Ya.motand he diedH4191
בְּתֵבֵ֔ץbe.te.Vetzin ThebezH8405
לָ֥מָּהLa.mah<to> why?H4100
נִגַּשְׁתֶּ֖םni.gash.Temdid you draw nearH5066
אֶל\־'el-toH413
הַֽחוֹמָ֑הha.cho.Mahthe wallH2346
וְאָ֣מַרְתָּ֔ve.'A.mar.taand you will sayH559
גַּ֗םGamalsoH1571
עַבְדְּךָ֛'av.de.Khaservant yourH5650
אוּרִיָּ֥ה'u.ri.YahUriahH223
הַחִתִּ֖יha.chi.Tithe HittiteH2850
מֵֽת\׃Methe has diedH4191

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Samuel 11:21

  • Judges 9:50-54

    Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it. But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them, and gat them up to the top of the tower. And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire. And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech’s head, and all to brake his skull. …

  • Judges 7:1

    Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.

  • 2 Samuel 3:27

    And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

  • Judges 6:32

    Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.

  • 2 Samuel 3:34

    Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters: as a man falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou. And all the people wept again over him.

  • Isaiah 14:10

    All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?

  • Ezekiel 16:51-52

    Neither hath Samaria committed half of thy sins; but thou hast multiplied thine abominations more than they, and hast justified thy sisters in all thine abominations which thou hast done. Thou also, which hast judged thy sisters, bear thine own shame for thy sins that thou hast committed more abominable than they: they are more righteous than thou: yea, be thou confounded also, and bear thy shame, in that thou hast justified thy sisters.

  • Psalms 39:8

    Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Abimelech.
Jud 9:53
Jerubbesheth.
Jud 6:32; 7:1
Jerubbaal. Thy servant.
3:27,34; Ps 39:8; Isa 14:10; Eze 16:51,52

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Samuel 11:20

    And if so be that the king’s wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall?

  • 2 Samuel 11:21

    Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

  • 2 Samuel 11:22

    So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for.

Read all of 2 Samuel 11

2 Samuel 11:21 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
¿Quién hirió á Abimelech hijo de Jerobaal? ¿no echó una mujer del muro un pedazo de una rueda de molino, y murió en Thebes? ¿por qué os llegasteis al muro?: entonces tú le dirás: También tu siervo Uría Hetheo es muerto.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Qui frappa Abimélec, fils de Jerubbésheth? N’est-ce pas une femme qui jeta sur lui, de dessus la muraille, une meule tournante, et il en mourut à Thébets? Pourquoi vous êtes-vous approchés de la muraille? – alors tu diras: Ton serviteur Urie, le Héthien, est mort aussi.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Wer hat Abimelech, den Sohn Jerubbeseths, erschlagen? Warf nicht ein Weib den oberen Stein einer Handmühle von der Mauer auf ihn herab, daß er starb zu Tebez? Warum habt ihr euch der Mauer genähert? -so sollst du sagen: Auch dein Knecht Urija, der Hethiter, ist tot.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Quis percussit Abimelech filium Jerobaal? nonne mulier misit super eum fragmen molæ de muro, et interfecit eum in Thebes? quare juxta murum accessistis? dices: Etiam servus tuus Urias Hethæus occubuit.