2 Samuel 11:4
New International Version
Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness.) Then she went back home.

New Living Translation
Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home.

English Standard Version
So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house.

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.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house.

New American Standard Bible
Then David sent messengers and had her brought, and when she came to him, he slept with her; and when she had purified herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her house.

NASB 1995
David sent messengers and took her, and when she came to him, he lay with her; and when she had purified herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her house.

NASB 1977
And David sent messengers and took her, and when she came to him, he lay with her; and when she had purified herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her house.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her; and when she had purified herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her house.

Amplified Bible
David sent messengers and took her. When she came to him, he lay with her. And when she was purified from her uncleanness, she returned to her house.

Christian Standard Bible
David sent messengers to get her, and when she came to him, he slept with her. Now she had just been purifying herself from her uncleanness. Afterward, she returned home.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
David sent messengers to get her, and when she came to him, he slept with her. Now she had just been purifying herself from her uncleanness. Afterward, she returned home.

American Standard 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.

English Revised 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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So David sent messengers and took her. She came to him, and he went to bed with her. (She had just cleansed herself after her monthly period.) Then she went home.

Good News Translation
David sent messengers to get her; they brought her to him and he made love to her. (She had just finished her monthly ritual of purification.) Then she went back home.

International Standard Version
So David sent some messengers, took her from her home, and she went to him, and he had sex with her. (She had been consecrating herself following her menstrual separation.) Then she returned to her home.

Majority 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.

NET Bible
David sent some messengers to get her. She came to him and he had sexual relations with her. (Now at that time she was in the process of purifying herself from her menstrual uncleanness.) Then she returned to her home.

New Heart English Bible
So David sent messengers to get her, and she came in to him, and he lay with her. (For she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) And she returned to her house.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And David sends messengers, and takes her, and she comes to him, and he lies with her—and she is purifying herself from her uncleanness—and she turns back 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;

Smith's Literal Translation
And David will send messengers and take her: and she will come in to him, and he will lie with her; (and she being consecrated from her uncleanness:) and she will turn back to her house.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
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:

Catholic Public Domain Version
And so, David sent messengers, and he took her. And when she had entered to him, he slept with her. And presently, she was purified from her uncleanness.

New American Bible
Then David sent messengers and took her. When she came to him, he took her to bed, at a time when she was just purified after her period; and she returned to her house.

New Revised Standard Version
So David sent messengers to get her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she was purifying herself after her period.) Then she returned to her house.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
So David sent a messenger and took her; and she came in to him and he lay with her; and that very day she had cleansed herself after her menstruation; and she returned and went to her house.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And David sent a Messenger and he took her, and she came into him and he lay with her when she had washed from her menstrual uncleanness, and she returned again and she went to her house
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
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.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And David sent messengers, and took her, and went in to her, and he lay with her: and she was purified from her uncleanness, and returned to her house.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



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.”…

Cross References
Genesis 39:7-12
and after some time his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph and said, “Sleep with me.” / But he refused. “Look,” he said to his master’s wife, “with me here, my master does not concern himself with anything in his house, and he has entrusted everything he owns to my care. / No one in this house is greater than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do such a great evil and sin against God?” ...

Leviticus 18:20
You must not lie carnally with your neighbor’s wife and thus defile yourself with her.

Exodus 20:14
You shall not commit adultery.

Matthew 5:27-28
You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ / But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Proverbs 6:32-33
He who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself. / Wounds and dishonor will befall him, and his reproach will never be wiped away.

James 1:14-15
But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed. / Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

1 Corinthians 6:18
Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a man can commit is outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.

Psalm 51:1-4
For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. When Nathan the prophet came to him after his adultery with Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your loving devotion; according to Your great compassion, blot out my transgressions. / Wash me clean of my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. / For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. ...

1 Thessalonians 4:3-5
For it is God’s will that you should be holy: You must abstain from sexual immorality; / each of you must know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, / not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God;

Hebrews 13:4
Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.

Deuteronomy 22:22
If a man is found lying with another man’s wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel.

Romans 13:13-14
Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. / Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.

Proverbs 7:6-27
For at the window of my house I looked through the lattice. / I saw among the simple, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking judgment, / crossing the street near her corner, strolling down the road to her house, ...

Galatians 5:19-21
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; / idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, / and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Job 31:1
“I have made a covenant with my eyes. How then could I gaze with desire at a virgin?


Treasury of Scripture

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.

sent messengers

Genesis 39:7
And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.

Job 31:9-11
If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour's door; …

Psalm 50:18
When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.

he lay

Psalm 51:1
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

James 1:14,15
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed…

she was, etc.

purified

Leviticus 12:2-5
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean…

Leviticus 15:19-28
And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even…

Leviticus 18:19
Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness.

Jump to Previous
Bed Clean David Herself Home House Lay Messengers Purified Purifying Slept Turneth Uncleanness
Jump to Next
Bed Clean David Herself Home House Lay Messengers Purified Purifying Slept Turneth Uncleanness
2 Samuel 11
1. While Joab besieges Rabbah, David commits adultery with Bathsheba
6. Uriah, sent for by David to cover the adultery, would not go home.
14. He carries to Joab the letter of his death
18. Joab sends the news thereof to David
26. David takes Bathsheba as his wife














Then David sent messengers
The Hebrew word for "sent" is שָׁלַח (shalach), which often implies a deliberate action or command. In the context of ancient Israel, a king's word was authoritative, and his messengers acted with his full authority. This phrase highlights David's active role in initiating the events that follow, underscoring his responsibility. The use of "messengers" indicates a formal and official act, reflecting the power dynamics at play. David's decision to send for Bathsheba marks a pivotal moment of moral failure, as he abuses his kingly authority for personal desire.

to bring her
The phrase "to bring her" suggests a lack of agency on Bathsheba's part. The Hebrew verb לָקַח (laqach) means "to take" or "to fetch," indicating that Bathsheba was brought to David without her consent being a factor. This reflects the cultural and societal norms of the time, where women often had limited autonomy, especially in the face of royal authority. The narrative here subtly critiques the misuse of power and foreshadows the consequences of David's actions.

and she came to him
This phrase can be seen as a continuation of the previous action, emphasizing Bathsheba's compliance with the king's summons. The Hebrew verb בּוֹא (bo) means "to come" or "to enter," and while it describes Bathsheba's physical movement, it also highlights the inevitability of the situation given the power imbalance. The text does not provide Bathsheba's perspective, which invites readers to consider the complexities of her position and the societal constraints she faced.

and he slept with her
The Hebrew verb שָׁכַב (shakab) is used here, which means "to lie down" or "to sleep with," often implying sexual relations. This phrase marks the culmination of David's sin, as he violates the sanctity of marriage and God's commandments. From a conservative Christian perspective, this act is a grave moral failing, illustrating the dangers of unchecked desire and the importance of adhering to God's laws. It serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of sin and the need for repentance.

Now she had just purified herself from her uncleanness
This phrase refers to the ritual purification required after menstruation, as outlined in Levitical law (Leviticus 15:19-30). The Hebrew word טָהֵר (taher) means "to be clean" or "to purify." This detail is significant because it establishes the timeline for Bathsheba's conception, confirming that she was not pregnant before her encounter with David. It also underscores the irony of the situation: Bathsheba had just completed a ritual act of purification, only to be drawn into an act that would lead to moral and spiritual impurity.

Then she returned to her house
The phrase "returned to her house" signifies the end of the encounter and Bathsheba's return to her normal life, albeit now irrevocably changed. The Hebrew verb שׁוּב (shuv) means "to return" or "to go back," indicating a physical movement but also symbolizing a return to reality after a moment of transgression. This return marks the beginning of the unfolding consequences of David's actions, setting the stage for the subsequent narrative of sin, repentance, and redemption. It serves as a reminder of the enduring impact of sin and the need for accountability and reconciliation with God.

(4) Sent messengers, and took her.--This does not imply the use of violence. Bath-sheba, however beautiful, appears from the narrative of 1Kings 2:13-22, to have been a woman of little discretion, and now yielded to David's will without resistance, perhaps flattered by the approach of the king.

For she was.--Read, and she was. Under the Law she was unclean until the evening. She therefore remained in David's palace until that time, scrupulous in this detail while conscious of a capital crime and a high offence against God. David, nevertheless, was a far greater offender.

Verse 4. - David sent messengers, and took her. David's fall seems as sudden as it was complete; but we may feel sure that there had been gradual preparation for it during the previous period of great prosperity. David had always been a man of strong passions, and the large harem he had set up at Jerusalem, so far from satisfying him, only intensified his lust. And now he who had previously shown himself so chivalrous and noble stoops to robbing one of his own officers of his honour. And stern and terrible was the punishment. When he sent those messengers, who were some of the vile people who hang about great personages, ready to minister to their sins, he was preparing the way for his daughter's disgrace, for the murder of Amnon, for Absalom's rebellion and death, and for the death of Adonijah. From that day his own house was the scene of horrible crimes, feuds, scandals, and miseries of every kind; and the long interval after his repentance, between the birth of Solomon and David's death, is passed over in gloomy silence. No act of the penitent king after his restoration to the throne is deemed worthy of record. He was pardoned, but his place henceforward was not in the light of God's favour, but in shadow and retirement. Men who fall so grievously must be content to be removed into the outer court. Of Bathsheba it must be said that she remained a faithful wife, and bare David four sons besides the one who was the fruit of their adultery, and that she retained her influence over him to the last (1 Chronicles 3:5; 1 Kings 1:15-31). For she was purified from her uncleanness; Hebrew, and she purified herself from her uncleanness; that is, having committed an act of gross immorality, she nevertheless carefully observed the ceremonial enactment commanded in Leviticus 15:18. She went home unrepentant, and with her conscience defiled, but was all the more scrupulous in performing the rite that purified her outwardly.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then David
דָּוִ֨ד (dā·wiḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

sent
וַיִּשְׁלַח֩ (way·yiš·laḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

messengers
מַלְאָכִ֜ים (mal·’ā·ḵîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4397: A messenger, of God, an angel

to get her,
וַיִּקָּחֶ֗הָ (way·yiq·qā·ḥe·hā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

and when she came
וַתָּב֤וֹא (wat·tā·ḇō·w)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

to him,
אֵלָיו֙ (’ê·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

he slept
וַיִּשְׁכַּ֣ב (way·yiš·kaḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7901: To lie down

with her.
עִמָּ֔הּ (‘im·māh)
Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5973: With, equally with

(Now she
וְהִ֥יא (wə·hî)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

had just purified herself
מִתְקַדֶּ֖שֶׁת (miṯ·qad·de·šeṯ)
Verb - Hitpael - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 6942: To be set apart or consecrated

from her uncleanness.)
מִטֻּמְאָתָ֑הּ (miṭ·ṭum·’ā·ṯāh)
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 2932: Religious impurity

Then she returned
וַתָּ֖שָׁב (wat·tā·šāḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

home.
בֵּיתָֽהּ׃ (bê·ṯāh)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 1004: A house


Links
2 Samuel 11:4 NIV
2 Samuel 11:4 NLT
2 Samuel 11:4 ESV
2 Samuel 11:4 NASB
2 Samuel 11:4 KJV

2 Samuel 11:4 BibleApps.com
2 Samuel 11:4 Biblia Paralela
2 Samuel 11:4 Chinese Bible
2 Samuel 11:4 French Bible
2 Samuel 11:4 Catholic Bible

OT History: 2 Samuel 11:4 David sent messengers and took her (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 11:3
Top of Page
Top of Page