2 Samuel 11:21 net — Who struck down Abimelech the son of Jerub-Besheth? Didn’t a woman throw an upper millstone down on him from the wall s…

NET Bible

"Who struck down Abimelech the son of Jerub-Besheth? Didn’t a woman throw an upper millstone down on him from the wall so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go so close to the wall?’ just say to him,‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.’”"

— 2 Samuel 11:21, NET Bible

Read in Another Translation

5 of 21 translations

2 Samuel 11:21 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “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.”

  • ASV

    “who 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. ”

  • WEB

    “who 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 dead also.'"”

  • DRB

    “Who killed Abimelech the son of Jerobaal? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall and slew him in Thebes? Why did you go near the wall? Thou shalt say: Thy servant Urias the Hethite is also slain.”

  • BBE

    “Who 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.”

  • KJVA

    “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 — Context

18

Then Joab sent a full battle report to David.

19

He instructed the messenger as follows:“When you finish giving the battle report to the king,

20

if the king becomes angry and asks you,‘Why did you go so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you realize they would shoot from the wall?

21

Who struck down Abimelech the son of Jerub-Besheth? Didn’t a woman throw an upper millstone down on him from the wall so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go so close to the wall?’ just say to him,‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.’”

22

So the messenger departed. When he arrived, he informed David of all the news that Joab had sent with him.

23

The messenger said to David,“The men overpowered us and attacked us in the field. But we forced them to retreat all the way to the door of the city gate.

24

Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall and some of the king’s soldiers died. Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.”

2 Samuel 11:21 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does 2 Samuel 11:21 say?
2 Samuel 11:21 in the NET Bible reads: “Who struck down Abimelech the son of Jerub-Besheth? Didn’t a woman throw an upper millstone down on him from the wall so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go so close to the wall?’ just say to him,‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.’””
Where is 2 Samuel 11:21 in the Bible?
2 Samuel 11:21 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of 2 Samuel, chapter 11, verse 21.
Who wrote 2 Samuel?
2 Samuel is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Nathan and Gad). It was written c. 930–722 BC.
What is the book of 2 Samuel about?
2 Samuel records David's reign — his rise to the throne, the conquest of Jerusalem, the eternal covenant God makes with his house, and the moral failure with Bathsheba that fractures his family. From the highs of triumph to the depths of repentance, David remains the messianic prototype.
What are the major themes of 2 Samuel?
2 Samuel explores themes including Davidic Covenant, Sin & Repentance, Kingdom, Mercy, Consequences. These themes shape the meaning and context of 2 Samuel 11:21.
What translation should I read 2 Samuel 11:21 in?
2 Samuel 11:21 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize 2 Samuel 11:21?
2 Samuel 11:21 reads (NET): “Who struck down Abimelech the son of Jerub-Besheth? Didn’t a woman throw an upper millstone down on him from the wall so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go so close to the wall?’ just say to him,‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.’”” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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