The Meaning of 2 Samuel 11:6 Explained

2 Samuel 11:6

KJV: And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.

YLT: And David sendeth unto Joab, 'Send unto me Uriah the Hittite,' and Joab sendeth Uriah unto David;

Darby: And David sent to Joab saying, Send me Urijah the Hittite. And Joab sent Urijah to David.

ASV: And David sent to Joab,'saying , Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And David  sent  to Joab,  [saying], Send  me Uriah  the Hittite.  And Joab  sent  Uriah  to David. 

What does 2 Samuel 11:6 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 11:1-13 - Giving Rein To Self-Indulgence
This was not an isolated sin. For some time, backsliding had been eating out David's heart. The cankerworm takes its toll before the noble tree crashes to the ground. See Psalms 51:8. Joab and his brave soldiers were in the thick of a great conflict. Rabbah was being besieged and had not fallen. It was a time when kings went out to battle, but David tarried at home. It was a fatal lethargy. If the king had been in his place, this sin would never have besmirched his character.
A look, as in Eve's case, opened the door to the devil. "Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity." However great our attainments and however high our standing, we are all liable to attack and failure; but when we abide in Christ, no weapon that hell can forge can hurt us. When we have sinned, our only safety is in instant confession. This David delayed for a year and till forced to it. He was more eager to evade the consequences than to deal with his transgression. Sober David was far worse, here, than drunken Uriah. The singular self-restraint of the soldier threw the sin of the king into terrible and disgraceful prominence. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 11:6 mean?

And sent David to Joab [saying] Send me - Uriah the Hittite Joab David
וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח דָּוִד֙ אֶל־ יוֹאָ֔ב שְׁלַ֣ח אֵלַ֔י אֶת־ אֽוּרִיָּ֖ה הַחִתִּ֑י יוֹאָ֛ב דָּוִֽד

וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח  And  sent 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
דָּוִד֙  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
יוֹאָ֔ב  Joab 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄואָב  
Sense: son of David’s sister Zeruiah and general of David’s army.
שְׁלַ֣ח  [saying]  Send 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
אֵלַ֔י  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֽוּרִיָּ֖ה  Uriah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אוּרִיָּה 
Sense: Hittite husband of Bathsheba.
הַחִתִּ֑י  the  Hittite 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חִתִּי  
Sense: the nation descended from Heth, the 2nd son of Canaan; once inhabitants of central Anatolia (modern Turkey), later in north Lebanon.
יוֹאָ֛ב  Joab 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄואָב  
Sense: son of David’s sister Zeruiah and general of David’s army.
דָּוִֽד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.