2 Samuel 11:4 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →David sends for Bathsheba and takes her, then she returns home.
What Does 2 Samuel 11:4 Mean?
The verbs come fast and hard: David sent, took, lay. The same king who once refused to lift his hand against Saul now uses the power of his office to take what is not his. The detail that she was purified quietly confirms that the child to come is David's, not Uriah's.
Where the earlier chapters of David's story showed him waiting on the Lord, here he simply seizes. Power that is not surrendered to God becomes a tool for self-will. The brevity of the account mirrors the swiftness of the act and the emptiness that follows; she returned unto her house, and nothing is healed. Sin promises mastery and delivers bondage, as the rest of the chapter will show.
2 Samuel 11:4 in the Original Language
laqach (לָקַח), 'took' -- to seize or take possession, the same verb the prophet later uses to indict David.
Frequently Asked Questions About 2 Samuel 11:4
What does 2 Samuel 11:4 mean?
David sends for Bathsheba and takes her, then she returns home.