2 Samuel 11:21

¹⁹ and instructed the messenger, “When you have finished giving the king all the details of the battle,

²⁰ if the king’s anger flares, he may ask you, ‘Why did you get so close to the city to fight? Did you not realize they would shoot from atop the wall?

Who 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.’”

²² So the messenger set out and reported to David all that Joab had sent him to say.

²³ The messenger said to David, “The men overpowered us and came out against us in the field, but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Who 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.’”
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.
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 also dead.’”
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.
DARBY: Who 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.
BLB: Who struck Abimelech son of Jerubbesheth? Was it not a woman who cast on him a piece of a millstone from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you⁺ go near the wall?’ Then you shall say, ‘Also your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.’”

ÅB: Hvem var det som drepte Abimelek, Jerubbesets sønn? Var det ikke en kvinne som kastet en kvernsten ned på ham fra muren i Tebes, så han døde? Hvorfor gikk dere så nær inn til muren? - så skal du si: Også din tjener hetitten Uria er død.
OTB: Hvem slo Abimelek, sønn av Jerubbeset? Kastet ikke en kvinne en øvre kvernstein på ham fra muren så han døde i Tebes? Hvorfor gikk dere så nær muren?' — da skal du si, 'Din tjener Uria hetitten er også død.'"
B1930: Hvem var det som drepte Abimelek, Jerubbesets sønn? Var det ikke en kvinne som kastet en kvernsten ned på ham fra muren i Tebes, så han døde? Hvorfor gikk I så nær inn til muren? - så skal du si: Også din tjener hetitten Uria er død.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Judges 9:50–54
Then Abimelech went to Thebez, encamped against it, and captured it.
Read in context
Judges 7:1
Early in the morning Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the men with him camped beside the spring of Harod. And the camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh.
Read in context
2 Samuel 3:27
When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died on account of the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel.
Read in context
Judges 6:32
So on that day Gideon was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, “Let Baal contend with him,” because he had torn down Baal’s altar.
Read in context
2 Samuel 3:34
Your hands were not bound, your feet were not fettered. As a man falls before the wicked, so also you fell.” And all the people wept over him even more.
Read in context
Isaiah 14:10
They will all respond to you, saying, “You too have become weak, as we are; you have become like us!”
Read in context
Ezekiel 16:51–52
Furthermore, Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You have multiplied your abominations beyond theirs, and all the abominations you have committed have made your sisters appear righteous.
Read in context
Psalms 39:8
Deliver me from all my transgressions; do not make me the reproach of fools.
Read in context