Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him.
Then David said to the messenger, 'Tell Joab this: Don't let this upset you, because war kills people randomly, it could be anyone. Fight harder against the city and destroy it, and encourage Joab.'
David is callously dismissing Uriah's death in battle and telling his commander to keep fighting, trying to cover up his own guilt.
📚 Historical Context
During the reign of King David, Israel was engaged in battles against neighboring enemies, and David was ruling from Jerusalem while his army fought on the front lines. In this context, David had already committed adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, a loyal soldier, and orchestrated Uriah's death in battle to cover his sin. When a messenger reported the casualties, including Uriah, David downplayed the loss to encourage Joab, showing his attempt to maintain a facade of normalcy amid his wrongdoing.
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