This verse warns us that concealing our true motives often leads to more perilous circumstances.
“and if it happens that the king’s wrath rises and he says to you, ‘Why did you go so near to the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall?’” (v.20). In this verse, Joab is giving careful instructions to a messenger about delivering news to King David. The setting is during the siege of Rabbah, the capital city of the Ammonites. Rabbah was located east of the Jordan River, in what is now modern-day Jordan, and it was a significant fortress that David’s forces were attempting to conquer. King David reigned around 1010-970 BC, and this verse highlights a moment in his reign where he might react with anger upon hearing details of the battle plan, especially considering his close vigilance over military campaigns.
The larger context of this chapter deals with David’s orchestration of events surrounding Uriah the Hittite (2 Samuel 11). While verse 20 specifically addresses how Joab wanted the messenger to handle the king’s potential fury, it fits into a broader scheme of secrecy and manipulation. Joab, David’s general, understood that approaching an enemy city too closely was risky because soldiers on the wall could easily fire upon the attackers. Still, Joab, under David’s direction, pressed forward with the siege, reflecting the tangled nature of David’s decision-making in this period. This cautionary command from Joab reveals his concern about David’s reception of the news—particularly because David might question why soldiers advanced so dangerously, exposing themselves to near-certain arrow fire. Jesus later speaks about the condition of our hearts and the need for truthfulness and transparency in our actions (Matthew 15:18-19), underscoring that hidden motives often bring unhealthy consequences.
In the flow of Scripture, “Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall?” (v.20) conveys Joab’s recognition of military prudence. But beyond the practical lesson, it also points to the moral and ethical cost of attempting to control outcomes through stealth and deception. Joab’s instructions to the messenger mirror how people sometimes try to manage others’ expectations or reactions, rather than confronting wrongdoing openly. The New Testament reminds believers to walk in the light (1 John 1:7), contrasting with the hidden progressions of deceit in David’s story.
Set to dark mode
2 Samuel 11:20 meaning
“and if it happens that the king’s wrath rises and he says to you, ‘Why did you go so near to the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall?’” (v.20). In this verse, Joab is giving careful instructions to a messenger about delivering news to King David. The setting is during the siege of Rabbah, the capital city of the Ammonites. Rabbah was located east of the Jordan River, in what is now modern-day Jordan, and it was a significant fortress that David’s forces were attempting to conquer. King David reigned around 1010-970 BC, and this verse highlights a moment in his reign where he might react with anger upon hearing details of the battle plan, especially considering his close vigilance over military campaigns.
The larger context of this chapter deals with David’s orchestration of events surrounding Uriah the Hittite (2 Samuel 11). While verse 20 specifically addresses how Joab wanted the messenger to handle the king’s potential fury, it fits into a broader scheme of secrecy and manipulation. Joab, David’s general, understood that approaching an enemy city too closely was risky because soldiers on the wall could easily fire upon the attackers. Still, Joab, under David’s direction, pressed forward with the siege, reflecting the tangled nature of David’s decision-making in this period. This cautionary command from Joab reveals his concern about David’s reception of the news—particularly because David might question why soldiers advanced so dangerously, exposing themselves to near-certain arrow fire. Jesus later speaks about the condition of our hearts and the need for truthfulness and transparency in our actions (Matthew 15:18-19), underscoring that hidden motives often bring unhealthy consequences.
In the flow of Scripture, “Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall?” (v.20) conveys Joab’s recognition of military prudence. But beyond the practical lesson, it also points to the moral and ethical cost of attempting to control outcomes through stealth and deception. Joab’s instructions to the messenger mirror how people sometimes try to manage others’ expectations or reactions, rather than confronting wrongdoing openly. The New Testament reminds believers to walk in the light (1 John 1:7), contrasting with the hidden progressions of deceit in David’s story.