2 Samuel 11:19
ESV
And he instructed the messenger, "When you have finished telling all the news about the fighting to the king,
NIV
He instructed the messenger: "When you have finished giving the king this account of the battle,
NASB
He ordered the messenger, saying, 'When you have finished telling all the events of the war to the king,
CSB
He commanded the messenger, "When you’ve finished telling the king all the details of the battle—
NLT
He told his messenger, 'Report all the news of the battle to the king.
KJV
And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king,
NKJV
and charged the messenger, saying, “When you have finished telling the matters of the war to the king,
What does 2 Samuel 11:19 mean?
The Israelite army is fighting the Ammonites, descendants of Abraham's nephew, Lot (2 Samuel 11:1; Genesis 19:38). The previous year, the new Ammonite king made poor choices that resulted in David wanting him dead and his people destroyed. Realizing their mistake, the Ammonites barricaded themselves in a walled city (2 Samuel 10:1–14). Joab and David's army are ready to see things through.During the battle, Joab got a message from David, safely away in Jerusalem, commanding he send Uriah, one of the best generals, back to Jerusalem to bring news of the battle (2 Samuel 11:6). When Uriah returned, he had a sealed message from David. In the message, David instructs Joab to place Uriah where the fighting is most intense and then pull back so the Ammonites will kill Uriah. Joab doesn't understand why David would order this. It's a tactical disaster. But he follows his king's instructions, and Uriah, as well as other soldiers, are killed (2 Samuel 11:14–17).
When Joab instructs the messenger who will give David the news, his resentment comes out. He expects that David will be upset at the loss of life, perhaps even that he'll compare the tactical fiasco to Abimelech, the son of Gideon. During the time of the Judges, Abimelech declared himself king. When his allies turned against him, he chased them into the keep of the city of Thebez, intending to burn them alive. But he got too close to the wall, and a woman dropped a millstone on his head (Judges 9; 2 Samuel 11:20–21).
Joab tells the messenger, if David mentions Abimelech's fate, tell him Uriah is dead (2 Samuel 11:20–25). Joab couldn't protect Uriah from David's orders; maybe he can protect his messenger from David's anger.
