Question 1

What does 2 Samuel 11:27 mean?

Accepted Answer

2 Samuel 11:27 describes how, after the period of mourning for Uriah, David brought Bathsheba into his house, married her, and she gave birth to his son. However, the verse makes clear that what David had done was displeasing to the LORD. This verse comes at the end of the story where King David, after arranging the death of Uriah (Bathsheba’s husband), tries to cover up his actions by marrying Bathsheba. The narrator points out that, although David’s actions might have seemed successful on the surface, God was not pleased. The verse signals a turning point, setting up the consequences that will follow in the next chapters.

Question 2

The Hebrew behind 2 Samuel 11:27

Accepted Answer

"mourning" (אָבֶל, ’āvel): This word refers to the formal period of grieving after a death. The verse notes that David waited until this time was over before marrying Bathsheba, likely to make the marriage appear legitimate. "displeased" (יֵרַע, yera‘ from רַע, ra‘, and עֵינֵי, ‘einei): The phrase "displeased the LORD" literally means "was evil in the eyes of the LORD." This stresses that God saw David’s actions as morally wrong, regardless of how they appeared to people.

Question 3

Why 2 Samuel 11:27 matters

Accepted Answer

The verse clarifies that David’s outward actions—waiting for mourning and marrying Bathsheba—did not hide the wrongdoing from God’s perspective. The statement that the LORD was displeased shifts the focus from human judgment to divine judgment, highlighting God’s moral standard. This verse marks a transition from David’s attempt to cover up his sin to the consequences that will unfold, setting the stage for the prophet Nathan’s confrontation in the next chapter.

2 Samuel 11:27 (KJV)