And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king.

2 SAMUEL 11:8KJV
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2 Samuel 11:8 (KJV)

What does 2 Samuel 11:8 mean?

2 Samuel 11:8 describes King David telling Uriah to go home and wash his feet, and then sending a gift of food after him. David is trying to encourage Uriah to relax at home after returning from battle, but this is actually part of David’s plan to cover up his own wrongdoing.

In this verse, David is speaking directly to Uriah, one of his soldiers, who has just come back from the battlefield. The phrase “wash thy feet” is a polite way of inviting Uriah to rest and refresh himself at home. The “mess of meat” sent by David is a generous portion of food from the king’s own table, meant to honor Uriah but also to make it more likely he will spend the night at home. This moment is part of the larger story where David tries to hide the fact that he has made Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba, pregnant.

The Hebrew behind 2 Samuel 11:8

  • "Go down" (יָרַד, yarad): This word means to descend or go down, and here it emphasizes David’s instruction for Uriah to physically leave the palace and return to his own house.
  • "Wash" (רָחַץ, rachats): In ancient times, washing the feet was a common act of comfort and hospitality after travel. David’s use of this word is a gentle way of encouraging Uriah to settle in and feel at home.
  • "Mess" (מַשְׂאֵת, mas'eth): This word refers to a portion or serving, often a special or generous one. The use of this term highlights that David is sending not just any food, but a special meal as a royal favor.

Why 2 Samuel 11:8 matters

  • This verse shows David’s attempt to manipulate the situation by making it seem natural for Uriah to go home, hoping Uriah will be with his wife and thus cover up Bathsheba’s pregnancy.
  • The hospitality and kindness David shows on the surface are actually part of a deceptive plan, revealing the complexity of his actions in this story.
  • Understanding the customs behind “washing feet” and the special meal helps clarify that David’s instructions are meant to make Uriah comfortable, not just as a reward, but as a calculated move in David’s larger scheme.

Where else these words appear

“mess” Hebrew H4864 · used in 14 verses

  • Genesis 43:34 And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.
  • 2 Chronicles 24:9 And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the LORD the collection that Moses the servant of God laid upon Israel in the wilderness.
  • Jeremiah 40:5 Now while he was not yet gone back, he said, Go back also to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon hath made governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people: or go wheresoever it seemeth convenient unto thee to go. So the captain of the guard gave him victuals and a reward, and let him go.

“Uriah” Hebrew H223 · used in 33 verses

  • 2 Samuel 11:3 And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?
  • 2 Samuel 11:17 And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.
  • 2 Kings 16:15 And king Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, Upon the great altar burn the morning burnt offering, and the evening meat offering, and the king's burnt sacrifice, and his meat offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings; and sprinkle upon it all the blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice: and the brasen altar shall be for me to enquire by.

“wash” Hebrew H7364 · used in 71 verses

  • Genesis 18:4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:
  • Leviticus 15:5 And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
  • Deuteronomy 23:11 But it shall be, when evening cometh on, he shall wash himself with water: and when the sun is down, he shall come into the camp again.