Bible Strands
2 Samuel 11:8
Then he said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king followed him.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — David issues this command to Uriah inside the palace immediately after inquiring about Joab and the army’s status. The order is given just before Uriah departs the royal grounds.
The words — The text records the command using רֵד (red), meaning “go down,” and וּ/רְחַ֣ץ (u./re.Chatz), meaning “and wash.” These verbs form a direct, two-part instruction to return home for physical cleansing.
The thread — The phrasing mirrors hospitality routines in Genesis 18:4, Genesis 19:2, and Genesis 43:24, where washing feet accompanies rest and welcome. The parallel usage shows the expected social pattern David is attempting to trigger.
Why it lands — The verse requires the reader to track how a routine command functions as a calculated maneuver. It asks for attention to the gap between the surface instruction and the hidden intent to override Uriah’s loyalty.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- Genesis 18:4 Let a little water be brought, that you may wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree.
- Genesis 19:2 and said, “My lords, please turn aside into the house of your servant; wash your feet and spend the night. Then you can rise early and go on your way.” “No,” they answered, “we will spend the night in the square.”
- Genesis 43:24 And the steward took the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet, and provided food for their donkeys.
- Genesis 43:34 When the portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times larger than any of the others. So they feasted and drank freely with Joseph.
- Psalms 12:2 They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.
- Psalms 44:21 would not God have discovered, since He knows the secrets of the heart?
- Psalms 55:21 His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed.
- Isaiah 29:15 Woe to those who dig deep to hide their plans from the LORD. In darkness they do their works and say, “Who sees us, and who will know?”
- Luke 7:44 And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give Me water for My feet, but she wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
- Luke 12:2 There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, and nothing hidden that will not be made known.