2 Samuel 11:19

19 And he commanded the messenger, "When you finish telling the king about the battle,

2 Samuel 11:19 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 11:19

And charged the messenger
Gave him a particular direction and instruction what he should say at the close of his narrative, according as he should observe the king's countenance to be:

saying, when thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war
unto the king;
giving an account of all the events that happened since the siege was begun to that time.

2 Samuel 11:19 In-Context

17 The men of the city came out and fought Joab. Some of the people, namely, some of David's mercenaries, fell and died--including Uriah the Hittite.

18 Then Joab sent [a messenger] to report to David all the details of the battle.

19 And he commanded the messenger, "When you finish telling the king about the battle,

20 the king may become angry. He might ask you, 'Why did you go so close to the city to fight? Didn't you know they would shoot from the wall?

21 Who killed Jerubbesheth's son Abimelech? Didn't a woman on the wall of Thebez throw a small millstone at him and kill him? Why did you go so close to the wall?' If the king asks this, then say, 'Your man Uriah the Hittite is also dead.'"