2 Samuel 11:25
“Then David said to the messenger, “Tell Joab, ‘Don’t let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Make your battle stronger against the city, and overthrow it.’ Encourage him.””
What does 2 Samuel 11:25 mean?
David is trying to comfort Joab after a military loss by reminding him that death in battle is inevitable for soldiers, whether in this skirmish or another. It's a practical perspective meant to move Joab past grief and refocus on the task ahead, but it carries a hollow ring because David himself orchestrated the death of one particular soldier (Uriah) to cover his own sin. The passage shows how people can offer reasonable-sounding advice while their own hearts are hidden in darkness. Sometimes we rationalize away our guilt by accepting "the way things are," but that acceptance doesn't make our choices right. If you're wrestling with hard truths about your own behavior, this moment in David's story reminds us that deflection eventually crumbles.