A common misinterpretation of this verse treats it as straightforward military wisdom or tactical critique, advising caution against needless risks in sieges, while ignoring its contextual role in David's cover-up of adultery and murder; another error assumes David's questions reflect genuine concern for troop safety, overlooking his manipulative intent to console Joab and bury the truth of Uriah's orchestrated death, thus missing the passage's warning against the deceitful progression of hidden sin.
II Samuel 11:20
King James Version (1769)
20 And if so be that the king’s wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall?
In II Samuel 11:20, David instructs Joab's messenger on how to deflect potential royal anger over the costly battle tactic of approaching too near the city walls, where archers could shoot down defenders like Uriah; this reveals the core truth of sin's escalating deception, as David's adultery with Bathsheba prompts him to orchestrate Uriah's death under the guise of military misfortune, illustrating how unrepentant wrongdoing weaves a web of manipulation and moral compromise that endangers the innocent and corrupts leadership.