Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Samuel 11:14

"And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah." — 2 Samuel 11:14 (ASV)

Sent it by the hand of Uriah. — The brave soldier is made the bearer of his own death-warrant, and his well-known valour for his king is to be the means of accomplishing his destruction, to relieve that king of the consequences of his crime, which also involved a great wrong to himself. No reason is given to Joab for this order, but as a loyal and somewhat unscrupulous general he obeys without question.