David Captures Rabbah

In this lesson David resumes his duties as the king of the Israelites.

This lesson includes reviews of previous lessons.

We will have a lesson within a lesson.

How well do you trust the translation of the Bible you are using?

Which translations are accurate?

 

2 Samuel 12:26-31 NLT
David Captures Rabbah
²⁶ Meanwhile, Joab was fighting against Rabbah, the capital of Ammon, and he captured the royal fortifications. ²⁷ Joab sent messengers to tell David, “I have fought against Rabbah and captured its water supply. ²⁸ Now bring the rest of the army and capture the city. Otherwise, I will capture it and get credit for the victory.”
²⁹ So David gathered the rest of the army and went to Rabbah, and he fought against it and captured it. ³⁰ David removed the crown from the king’s head, and it was placed on his own head. The crown was made of gold and set with gems, and it weighed seventy-five pounds. David took a vast amount of plunder from the city. ³¹ He also made slaves of the people of Rabbah and forced them to labor with saws, iron picks, and iron axes, and to work in the brick kilns. That is how he dealt with the people of all the Ammonite towns. Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem.                                         

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 12:26-31 NLT
David Captures Rabbah

From previous lesson. (Same chapter)

²⁰ Then David got up from the ground, washed himself, put on lotions, and changed his clothes. He went to the Tabernacle and worshiped the Lord. After that, he returned to the palace and was served food and ate.

David accepted the Lord’s discipline.

David resumed normal life activities.

²⁶ Meanwhile, Joab

was fighting against Rabbah, the capital of Ammon,

• Joab fought against Rabbah, the capitol of Ammon.

Refer to a map.

The author returns to the siege of Rabbah.

This all began in chapter 10.

2 Samuel 10:1-4 NLT
^10:1 Some time after this, King Nahash of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun became king. ² David said, “I am going to show loyalty to Hanun just as his father, Nahash, was always loyal to me.” So David sent ambassadors to express sympathy to Hanun about his father’s death.
But when David’s ambassadors arrived in the land of Ammon, ³ the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun, their master, “Do you really think these men are coming here to honor your father? No! David has sent them to spy out the city so they can come in and conquer it!” ⁴ So Hanun seized David’s ambassadors and shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their robes at the buttocks, and sent them back to David in shame.

This event turned the Israelites against the Ammonites.

The Ammonites paid the Aramean soldiers to help them fight the Israelites.

The Israelites defeated the Arameans leaving the Ammonites to fend for themselves.

2 Samuel 11:1 NLT
^11:1 In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem.

Review Joab’s involvement in the death of Uriah.

2 Samuel 11:14-21
David Arranges for Uriah’s Death
¹⁴ So the next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and gave it to Uriah to deliver. ¹⁵ The letter instructed Joab, “Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest. Then pull back so that he will be killed.” ¹⁶ So Joab assigned Uriah to a spot close to the city wall where he knew the enemy’s strongest men were fighting. ¹⁷ And when the enemy soldiers came out of the city to fight, Uriah the Hittite was killed along with several other Israelite soldiers.
¹⁸ Then Joab sent a battle report to David. ¹⁹ He told his messenger, “Report all the news of the battle to the king. ²⁰ But he might get angry and ask, ‘Why did the troops go so close to the city? Didn’t they know there would be shooting from the walls? ²¹ Wasn’t Abimelech son of Gideon killed at Thebez by a woman who threw a millstone down on him from the wall? Why would you get so close to the wall?’ Then tell him, ‘Uriah the Hittite was killed, too.’”

David sent a letter to Joab, the commander of his army, instructing him to place Uriah at the front line of battle where the fighting is fiercest and then withdraw, ensuring Uriah’s death.

• Joab complied with David’s instructions.

• Joab’s willingness to carry out David’s orders reflects the ethical dilemmas faced by subordinates in systems of power.

Joab may have felt compelled to obey David as his king, believing it was his duty to follow orders. However, the Bible consistently upholds God’s law as the ultimate standard, even above human authority.

This was an act of premeditated murder.

Exodus 20:13 NLT
“You must not murder.

Situations like this highlight the importance of courageously opposing injustice, even when it comes from a superior.

Obeying authority does not excuse participation in wrongdoing. Individuals are accountable for their actions, even when following orders.

James 4:17 NLT
Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

Joab’s submission to David’s command does not absolve him of guilt for participating in an immoral act.

Joab knew that fighting close to the enemies’ city wall was a military blunder. 

• Joab knew that his actions were wrong.

 

More of David’s instructions to Joab.

2 Samuel 11:25 NLT
²⁵ “Well, tell Joab not to be discouraged,” David said. “The sword devours this one today and that one tomorrow! Fight harder next time, and conquer the city!”

• David instructed Joab to “Fight harder next time, and conquer the city!”

Joab does as David instructed.

Back to today’s passage. 

and he (Joab) captured the royal fortifications. 

• Joab captured the “royal fortifications”, not the entire city of Rabbah.

Many translations say “the royal city”.

The “royal city” refers to the central and most fortified part of Rabbah, which was a stronghold. Capturing this portion was a significant military achievement that paved the way for complete conquest. (ChatGPT) 

²⁷ Joab sent messengers to tell David, “I have fought against Rabbah and captured its water supply.  

Many translations say “the city of waters”.

• With no water, the inhabitants of Rabbah would soon have to surrender.

²⁸ Now bring the rest of the army and capture the city. Otherwise, I will capture it and get credit for the victory.”

David was given the privilege of leading the final assault.

This was both:

Military protocol.

Joab’s loyalty and respect for King David.

• Joab calls David to come to Rabbah so that David can get credit for the victory. 

²⁹ So David gathered the rest of the army and went to Rabbah, and he fought against it and captured it. 

This is what David should have been in the first place.

• In spite of David’s recent sinful behaviors, God granted his army victory over the Ammonites.

Remember, after David had sinned, he was truly sorry for his sins, and he confessed his sins.

Even though the Lord was displeased with David’s actions, he gave the Israelites victory over the Ammonites who had abused them.

³⁰ David removed the crown from the king’s head, and it was placed on his own head. The crown was made of gold and set with gems, and it weighed seventy-five pounds. 

A symbolic act of transferring to David sovereignty over Ammon. 

David took a vast amount of plunder from the city. 

• David took a vast amount of plunder from the city.

³¹ He also made slaves of the people of Rabbah and forced them to labor with saws, iron picks, and iron axes, and to work in the brick kilns. That is how he dealt with the people of all the Ammonite towns.

This was a common practice.

 

A lesson within a lesson.

Different translations appear to imply different things. 

Note:   These verses can be translated with the sense that the Ammonites were cut with saws, indicating that David imposed cruel death on the captives in accordance with Ammonite ways.

2 Samuel 12:31

And he brought forth the people that were therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brick-kiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem. (KJV) 

And he brought forth the people that were therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brick kiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem. (ASV) 

³¹ He brought out the people who were in the city and put them to work making bricks. David demolished the city with saws, iron picks, and axes he did this to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all the troops returned to Jerusalem. (CEB)

1 Chronicles 20:3 American Standard Version
³ And he brought forth the people that were therein, and cut them with saws, and with harrows of iron, and with axes. And thus did David unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

1 Chronicles 20:3 King James Version
³ And he brought out the people that were in it, and cut them with saws, and with harrows of iron, and with axes. Even so dealt David with all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

1 Chronicles 20:3 Common English Bible
³ After removing the people who were in the city, David demolished the city with saws, iron picks, and axes, as he did to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all his troops returned to Jerusalem.

• David’s treatment of the Ammonites reflects the harsh realities of ancient warfare.

Harsh treatment of conquered nations was not uncommon.

Amos 1:13 NLT
¹³ This is what the Lord says:
“The people of Ammon have sinned again and again,
and I will not let them go unpunished!
When they (the ammonites) attacked Gilead to extend their borders,
they ripped open pregnant women with their swords. 

2 Samuel 8:2 NLT
² David also conquered the land of Moab. He made the people lie down on the ground in a row, and he measured them off in groups with a length of rope. He measured off two groups to be executed for every one group to be spared. The Moabites who were spared became David’s subjects and paid him tribute money.

Different translations appear to imply different outcomes. 

Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem.

• David’s victories are seen as fulfilling God’s promise to establish his kingdom, even when David himself is flawed.

 

 

David Confesses His Guilt

Lots of repetition of Biblical principles we have already discussed.  (Repetition is good.)

A story of God’s grace and mercy.

Justice gives what is deserved (reward or punishment).
Mercy withholds what is deserved (punishment).
Grace gives what is not deserved (blessing or favor).

2 Samuel 12:13-25 NLT
¹³ Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”
Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin. ¹⁴ Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the word of the Lord by doing this, your child will die.”
¹⁵ After Nathan returned to his home, the Lord sent a deadly illness to the child of David and Uriah’s wife. ¹⁶ David begged God to spare the child. He went without food and lay all night on the bare ground. ¹⁷ The elders of his household pleaded with him to get up and eat with them, but he refused.
¹⁸ Then on the seventh day the child died. David’s advisers were afraid to tell him. “He wouldn’t listen to reason while the child was ill,” they said. “What drastic thing will he do when we tell him the child is dead?”
¹⁹ When David saw them whispering, he realized what had happened. “Is the child dead?” he asked.
“Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.”
²⁰ Then David got up from the ground, washed himself, put on lotions, and changed his clothes. He went to the Tabernacle and worshiped the Lord. After that, he returned to the palace and was served food and ate.
²¹ His advisers were amazed. “We don’t understand you,” they told him. “While the child was still living, you wept and refused to eat. But now that the child is dead, you have stopped your mourning and are eating again.”
²² David replied, “I fasted and wept while the child was alive, for I said, ‘Perhaps the Lord will be gracious to me and let the child live.’ ²³ But why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him one day, but he cannot return to me.”
²⁴ Then David comforted Bathsheba, his wife, and slept with her. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and David named him Solomon. The Lord loved the child ²⁵ and sent word through Nathan the prophet that they should name him Jedidiah (which means “beloved of the Lord”), as the Lord had commanded.

Examine the Scriptures
2 Samuel 12:13-25 NLT
David Confesses His Guilt 

¹³ Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”

• David recognizes his guilt and confesses his sin in response to Nathan’s rebuke.

David displayed genuine and contrite repentance.

Read Psalm 51.
For the choir director: A psalm of David, regarding the time Nathan the prophet came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.
¹ Have mercy on me, O God,
because of your unfailing love.
Because of your great compassion,
blot out the stain of my sins.
² Wash me clean from my guilt.
Purify me from my sin.
³ For I recognize my rebellion;
it haunts me day and night.
⁴ Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say,
and your judgment against me is just.
⁵ For I was born a sinner—
yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
⁶ But you desire honesty from the womb,
teaching me wisdom even there.
⁷ Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
⁸ Oh, give me back my joy again;
you have broken me—
now let me rejoice.
⁹ Don’t keep looking at my sins.
Remove the stain of my guilt.
¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not banish me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and make me willing to obey you.
¹³ Then I will teach your ways to rebels,
and they will return to you.
¹⁴ Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves;
then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.
¹⁵ Unseal my lips, O Lord,
that my mouth may praise you.¹⁶ You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.
You do not want a burnt offering.
¹⁷ The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.
¹⁸ Look with favor on Zion and help her;
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
¹⁹ Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit—
with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings.
Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar. 

Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you,

• The Lord forgave David.

God’s grace was more than sufficient to forgive and restore David.

1 John 1:9 NLT
⁹ But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

• David experienced the joy of knowing his sin was forgiven.

Psalm 32:1-5 NLT
A psalm of David.
¹ Oh, what joy for those
whose disobedience is forgiven,
whose sin is put out of sight!
² Yes, what joy for those
whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt
whose lives are lived in complete honesty!
³ When I refused to confess my sin,
my body wasted away,
and I groaned all day long.
⁴ Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.
My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.
⁵ Finally, I confessed all my sins to you
and stopped trying to hide my guilt.
I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.”
And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.  

and you won’t die for this sin. 

(From previous lesson.)

Leviticus 24:17 NLT
¹⁷ “Anyone who takes another person’s life must be put to death.

Leviticus 20:10 NLT
¹⁰ “If a man commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, both the man and the woman who have committed adultery must be put to death. 

God does not give us what we deserve. He gives us what we least deserve (grace) and withholds what we do deserve (mercy). While God may not grant every desire or wish, He remains faithful to His promises. 

¹⁴ Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the word of the Lord by doing this, your child will die.”

• Forgiveness does not always remove all of the consequences of sin. (From previous lesson.)

• • David’s sons Amnon, Absalom, and Adonijah will all die by the sword.
  • David’s family will turn against him.
  • David will experience public humiliation.

¹⁵ After Nathan returned to his home, the Lord sent a deadly illness to the child

• David did experience painful consequences for his sins.

of David and Uriah’s wife. 

Note: Scripture says this was “the child of …Uriah’s wife” 

¹⁶ David begged God to spare the child. He went without food and lay all night on the bare ground. 

• David begged God to spare the child.

¹⁷ The elders of his household pleaded with him to get up and eat with them, but he refused.
¹⁸ Then on the seventh day the child died.

“When David slept with Bathsheba and created new life, Bathsheba did not belong to him but to Uriah. The child cannot belong to David. He cannot enrich himself through his sin, and in a sense, justice is done to Uriah.” (Constable) 

David’s advisers were afraid to tell him. “He wouldn’t listen to reason while the child was ill,” they said. “What drastic thing will he do when we tell him the child is dead?”
¹⁹ When David saw them whispering, he realized what had happened. “Is the child dead?” he asked.
“Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.”
²⁰ Then David got up from the ground, washed himself, put on lotions, and changed his clothes. He went to the Tabernacle and worshiped the Lord.

• David accepted the Lord’s discipline.

Referring back to verse 14, David would have viewed the death of the child as an act of God.

Jews associated seven days with divine acts. 

After that, he returned to the palace and was served food and ate.

• David resumed normal life activities.

²¹ His advisers were amazed. “We don’t understand you,” they told him. “While the child was still living, you wept and refused to eat. 

¹⁶ David begged God to spare the child. 

But now that the child is dead, you have stopped your mourning and are eating again.”

When David resumed his normal life activities, his advisors were amazed.

²² David replied, “I fasted and wept while the child was alive, for I said, ‘Perhaps the Lord will be gracious to me and let the child live.’ 

²³ But why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? 

David accepted the Lord’s discipline.

David understood the principle of Galatians 6:7 NLT

⁷ Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. 

I will go to him one day, but he cannot return to me.”

Reflect on the following passages of scripture.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 NLT
The Hope of the Resurrection
¹³ And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. ¹⁴ For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.
¹⁵ We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. ¹⁶ For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. ¹⁷ Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸ So encourage each other with these words.

John 14:1-3 NLT
^14:1 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. ² There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? ³ When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.

Revelation 21:4 NLT
⁴ He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

Philippians 3:12-14 NLT
¹² I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. ¹³ No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. 

²⁴ Then David comforted Bathsheba, his wife, 

See Matthew 1:6 (second part of this verse) 

and slept with her. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and David named him Solomon.

1 Chronicles 3:5 NLT
⁵ The sons born to David in Jerusalem included Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon. Their mother was Bathsheba, …

Genealogy in Matthew (Matthew 1:1–17)

Jesse was the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah). (Matthew 1:6 NLT)

Genealogy in Luke (Luke 3:23–38)

Mattatha was the son of Nathan. Nathan was the son of David.  (Luke 3:31 NLT)

• The birth of David and Bathsheba’s second son, Solomon was a blessing from the LORD. It demonstrates that God’s grace is greater than all our sins.

The fact that God allowed him to live—and even made him David’s successor on the throne—is testimony to God’s great grace to David.

Romans 5:20 NLT
²⁰ God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant.

• God had previously revealed to David that He would give him a son, and that he should name him “Solomon,” and that this son would succeed David on his throne.

1 Chronicles 22:6-10 NLT  (2 Samuel 7 – previous to David’s sin with Bathsheba)
⁶ Then David sent for his son Solomon and instructed him to build a Temple for the Lord, the God of Israel. ⁷ “My son, I wanted to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord my God,” David told him. ⁸ “But the Lord said to me, ‘You have killed many men in the battles you have fought. And since you have shed so much blood in my sight, you will not be the one to build a Temple to honor my name. ⁹ But you will have a son who will be a man of peace. I will give him peace with his enemies in all the surrounding lands. His name will be Solomon and I will give peace and quiet to Israel during his reign. ¹⁰ He is the one who will build a Temple to honor my name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will secure the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’

1 Chronicles 28:4-7 NLT
⁴ “Yet the Lord, the God of Israel, has chosen me (David) from among all my father’s family to be king over Israel forever. For he has chosen the tribe of Judah to rule, and from among the families of Judah he chose my father’s family. And from among my father’s sons the Lord was pleased to make me king over all Israel. ⁵ And from among my sons—for the Lord has given me many—he chose Solomon to succeed me on the throne of Israel and to rule over the Lord’s kingdom. ⁶ He said to me, ‘Your son Solomon will build my Temple and its courtyards, for I have chosen him as my son, and I will be his father. ⁷ And if he continues to obey my commands and regulations as he does now, I will make his kingdom last forever.’ 

The Lord loved the child 

• The Lord loved Solomon.

²⁵  and sent word through Nathan the prophet that they should name him Jedidiah (which means “beloved of the Lord”), as the Lord had commanded.

Solomon means “peaceful” or “man of peace.”

Nathan Rebukes David

Choices have consequences.  Consequences can be severe and painful.

Psalm 32:3-4 NLT (Written by David)
³ When I refused to confess my sin,
my body wasted away,
and I groaned all day long.
⁴ Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.
My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. 

2 Samuel 12:1-12 is a powerful and convicting story of the prophet Nathan confronting King David over his sin with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah.

2 Samuel 12:1-12 NLT
Nathan Rebukes David
^12:1 So the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: “There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. ² The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. ³ The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man’s own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. ⁴ One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest.”
⁵ David was furious. “As surely as the Lord lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! ⁶ He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.”
⁷ Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! The Lord, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. ⁸ I gave you your master’s house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. ⁹ Why, then, have you despised the word of the Lord and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife. ¹⁰ From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own.
¹¹ “This is what the Lord says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. ¹² You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.”

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 12:1-12 NLT

Nathan Rebukes David

• Nathan uses a parable to reveal David’s sin indirectly, appealing to his sense of justice before directly confronting him.

A parable is a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson. 

^12:1 So the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story:

God is sending Nathan the prophet to rebuke and announce judgment on the king God had entrusted to shepherd His people.

• We are all accountable to God for our words and actions.

Romans 14:12 NLT
¹² Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.

• The Lord confronted David with his sins.

The parable. 

“There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. ² The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. ³ The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought.

The rich man represents David,

the poor man represents Uriah,

and the little lamb represents Bathsheba.

He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man’s own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. ⁴ One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest.” 

The stealing and slaughter of the lamb represented the adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah by David.

The Lord’s concern for the poor is a major theme in the Bible. As his representative, the king was supposed to protect the poor against abuse by the powerful.

Exodus 23:6 NLT
⁶ “In a lawsuit, you must not deny justice to the poor.

Proverbs 29:7 NLT
⁷ The godly care about the rights of the poor;
the wicked don’t care at all.

Proverbs 19:17 NLT
¹⁷ If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord—
and he will repay you!

Proverbs 14:31 NLT
³¹ Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker,
but helping the poor honors him.

Deuteronomy 15:11 NLT
¹¹ There will always be some in the land who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need.

Matthew 25:34-36 NLT
³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. ³⁶ I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ 

⁵ David was furious. “As surely as the Lord lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! 

• David was so angry he pronounced that the man who would do such a despicable thing ought to die, though the Law contained no such penalty for the theft of property. 

⁶ He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.”

• David is truly concerned about justice, when not blinded by his own passion.

Exodus 22:1 NLT
Protection of Property
_22:1 “If someone steals an ox or sheep and then kills or sells it, the thief must pay back five oxen for each ox stolen, and four sheep for each sheep stolen.

Note: Four of David’s sons will die.

Bathsheba’s first son

2 Samuel 12:18 NLT
¹⁸ Then on the seventh day the child died.

Amnon (13:29)

2 Samuel 13:29 NLT
²⁹ So at Absalom’s signal they murdered Amnon. Then the other sons of the king jumped on their mules and fled.

Absalom (18:15)

2 Samuel 18:15 NLT
¹⁵ Ten of Joab’s young armor bearers then surrounded Absalom and killed him.

Adonijah (1 Kings 2:25

1 Kings 2:25 NLT
²⁵ So King Solomon ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada to execute him, and Adonijah was put to death. 

⁷ Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man!

Nathan shifts from the parable to the direct rebuke that Nathan was delivering from God.

• Sin blinds people to their guilt and often requires external confrontation for them to see their wrongdoing.

“You are that man” would have gotten David’s attention.  Commentators believe several months had passed since David had committed his gross sins and they were probably not in the forefront of his thinking. 

The Lord, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. ⁸ I gave you your master’s house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. 

A reminder of some of the great things God had done for David.

Anointed David king.

Saved David from the power of Saul.

Gave David:

Saul’s house and wives.

The kingdom of Israel and Judah.

• God had done great things for David

• God has done great things for us. 

⁹ Why, then, have you despised the word of the Lord and done this horrible deed?

Jeremiah 17:9 NLT
⁹ “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things,
and desperately wicked.
Who really knows how bad it is? 

For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife.  

David is held responsible for despising the word of the Lord, murdering Uriah, and stealing his wife.

Leviticus 24:17 NLT
¹⁷ “Anyone who takes another person’s life must be put to death.

Leviticus 20:10 NLT
¹⁰ “If a man commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, both the man and the woman who have committed adultery must be put to death.

• David is charged with murdering Uriah the Hittite and stealing his wife.

Why was David spared the death penalty?  His sin was heinous.

David’s genuine and contrite repentance (Psalm 51)

• God’s grace is more than sufficient to forgive and restore David (us).

Although God’s grace could restore his fellowship with God, the impact of his sin remained and had a negative impact on the nation of Israel as well as a negative on David’s personal life.

• Forgiveness does not always remove all of the consequences of sin. 

¹⁰ From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own.

The scriptures say that David has despised the Lord and his word. (Verses 9 & 10)

• Choices have consequences.

David’s household will experience violence, as seen later in the conflicts between his sons (Amnon, Absalom, and Adonijah).

Bathsheba’s first son

2 Samuel 12:18 NLT
¹⁸ Then on the seventh day the child died.

Amnon (13:29)

2 Samuel 13:29 NLT
²⁹ So at Absalom’s signal they murdered Amnon. Then the other sons of the king jumped on their mules and fled.

Absalom (18:15)

2 Samuel 18:15 NLT
¹⁵ Ten of Joab’s young armor bearers then surrounded Absalom and killed him.

Adonijah (1 Kings 2:25)

1 Kings 2:25 NLT
²⁵ So King Solomon ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada to execute him, and Adonijah was put to death. 

• David’s sons Amnon, Absalom, and Adonijah will all die by the sword. 

¹¹ “This is what the Lord says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you.

• David’s family will turn against him.

2 Samuel 15:13-16 NLT
David Escapes from Jerusalem
¹³ A messenger soon arrived in Jerusalem to tell David, “All Israel has joined Absalom in a conspiracy against you!”
¹⁴ “Then we must flee at once, or it will be too late!” David urged his men. “Hurry! If we get out of the city before Absalom arrives, both we and the city of Jerusalem will be spared from disaster.”
¹⁵ “We are with you,” his advisers replied. “Do what you think is best.”
¹⁶ So the king and all his household set out at once. He left no one behind except ten of his concubines to look after the palace. 

I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. ¹² You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.”

• David will experience public humiliation.

2 Samuel 16:22 NLT
²² So they set up a tent on the palace roof where everyone could see it, and Absalom went in and had sex with his father’s concubines.

 

We are responsible for our choices.

Choices have consequences.

God’s grace is more than sufficient to forgive and restore us. 

Forgiveness does not always remove all of the consequences of sin.

David Arranges for Uriah’s Death

Introduction:

Jeremiah 17:9 NLT
⁹ “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things,
and desperately wicked.
Who really knows how bad it is?

2 Samuel 11:14-27 NLT
David Arranges for Uriah’s Death
¹⁴ So the next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and gave it to Uriah to deliver. ¹⁵ The letter instructed Joab, “Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest. Then pull back so that he will be killed.” ¹⁶ So Joab assigned Uriah to a spot close to the city wall where he knew the enemy’s strongest men were fighting. ¹⁷ And when the enemy soldiers came out of the city to fight, Uriah the Hittite was killed along with several other Israelite soldiers.
¹⁸ Then Joab sent a battle report to David. ¹⁹ He told his messenger, “Report all the news of the battle to the king. ²⁰ But he might get angry and ask, ‘Why did the troops go so close to the city? Didn’t they know there would be shooting from the walls? ²¹ Wasn’t Abimelech son of Gideon killed at Thebez by a woman who threw a millstone down on him from the wall? Why would you get so close to the wall?’ Then tell him, ‘Uriah the Hittite was killed, too.’”
²² So the messenger went to Jerusalem and gave a complete report to David. ²³ “The enemy came out against us in the open fields,” he said. “And as we chased them back to the city gate, ²⁴ the archers on the wall shot arrows at us. Some of the king’s men were killed, including Uriah the Hittite.”
²⁵ “Well, tell Joab not to be discouraged,” David said. “The sword devours this one today and that one tomorrow! Fight harder next time, and conquer the city!”
²⁶ When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. ²⁷ When the period of mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. Then she gave birth to a son. But the Lord was displeased with what David had done.

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 11:14-27 NLT

David Arranges for Uriah’s Death

¹⁴ So the next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and gave it to Uriah to deliver.

• David plots Uriah’s death.

Uriah unknowingly carries his own death warrant.

 ¹⁵ The letter instructed Joab, “Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest. Then pull back so that he will be killed.” 

• David sends a letter to Joab, the commander of his army, instructing him to place Uriah at the front line of battle where the fighting is fiercest and then withdraw, ensuring Uriah’s death.

Then pull back so that he will be killed.” 

Note: Uriah was one of “David’s mighty warriors” (listed in 1 Chronicles 11 and 2 Samuel 23)

David manipulates others to cover his sin.

This is an act of premeditated murder.

Leviticus 24:17 NLT
¹⁷ “Anyone who takes another person’s life must be put to death. 

¹⁶ So Joab assigned Uriah to a spot close to the city wall where he knew the enemy’s strongest men were fighting. 

• Joab complied with David’s instructions.

Joab’s willingness to carry out David’s orders reflects the ethical dilemmas faced by subordinates in systems of power.

David, as king, abused his authority to serve his personal desires,

Joab may have felt compelled to obey David as his king, believing it was his duty to follow orders. However, the Bible consistently upholds God’s law as the ultimate standard, even above human authority.

This was an act of premeditated murder.

Exodus 20:13 NLT
“You must not murder.

Situations like this highlight the importance of courageously opposing injustice, even when it comes from a superior.

Acts 5:29 NLT
²⁹ But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.

Obeying authority does not excuse participation in wrongdoing. Individuals are accountable for their actions, even when following orders.

James 4:17 NLT
Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

• Joab’s submission to David’s command does not absolve him of guilt for participating in an immoral act.

Bible characters who disobeyed those in authority:

The Hebrew midwives

Exodus 1:15-17 & 21 NLT
¹⁵ Then Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, gave this order to the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah: ¹⁶ “When you help the Hebrew women as they give birth, watch as they deliver.  If the baby is a boy, kill him; if it is a girl, let her live.”
¹⁷ But because the midwives feared God, they refused to obey the king’s orders. They allowed the boys to live, too.
²¹ And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.

Rahab  (Note: Rahab is mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus.)

Joshua 2:2-6 NLT
² But someone told the king of Jericho, “Some Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” ³ So the king of Jericho sent orders to Rahab: “Bring out the men who have come into your house, for they have come here to spy out the whole land.”
⁴ Rahab had hidden the two men, but she replied, “Yes, the men were here earlier, but I didn’t know where they were from. ⁵ They left the town at dusk, as the gates were about to close. I don’t know where they went. If you hurry, you can probably catch up with them.” ⁶ (Actually, she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them beneath bundles of flax she had laid out.)

The people – the men of Saul’s army

1 Samuel 14:43-45 NLT
⁴³ “Tell me what you have done,” Saul demanded of Jonathan.
“I tasted a little honey,” Jonathan admitted. “It was only a little bit on the end of my stick. Does that deserve death?”
⁴⁴ “Yes, Jonathan,” Saul said, “you must die! May God strike me and even kill me if you do not die for this.”
⁴⁵ But the people broke in and said to Saul, “Jonathan has won this great victory for Israel. Should he die? Far from it! As surely as the Lord lives, not one hair on his head will be touched, for God helped him do a great deed today.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he was not put to death.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

Daniel 3:10-12 NLT
¹⁰ You issued a decree requiring all the people to bow down and worship the gold statue when they hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments. ¹¹ That decree also states that those who refuse to obey must be thrown into a blazing furnace. ¹² But there are some Jews—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up.” 

Peter and John

Acts 4:18-20 NLT
¹⁸ So they called the apostles back in and commanded them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus.
¹⁹ But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? ²⁰ We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”

 

¹⁷ And when the enemy soldiers came out of the city to fight, 

Uriah the Hittite was killed along with several other Israelite soldiers.

• Here one sin led to another sin, escalating from adultery to deception and murder.

Uriah was not the only casualty.  David was also responsible for the death of several other Israelite soldiers.

• David’s sin harmed others.

¹⁸ Then Joab sent a battle report to David. ¹⁹ He told his messenger, “Report all the news of the battle to the king. ²⁰ But he might get angry and ask, ‘Why did the troops go so close to the city? Didn’t they know there would be shooting from the walls? 

• Joab knew that fighting close to the enemies’ city wall was a military blunder. 

Joab knew that his actions were wrong. 

²¹ Wasn’t Abimelech son of Gideon killed at Thebez by a woman who threw a millstone down on him from the wall? Why would you get so close to the wall?’

Judges 9:50-56 NLT
⁵⁰ Then Abimelech attacked the town of Thebez and captured it. ⁵¹ But there was a strong tower inside the town, and all the men and women—the entire population—fled to it. They barricaded themselves in and climbed up to the roof of the tower. ⁵² Abimelech followed them to attack the tower. But as he prepared to set fire to the entrance, ⁵³ a woman on the roof dropped a millstone that landed on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull.
⁵⁴ He quickly said to his young armor bearer, “Draw your sword and kill me! Don’t let it be said that a woman killed Abimelech!” So the young man ran him through with his sword, and he died. ⁵⁵ When Abimelech’s men saw that he was dead, they disbanded and returned to their homes.
⁵⁶ In this way, God punished Abimelech for the evil he had done against his father (Gideon was called Jerub-baal) by murdering his seventy brothers. 

Then tell him, ‘Uriah the Hittite was killed, too.’”

Joab’s messenger was instructed to inform David specifically that Uriah had been killed, communicating to David that his plan had worked.

• David’s plan worked. 

²² So the messenger went to Jerusalem and gave a complete report to David. ²³ “The enemy came out against us in the open fields,” he said. “And as we chased them back to the city gate, ²⁴ the archers on the wall shot arrows at us. Some of the king’s men were killed, including Uriah the Hittite.” 

²⁵ “Well, tell Joab not to be discouraged,” David said. “The sword devours this one today and that one tomorrow! Fight harder next time, and conquer the city!”

Basically, David told Joab not to be discouraged by the death of a few good men.

David was calling sin something other than sin: merely a natural consequence of war.

• David’s callus attitude is chilling.

What should David have done?

1 John 1:9 NLT
⁹ But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 

²⁶ When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. 

Bathsheba mourns for Uriah.

There is no indication of David mourning the death of Uriah.

• Bathsheba mourned for Uriah.

²⁷ When the period of mourning was over,

Probably a period of seven days.

Joseph mourned his father’s death for seven days.

Genesis 50:10 NLT
¹⁰ When they arrived at the threshing floor of Atad, near the Jordan River, they held a very great and solemn memorial service, with a seven-day period of mourning for Joseph’s father.

King Saul’s death.

1 Samuel 31:11-13 NLT
¹¹ But when the people of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, ¹² all their mighty warriors traveled through the night to Beth-shan and took the bodies of Saul and his sons down from the wall. They brought them to Jabesh, where they burned the bodies. ¹³ Then they took their bones and buried them beneath the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted for seven days. 

David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. Then she gave birth to a son. 

But the Lord was displeased with what David had done.

No sin is hidden from God, and accountability is inevitable.

David had brazenly violated God’s laws.

Exodus 20:13-17 NLT

¹³ “You must not murder.

¹⁴ “You must not commit adultery.

¹⁵ “You must not steal.

¹⁶ “You must not testify falsely against your neighbor.

¹⁷ “You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.”

• David had abused his royal power, which the Lord had entrusted to him to shepherd the Lord’s people. 

The assignment that God had given to David.

2 Samuel 5:2 NLT
… And the Lord told you, (David) ‘You will be the shepherd of my people Israel. You will be Israel’s leader.’” 

• The Lord was displeased with what David had done. 

A small sample of the guilt David would have to live with. 

Psalm 51:2-4 NLT
² Wash me clean from my guilt.
Purify me from my sin.
³ For I recognize my rebellion;
it haunts me day and night.
⁴ Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.

David and Bathsheba

Introduction:

This passage serves as a sobering reminder of the vulnerability of even people who truly love the Lord and the far-reaching consequences of sin. It calls us to self-examination, repentance, and reliance on God’s grace to avoid similar pitfalls.

2 Samuel 11:1-13 NLT
David and Bathsheba
^11:1 In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem.
² Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. ³ He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” ⁴ Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home. ⁵ Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent David a message, saying, “I’m pregnant.”
⁶ Then David sent word to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent him to David. ⁷ When Uriah arrived, David asked him how Joab and the army were getting along and how the war was progressing. ⁸ Then he told Uriah, “Go on home and relax.” David even sent a gift to Uriah after he had left the palace. ⁹ But Uriah didn’t go home. He slept that night at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard.
¹⁰ When David heard that Uriah had not gone home, he summoned him and asked, “What’s the matter? Why didn’t you go home last night after being away for so long?”
¹¹ Uriah replied, “The Ark and the armies of Israel and Judah are living in tents, and Joab and my master’s men are camping in the open fields. How could I go home to wine and dine and sleep with my wife? I swear that I would never do such a thing.”
¹² “Well, stay here today,” David told him, “and tomorrow you may return to the army.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next. ¹³ Then David invited him to dinner and got him drunk. But even then he couldn’t get Uriah to go home to his wife. Again he slept at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard.

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 11:1-13 NLT

David and Bathsheba 

^11:1 In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war,

At this point in time, David had been living in Jerusalem for about 10 years.

It was a common practice for kings to go out to war after the early grain harvest in April and May.

This was after the rainy season. Dry roads and fields made it easier for armies to travel and conduct military campaigns.

Leading his troops into battle was one of the major roles of an ancient Near Eastern ruler.

David, as king, was expected to lead his army during wartime, yet he remains in Jerusalem. It appears that he was neglecting his duty.  This inaction sets the stage for his moral failure.

• It was a common practice in the ancient Near East for kings to go out to war after the grain harvest in April and May. 

David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites.

In the previous chapter the Israelites went to war with the Ammonites.  The Ammonites hired mercenaries from the Syrians (Arameans).  The Israelites were facing a two front battle, having to fight both the Ammonite and the Aramean armies. The Israelites achieved a decisive victory over the Syrian (Aramean) army.  When the Ammonites saw the Arameans running, they ran from Abishai and retreated into the city. After the battle was over, Joab returned to Jerusalem. (2 Samuel 10:14 NLT)  Joab did not attempt to capture the city of Rabbah at this time. 

They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah.

However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem.

Israel went to war, but their king stayed home.  Something is wrong with this.

Normally Israel’s kings accompanied their armies into battle.

• David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites, but he stayed behind in Jerusalem. 

² Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace.

• The roof was the place people often went to relax, especially in the mornings and evenings.

Daniel 4:28-30 NLT
²⁸ “But all these things did happen to King Nebuchadnezzar. ²⁹ Twelve months later he was taking a walk on the flat roof of the royal palace in Babylon. ³⁰ As he looked out across the city, he said, ‘Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor.’

Acts 10:9 NLT
Peter Visits Cornelius
⁹ The next day as Cornelius’s messengers were nearing the town, Peter went up on the flat roof to pray. It was about noon,

Jeremiah 19:12-13 NLT
¹² This is what I will do to this place and its people, says the Lord. I will cause this city to become defiled like Topheth. ¹³ Yes, all the houses in Jerusalem, including the palace of Judah’s kings, will become like Topheth—all the houses where you burned incense on the rooftops to your star gods, and where liquid offerings were poured out to your idols.’”

1 Samuel 9:25 NLT
²⁵ When they came down from the place of worship and returned to town, Samuel took Saul up to the roof of the house and prepared a bed for him there.

Joshua 2:4-6 NLT
⁴ Rahab had hidden the two men …6 (Actually, she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them beneath bundles of flax she had laid out.) 

As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. 

“In ancient times, Israelite houses had an enclosed courtyard.

Bathsheba was actually in her own house.”

As David looked out over the city, he was able to see the inside of a neighboring courtyard.

Initially David’s behavior was innocent. However David’s leisure activity leads to temptation.

“Our greatest battles don’t usually come when we’re working hard; they come when we have some leisure, when we’ve got time on our hands, when we’re bored.” (Constable Bible Commentary)

James 1:14-15 NLT
¹⁴ Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. ¹⁵ These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. 

• David’s wandering eyes lead to sinful desire. 

• David’s sinful desires led to sinful actions. 

³ He sent someone to find out who she was, 

David acted. 

And he was told, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.”

Elian (2 Samuel 23:34) One of the thirty – David’s mightiest warriors.

Uriah the Hittite was one of David’s top warriors. (2 Samuel 23:39) One of the thirty – David’s mightiest warriors.

Both of these men were a part of David’s inner circle.  They were both men who David should have highly respected. 

• Eliam and Uriah are both included in the list of David’s mighty warriors. 

 ⁴ Then David sent messengers to get her;

• David’s temptation followed an age-old pattern: he saw, he desired, and he took.

• David could not help seeing, but now David needed to run!

1 Corinthians 6:18 NLT
¹⁸ Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body.

Exodus 20:13-17 NLT
¹⁷ “You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.” 

and when she came to the palace, he slept with her.

Exodus 20:13-17 NLT
¹⁴ “You must not commit adultery. 

Bathsheba likely had little ability to refuse the king. 

• David slept with Bathsheba. 

She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period.

The significance of this in the context is to make it clear that she was not already pregnant by her own husband when David took her.

Then she returned home. ⁵ Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent David a message, saying, “I’m pregnant.”

Clearly, David is the father of the child who was conceived.

• Choices have consequences.

Leviticus 20:10 NLT
¹⁰ “If a man commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, both the man and the woman who have committed adultery must be put to death.

Deuteronomy 22:22 NLT
²² “If a man is discovered committing adultery, both he and the woman must die. In this way, you will purge Israel of such evil.

David attempts to cover up his sin. 

⁶ Then David sent word to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent him to David. ⁷ When Uriah arrived, David asked him how Joab and the army were getting along and how the war was progressing. 

• David attempts to cover up his sins.

Under the pretense of seeking information about the course of the war, David brings Uriah back to Jerusalem.

⁸ Then he told Uriah, “Go on home and relax.” David even sent a gift to Uriah after he had left the palace. 

David wanted Uriah to spend time with his wife so that Uriah (and everyone else) would think he was the father of the child that had been conceived. 

⁹ But Uriah didn’t go home. He slept that night at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard.
¹⁰ When David heard that Uriah had not gone home, he summoned him and asked, “What’s the matter? Why didn’t you go home last night after being away for so long?”
¹¹ Uriah replied, “The Ark and the armies of Israel and Judah are living in tents, and Joab and my master’s men are camping in the open fields. How could I go home to wine and dine and sleep with my wife?

• The Israelites considered the war camp a holy place because God was present to fight for his people. Thus soldiers avoided anything that caused impurity.

Leviticus 15:18 NLT
¹⁸ After a man and a woman have sexual intercourse, they must each bathe in water, and they will remain unclean until the next evening.

1 Samuel 21:4-5 NLT
⁴ “We don’t have any regular bread,” the priest replied. “But there is the holy bread, which you can have if your young men have not slept with any women recently.”
⁵ “Don’t worry,” David replied. “I never allow my men to be with women when we are on a campaign. And since they stay clean even on ordinary trips, how much more on this one!” 

I swear that I would never do such a thing.”

• Uriah’s loyalty to the army contrasts sharply with David’s betrayal.

Where is David?  David is not with his warriors on the battlefield.

Uriah’s loyalty to the army contrasts sharply with David’s betrayal. 

¹² “Well, stay here today,” David told him, “and tomorrow you may return to the army.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next. ¹³ Then David invited him to dinner and got him drunk.

• David’s actions grow more desperate as he attempts to manipulate Uriah into compromising his principles. 

But even then he couldn’t get Uriah to go home to his wife. Again he slept at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard.

• Instead of repenting and trying to settle the matter openly, David tries to cover up his adultery.

This episode serves as a sobering reminder of the vulnerability of even the most righteous individuals and the far-reaching consequences of sin. It calls readers to self-examination, repentance, and reliance on God’s grace to avoid similar pitfalls.

Note:

Exodus 20:13-17 NLT
¹³ “You must not murder.

¹⁴ “You must not commit adultery.

¹⁵ “You must not steal.

¹⁶ “You must not testify falsely against your neighbor.

¹⁷ “You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.”

Introduction:

Who are the Israelites fighting when King David had his affair with Bathsheba?

(The Ammonites at Rabbah, the chief city of the Ammonites.)

What was the theme of 2 Samuel chapter 8?

David defeating Israel’s enemies.  At the end of David’s reign, Israel was securely at rest in the Promised Land.

The battle in Chapter 10 may be the same battle that was described in 2 Samuel 8.

Hadadezer appears in chapter 10 as David’s active and capable foe (10:16) yet in chapter 8 David had defeated him (8:3) and plundered his city (8:7, 12).

2 Samuel 8:3-4 NLT
³ David also destroyed the forces of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when Hadadezer marched out to strengthen his control along the Euphrates River. ⁴ David captured 1,000 chariots, 7,000 charioteers, and 20,000 foot soldiers. He crippled all the chariot horses except enough for 100 chariots.

Chapter 10 gives us the historical context for chapter 11 unpacking the events of chapter 8.

Note:
You will need to reach your own conclusions with some of the unanswered questions in this lesson.

2 Samuel 10:1-19 NLT

David Defeats the Ammonites

^10:1 Some time after this, King Nahash of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun became king. ² David said, “I am going to show loyalty to Hanun just as his father, Nahash, was always loyal to me.” So David sent ambassadors to express sympathy to Hanun about his father’s death.
But when David’s ambassadors arrived in the land of Ammon, ³ the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun, their master, “Do you really think these men are coming here to honor your father? No! David has sent them to spy out the city so they can come in and conquer it!” ⁴ So Hanun seized David’s ambassadors and shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their robes at the buttocks, and sent them back to David in shame.
⁵ When David heard what had happened, he sent messengers to tell the men, “Stay at Jericho until your beards grow out, and then come back.” For they felt deep shame because of their appearance.
⁶ When the people of Ammon realized how seriously they had angered David, they sent and hired 20,000 Aramean foot soldiers from the lands of Beth-rehob and Zobah, 1,000 from the king of Maacah, and 12,000 from the land of Tob. ⁷ When David heard about this, he sent Joab and all his warriors to fight them. ⁸ The Ammonite troops came out and drew up their battle lines at the entrance of the city gate, while the Arameans from Zobah and Rehob and the men from Tob and Maacah positioned themselves to fight in the open fields.
⁹ When Joab saw that he would have to fight on both the front and the rear, he chose some of Israel’s elite troops and placed them under his personal command to fight the Arameans in the fields. ¹⁰ He left the rest of the army under the command of his brother Abishai, who was to attack the Ammonites. ¹¹ “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then come over and help me,” Joab told his brother. “And if the Ammonites are too strong for you, I will come and help you. ¹² Be courageous! Let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. May the Lord’s will be done.”
¹³ When Joab and his troops attacked, the Arameans began to run away. ¹⁴ And when the Ammonites saw the Arameans running, they ran from Abishai and retreated into the city. After the battle was over, Joab returned to Jerusalem.
¹⁵ The Arameans now realized that they were no match for Israel. So when they regrouped, ¹⁶ they were joined by additional Aramean troops summoned by Hadadezer from the other side of the Euphrates River. These troops arrived at Helam under the command of Shobach, the commander of Hadadezer’s forces.
¹⁷ When David heard what was happening, he mobilized all Israel, crossed the Jordan River, and led the army to Helam. The Arameans positioned themselves in battle formation and fought against David. ¹⁸ But again the Arameans fled from the Israelites. This time David’s forces killed 700 charioteers and 40,000 foot soldiers, including Shobach, the commander of their army. ¹⁹ When all the kings allied with Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they surrendered to Israel and became their subjects. After that, the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites.

 Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 10:1-19 NLT

See 1 Chronicles 19:1-19

David Defeats the Ammonites 

^10:1 Some time after this,

King Nahash of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun became king. ² David said, “I am going to show loyalty to Hanun just as his father, Nahash, was always loyal to me.” So David sent ambassadors to express sympathy to Hanun about his father’s death.

David wanted to keep the Ammonites as peaceful neighbors.

King Nahash an enemy of Saul had always been loyal to David.

• At this point in time, King David wanted to keep peace with his neighbors, the Ammonites. 

But when David’s ambassadors arrived in the land of Ammon, ³ the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun, their master, “Do you really think these men are coming here to honor your father?

• The Ammonite leaders question David’s motives.

Their questions may have been legitimate.

No! David has sent them to spy out the city so they can come in and conquer it!” 

Rabbah was the chief city of the Ammonites.

• The Ammonites may have been thinking about what had happened to their neighbors, the Moabites. (2 Samuel 8:2)

2 Samuel 8:2 NLT
² David also conquered the land of Moab. He made the people lie down on the ground in a row, and he measured them off in groups with a length of rope. He measured off two groups to be executed for every one group to be spared. The Moabites who were spared became David’s subjects and paid him tribute money. 

⁴ So Hanun seized David’s ambassadors and shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their robes at the buttocks, and sent them back to David in shame.

In this instance, David’s kindness was neither appreciated nor reciprocated.

This act of humiliation angered David (see verse 6).

This action was a disgraceful, dishonorable, shameful, insulting, contemptable behavior.

This was a shameful practice inflicted on prisoners of war.

Isaiah 20:4 NLT
⁴ For the king of Assyria will take away the Egyptians and Ethiopians as prisoners. He will make them walk naked and barefoot, both young and old, their buttocks bared, to the shame of Egypt.

• When the Ammonites humiliated David’s soldiers, it was the beginning of Israel’s war with the Ammonites.

This insult to David was, in effect, a declaration of war. 

⁵ When David heard what had happened, he sent messengers to tell the men, “Stay at Jericho until your beards grow out, and then come back.” For they felt deep shame because of their appearance.

Jericho was the first place west of the Jordan River that would have been reached by David’s servants as they returned from Rabbah.

The city of Jericho had not yet been formally reconstructed, but it was located near a large spring of water and it was a good place of seclusion for the men to stay. 

⁶ When the people of Ammon realized how seriously they had angered David, they sent and hired 20,000 Aramean foot soldiers from the lands of Beth-rehob and Zobah, 1,000 from the king of Maacah, and 12,000 from the land of Tob. 

• Realizing they have offended David, the Ammonites hire mercenaries from the Syrians of Zobah, Rehob, and other regions.

Refer to a Bible map.

Hiring armies was a common practice of the day.

The term “Syrian” is often used interchangeably with Arameans in English translations of the Bible. 

⁷ When David heard about this, he sent Joab and all his warriors to fight them. ⁸ The Ammonite troops came out and drew up their battle lines at the entrance of the city gate,

Rabbah

while the Arameans from Zobah and Rehob and the men from Tob and Maacah positioned themselves to fight in the open fields.

The Israelites were facing a two-front battle.

The Ammonites in the city.

The Syrian mercenaries in the fields around the city.

• The Israelites were facing a two-front battle. 

⁹ When Joab saw that he would have to fight on both the front and the rear, he chose some of Israel’s elite troops and placed them under his personal command to fight the Arameans in the fields. 

• Joab finds himself between the Ammonite and the Aramean armies.

¹⁰ He left the rest of the army under the command of his brother Abishai, who was to attack the Ammonites. ¹¹ “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then come over and help me,” Joab told his brother. “And if the Ammonites are too strong for you, I will come and help you. ¹² Be courageous! Let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. May the Lord’s will be done.”

• Joab motivates his troops to be courageous and trust in the LORD for the outcome.

Fight bravely and trust in the Lord.

Battles have two parts. Our part and God’s part.

¹³ When Joab and his troops attacked, the Arameans began to run away. ¹⁴ And when the Ammonites saw the Arameans running, they ran from Abishai and retreated into the city. After the battle was over, Joab returned to Jerusalem.

• Joab did not attempt to capture the city of Rabbah at this time. (See 11:1 – next lesson.) 

¹⁵ The Arameans now realized that they were no match for Israel. So when they regrouped, ¹⁶ they were joined by additional Aramean troops summoned by Hadadezer from the other side of the Euphrates River. These troops arrived at Helam under the command of Shobach, the commander of Hadadezer’s forces.

The exact location of Helam is uncertain, but it is believed to have been in the region east of the Jordan River, possibly in the area of Gilead or near the borderlands between Israel and Aram (modern-day Syria). (Chat GPT)

Seven miles north of Tob???

• The Arameans, realizing that they were no match for Israel, regrouped, joining up with additional Aramean troops summoned by Hadadezer. 

¹⁷ When David heard what was happening, he mobilized all Israel, crossed the Jordan River, and led the army to Helam. The Arameans positioned themselves in battle formation and fought against David. ¹⁸ But again the Arameans fled from the Israelites. This time David’s forces killed 700 charioteers

(1 Chronicles 19:18 says 7,000 charioteers.  This could be the same battle discussed in chapter 8.)

and 40,000 foot soldiers, including Shobach, the commander of their army. 

• The Israelites achieve a decisive victory, killing 700 (or 7,000) charioteers and 40,000 foot soldiers, including Shobach, the commander of their army. 

¹⁹ When all the kings allied with Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they surrendered to Israel and became their subjects. 

After that, the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites.

• The Arameans (Syrians) made peace with Israel and are no longer willing to help the Ammonites.

The Syrians occupying territories in the northern section of David’s kingdom were no longer a threat to Israel at this point in time. (Refer to a map of David’s kingdom.)

 

 

David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth

Introduction:

Another glimpse into David’s character.

This passage highlights King David’s loyalty, kindness, and faithfulness, especially in honoring his covenant with Jonathan by showing compassion to Mephibosheth.

2 Samuel 9:1-13 NLT
David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth
^9:1 One day David asked, “Is anyone in Saul’s family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” ² He summoned a man named Ziba, who had been one of Saul’s servants. “Are you Ziba?” the king asked.
“Yes sir, I am,” Ziba replied.
³ The king then asked him, “Is anyone still alive from Saul’s family? If so, I want to show God’s kindness to them.”
Ziba replied, “Yes, one of Jonathan’s sons is still alive. He is crippled in both feet.”
⁴ “Where is he?” the king asked.
“In Lo-debar,” Ziba told him, “at the home of Makir son of Ammiel.”
⁵ So David sent for him and brought him from Makir’s home. ⁶ His name was Mephibosheth; he was Jonathan’s son and Saul’s grandson. When he came to David, he bowed low to the ground in deep respect. David said, “Greetings, Mephibosheth.”
Mephibosheth replied, “I am your servant.”
⁷ “Don’t be afraid!” David said. “I intend to show kindness to you because of my promise to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the property that once belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will eat here with me at the king’s table!”
⁸ Mephibosheth bowed respectfully and exclaimed, “Who is your servant, that you should show such kindness to a dead dog like me?”
⁹ Then the king summoned Saul’s servant Ziba and said, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. ¹⁰ You and your sons and servants are to farm the land for him to produce food for your master’s household. But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, will eat here at my table.” (Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)
¹¹ Ziba replied, “Yes, my lord the king; I am your servant, and I will do all that you have commanded.” And from that time on, Mephibosheth ate regularly at David’s table, like one of the king’s own sons.
¹² Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. From then on, all the members of Ziba’s household were Mephibosheth’s servants. ¹³ And Mephibosheth, who was crippled in both feet, lived in Jerusalem and ate regularly at the king’s table.

 Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 9:1-13 NLT

David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth 

^9:1 One day

The events of this chapter take place a number of years after David’s capture of Jerusalem.

Mephibosheth was five years old at the time of his father’s death.

2 Samuel 4:4 NLT
⁴ (Saul’s son Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth, who was crippled as a child. He was five years old when the report came from Jezreel that Saul and Jonathan had been killed in battle. When the child’s nurse heard the news, she picked him up and fled. But as she hurried away, she dropped him, and he became crippled.)

Mephibosheth was now a father of a young son.

Verse 12
¹² Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. 

Some commentators suggest Mephibosheth was about 20 to 25 years of age. 

David asked, “Is anyone in Saul’s family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”

• This passage is an illustration of David’s kindness toward Saul’s family.

Kindness, as used here, reflects a love that is enduring, committed, and rooted in a moral obligation, going beyond what is expected or required.

Compassion and generosity.

“Kindness” used here speaks of one who is faithfulness and one who keeps his promises (covenants).

It describes the devotion and loyalty between David and Jonathan.

Scripture tells us to be kind to others.

Ephesians 4:32 NLT
³² … be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Colossians 3:12 NLT
¹² Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

1 Corinthians 13:4 NLT
⁴ Love is patient and kind. 

• Scripture tells us to be kind to others.

Review: (remember)

David’s promise to Jonathan.

1 Samuel 20
¹⁴ And may you treat me (Jonathan) with the faithful love of the Lord as long as I live. But if I die, ¹⁵ treat my family with this faithful love, even when the Lord destroys all your enemies from the face of the earth.” 

¹⁶ So Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, saying, “May the Lord destroy all your enemies!” ¹⁷ And Jonathan made David reaffirm his vow of friendship again, for Jonathan loved David as he loved himself. 

⁴² At last Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we have sworn loyalty to each other in the Lord’s name. The Lord is the witness of a bond between us and our children forever.” Then David left, and Jonathan returned to the town.

David’s promise to Saul

1 Samuel 24:21-22 NLT
²⁰ And now I (Saul) realize that you are surely going to be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will flourish under your rule.
²¹ Now swear to me by the Lord that when that happens you will not kill my family and destroy my line of descendants!”
²² So David promised this to Saul with an oath. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went back to their stronghold.

• David had not forgotten the promises he had made to Jonathan and Saul. 

 ² He (David) summoned a man named Ziba, who had been one of Saul’s servants. “Are you Ziba?” the king asked.

2 Samuel 19:17 NLT
¹⁷ … including Ziba, the chief servant of the house of Saul … 

“Yes sir, I am,” Ziba replied.

³ The king then asked him, “Is anyone still alive from Saul’s family? If so, I want to show God’s kindness to them.”

• David told Ziba that he wanted to show God’s kindness to anyone still alive from Saul’s family.

Ziba replied, “Yes, one of Jonathan’s sons is still alive. He is crippled in both feet.”

Ziba tells David about Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, who is crippled in both feet.
(see comments under verse 1)

Note: Mephibosheth is a surviving descendant of a former king.  As a surviving son, he would have been an heir to the throne.  Many times, in the history of the Old Testament, in coming kings would kill off all those who might have a claim to the throne. Ziba, a servant of Saul, now revealed the hiding place of Mephibosheth, and David could have easily killed him.

This, and two future passages, 2 Samuel 16:3-4 and 2 Samuel 19:24-29, makes us wonder about Ziba’s true motives and integrity. 

⁴ “Where is he?” the king asked.
“In Lo-debar,” Ziba told him, “

Lo-debar is located close to Mahanaim, the capital city of Mephibosheth’s late uncle, Ishbosheth.

This is located in the central part of Saul’s kingdom.

at the home of Makir son of Ammiel.”

Not much is known about Makir.

Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s crippled son was living in the home of Makir (Machir).

Makir later supported David during Absalom’s revolt.  (2 Samuel 17:27-29) 

⁵ So David sent for him and brought him from Makir’s home. ⁶ His name was Mephibosheth (or Merib-baal); he was Jonathan’s son and Saul’s grandson. When he came to David, he bowed low to the ground in deep respect. David said, “Greetings, Mephibosheth.”
Mephibosheth replied, “I am your servant.” 

• King David brings Mephibosheth to his palace. 

⁷ “Don’t be afraid!” David said.

As an heir to Saul’s throne, Mephibosheth would have known that his life could be in danger.

• David reassures Mephibosheth, telling him not to fear. 

“I intend to show kindness to you because of my promise to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the property that once belonged to your grandfather Saul,

• David promises to restore all of Saul’s land to Mephibosheth and declares that he will always have a place at the king’s table. 

and you will eat here with me at the king’s table!”

This was a high honor.

David desired to honor Mephibosheth by bring him into the royal palace.

• In the ancient Near East, eating with someone expressed commitment to protect that person. 

⁸ Mephibosheth bowed respectfully and exclaimed, “Who is your servant, that you should show such kindness to a dead dog like me?” 

Dead dog is an expression of deep self-abasement.
Worthless
Contemptible and useless.
Not worth much attention.

• Mephibosheth humbly responds, questioning why David would show kindness to someone like him. 

⁹ Then the king summoned Saul’s servant Ziba and said, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. 

It is likely that Ziba had continued to manage Saul’s property after Saul’s death with the profits going to King David.

Everything that had belonged to Saul at the time of his death now belonged to Mephibosheth.

¹⁰ You and your sons and servants are to farm the land for him to produce food for your master’s household. 

Ziba would continue to manage the property that had belonged to Saul, but now the profits would go to Mephibosheth’s family.

David instructs Ziba, Saul’s former servant, to care for Mephibosheth’s land, along with Ziba’s sons and servants. 

But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, will eat here at my table.”

• Ziba is assigned to manage the land and produce food for Mephibosheth’s household, while Mephibosheth himself will dine regularly at David’s table. 

(Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)

An indication of power and influence. 

¹¹ Ziba replied, “Yes, my lord the king; I am your servant, and I will do all that you have commanded.”

And from that time on, Mephibosheth ate regularly at David’s table, like one of the king’s own sons.

Mephibosheth eats at David’s table like one of David’s own sons, demonstrating the depth of David’s loyalty and kindness.

Mephibosheth, who is lame in both feet, lives in Jerusalem and enjoys the provisions and protection of David’s kindness.

¹² Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica.

Dates unknown 

From then on, all the members of Ziba’s household were Mephibosheth’s servants. 

¹³ And Mephibosheth, who was crippled in both feet, lived in Jerusalem and ate regularly at the king’s table.

This passage highlights King David’s loyalty, kindness, and faithfulness, especially in honoring his covenant with Jonathan by showing compassion to Mephibosheth.

Introduction: 

David’s role focused on unifying Israel and expanding its territory further. When David became king, Israel already occupied much of the Promised Land, though there were still threats from neighboring nations like the Philistines. David’s military campaigns and conquests helped secure and expand Israel’s borders, establishing it as a more unified and powerful kingdom. He also established Jerusalem as the political and spiritual capital.

David’s role was to consolidate and unify Israel under a central monarchy.

• David’s desire to build a temple was commendable, but his gift and mission were to fight the Lord’s battles until Israel was securely at rest in the Promised Land.

The events in chapter 8 took place before chapter 7.

2 Samuel 8:1-18 NLT

David’s Military Victories

^8:1 After this, David defeated and subdued the Philistines by conquering Gath, their largest town. ² David also conquered the land of Moab. He made the people lie down on the ground in a row, and he measured them off in groups with a length of rope. He measured off two groups to be executed for every one group to be spared. The Moabites who were spared became David’s subjects and paid him tribute money.
³ David also destroyed the forces of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when Hadadezer marched out to strengthen his control along the Euphrates River. ⁴ David captured 1,000 chariots, 7,000 charioteers, and 20,000 foot soldiers. He crippled all the chariot horses except enough for 100 chariots.
⁵ When Arameans from Damascus arrived to help King Hadadezer, David killed 22,000 of them. ⁶ Then he placed several army garrisons in Damascus, the Aramean capital, and the Arameans became David’s subjects and paid him tribute money. So the Lord made David victorious wherever he went.
⁷ David brought the gold shields of Hadadezer’s officers to Jerusalem, ⁸ along with a large amount of bronze from Hadadezer’s towns of Tebah and Berothai.
⁹ When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had destroyed the entire army of Hadadezer, ¹⁰ he sent his son Joram to congratulate King David for his successful campaign. Hadadezer and Toi had been enemies and were often at war. Joram presented David with many gifts of silver, gold, and bronze.
¹¹ King David dedicated all these gifts to the Lord, as he did with the silver and gold from the other nations he had defeated— ¹² from Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and Amalek—and from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.
¹³ So David became even more famous when he returned from destroying 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. ¹⁴ He placed army garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became David’s subjects. In fact, the Lord made David victorious wherever he went.
¹⁵ So David reigned over all Israel and did what was just and right for all his people. ¹⁶ Joab son of Zeruiah was commander of the army. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the royal historian. ¹⁷ Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were the priests. Seraiah was the court secretary. ¹⁸ Benaiah son of Jehoiada was captain of the king’s bodyguard. And David’s sons served as priestly leaders.

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 8:1-18 NLT

David’s Military Victories

These events took place before chapter 7.

^8:1 After this, David defeated and subdued the Philistines by conquering Gath, their largest town.

Note: Scripture says subdued, not destroyed.

Some translations refer to Metheg-ammah, not Gath. (Meth eg am mah)
Metheg-ammah is a name that means “the bridle”.
Metheg-ammah is believed to refer to Gath, the chief town of the Philistines.
Gath was one of the five royal cities of the Philistines.

1 Chronicles 18:1 NLT
David’s Military Victories
^18:1 After this, David defeated and subdued the Philistines by conquering Gath and its surrounding towns.

Translations of 1 Chronicles 18:1 do not use the name Metheg-ammah.  They only use Gath (54 times), or in two cases Gat, and one case Geth.

The Philistines had been enemies of the Israelites for 125 years.

The Philistines were never completely destroyed by the Israelites. Their ultimate downfall came with the expansion of powerful empires such as the Assyrian Empire and later the Babylonian Empire.

• Subduing the Philistines was part of God’s promise to David (… I will give you rest from all your enemies…).

2 Samuel 7:11 NLT
¹¹ … And I will give you rest from all your enemies…

This was beginning to happen. 

 ² David also conquered the land of Moab. He made the people lie down on the ground in a row, and he measured them off in groups with a length of rope. He measured off two groups to be executed for every one group to be spared. The Moabites who were spared became David’s subjects and paid him tribute money.

This event is somewhat baffling.

What do we know about the Moabites?

The Moabites were closely related to the Israelites, as they were descendants of Moab, the son of Lot, who was Abraham’s nephew (Genesis 19:30-38). This made them distant relatives of the Israelites.

Ruth was a Moabite woman.

David’s parents lived in Moab with the king during the time David was running from Saul.

1 Samuel 22:3-4 NLT
³ Later David went to Mizpeh in Moab, where he asked the king, “Please allow my father and mother to live here with you until I know what God is going to do for me.” ⁴ So David’s parents stayed in Moab with the king during the entire time David was living in his stronghold.

• The relationship between the Moabites and the Israelites was complex and often marked by conflict. While they shared a common ancestry, the Moabites were frequently in opposition to the Israelites.

• The Moabites who were spared became David’s subjects and paid him tribute money.

³ David also destroyed the forces of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah,

An Aramaean King
An Aramean kingdom located to the north of Israel. (see map)
An area that is now modern-day Syria.

• The kingdom of Zobah was known for its wealth and strong military capabilities.

Its king, Hadadezer, commanded a formidable army that included chariots and cavalry, indicative of a powerful and well-organized state.

when Hadadezer marched out to strengthen his control along the Euphrates River. ⁴ David captured 1,000 chariots, 7,000 charioteers, and 20,000 foot soldiers. (also in 1 Chronicles 18)

Some translations say 1,700 cavalry (horseman) and 20,000 foot soldiers.

See verse 6:
⁶ Then he placed several army garrisons in Damascus, the Aramean capital, and the Arameans became David’s subjects and paid him tribute money. 

He crippled all the chariot horses except enough for 100 chariots.

Disabled them from military action.

Note: one commentator said the hamstrung horses may have been used as farm or pack horses. 

Note: Deuteronomy 17:16 NLT
¹⁶ “The king must not build up a large stable of horses for himself or send his people to Egypt to buy horses, for the Lord has told you, ‘You must never return to Egypt.’ 

Joshua 11:6 NLT
⁶ Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them. By this time tomorrow I will hand all of them over to Israel as dead men. Then you must cripple their horses and burn their chariots.” 

This was part of a broader strategy to prevent the Israelites from becoming dependent on horses and chariots, which were associated with military power and the practices of other nations.

Psalm 20:7 NLT
⁷ Some nations boast of their chariots and horses,
but we boast in the name of the Lord our God. 

Isaiah 31:1 NLT
What sorrow awaits those who look to Egypt for help,
trusting their horses, chariots, and charioteers
and depending on the strength of human armies
instead of looking to the Lord,
the Holy One of Israel. 

• God’s chosen people were expected to trust in the Lord for their military successes, and not become dependent on horses and chariots. 

⁵ When Arameans from Damascus arrived to help King Hadadezer, David killed 22,000 of them. ⁶ Then he placed several army garrisons in Damascus, the Aramean capital, and the Arameans became David’s subjects and paid him tribute money. 

Damascus was not part of Zobah; it was a separate and independent Aramean kingdom.

• Hadadezer’s defeat was significant because it brought wealth and tribute to David’s kingdom and marked the expansion of Israel’s power in the region. 

So the Lord made David victorious wherever he went. (Repeated in verse 14)

• God’s blessings, not David’s skill, is the reason for David’s victories.

Psalm 18:1-2 NLT
¹ I love you, Lord;
you are my strength.
² The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
and my place of safety.

David knew that his strength came from the Lord. 

⁷ David brought the gold shields of Hadadezer’s officers to Jerusalem, ⁸ along with a large amount of bronze from Hadadezer’s towns of Tebah and Berothai.

Read:
1 Chronicles 18:8 NLT

⁷ David brought the gold shields of Hadadezer’s officers to Jerusalem, ⁸ along with a large amount of bronze from Hadadezer’s towns of Tebah and Cun. Later Solomon melted the bronze and molded it into the great bronze basin called the Sea, the pillars, and the various bronze articles used at the Temple. 

⁹ When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had destroyed the entire army of Hadadezer, ¹⁰ he sent his son Joram to congratulate King David for his successful campaign. Hadadezer and Toi had been enemies and were often at war. Joram presented David with many gifts of silver, gold, and bronze. 

• Seeing what had happened to other Aramean kingdoms, King Toi of Hamath gave David gifts to indicate that he voluntarily submitted to him as his vassal. 

¹¹ King David dedicated all these gifts to the Lord, as he did with the silver and gold from the other nations he had defeated— ¹² from Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and Amalek—and from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

• King David dedicated all of the gifts, the silver, and the gold he had gotten from nations he had defeated to the Lord.

 

¹³ So David became even more famous when he returned from destroying 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 

¹⁴ He placed army garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became David’s subjects.

More wealth and tribute to David’s kingdom as well as continued expansion of Israel’s power in the region.

In fact, the Lord made David victorious wherever he went. 

¹⁵ So David reigned over all Israel and did what was just and right for all his people. 

• David reigned over all Israel and did what was just and right for all his people.

David established a system of government (a cabinet) to administer the affairs of the nation.

¹⁶ Joab son of Zeruiah was commander of the army. 

Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the royal historian.  

¹⁷ Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were the priests. 

Seraiah was the court secretary.  

¹⁸ Benaiah son of Jehoiada (one of David’s mighty men) was captain of the king’s bodyguard.  

And David’s sons served as priestly leaders. 

David’s sons would have served as chief officials or chaplains for the royal family. They were not eligible to serve as priests.  Only the descendants of Levi could serve as priests in the tabernacle and temple.

 

• David established a system of government (a cabinet) to administer the affairs of the nation.

 

Introduction:

David’s Prayer of Thanks

This is a prayer from David to God.

How can you apply this passage to your life?

2 Samuel 7:18-29 NLT
¹⁸ Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and prayed,
“Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? ¹⁹ And now, Sovereign Lord, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving your servant a lasting dynasty! Do you deal with everyone this way, O Sovereign Lord?
²⁰ “What more can I say to you? You know what your servant is really like, Sovereign Lord. ²¹ Because of your promise and according to your will, you have done all these great things and have made them known to your servant.
²² “How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you! ²³ What other nation on earth is like your people Israel? What other nation, O God, have you redeemed from slavery to be your own people? You made a great name for yourself when you redeemed your people from Egypt. You performed awesome miracles and drove out the nations and gods that stood in their way. ²⁴ You made Israel your very own people forever, and you, O Lord, became their God.
²⁵ “And now, O Lord God, I am your servant; do as you have promised concerning me and my family. Confirm it as a promise that will last forever. ²⁶ And may your name be honored forever so that everyone will say, ‘The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is God over Israel!’ And may the house of your servant David continue before you forever.
²⁷ “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, God of Israel, I have been bold enough to pray this prayer to you because you have revealed all this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you—a dynasty of kings!’ ²⁸ For you are God, O Sovereign Lord. Your words are truth, and you have promised these good things to your servant. ²⁹ And now, may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you have spoken, and when you grant a blessing to your servant, O Sovereign Lord, it is an eternal blessing!”

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 7:18-29 NLT (1 Chronicles 17:16-27)

David’s Prayer of Thanks 

¹⁸ Then

Earlier in 2 Samuel 7:

David was not chosen by God to build the temple.

God declared that he will make a house for David— a dynasty of kings! A lasting dynasty!  

King David went in and sat before the Lord and prayed,

• David went into the tent where the Ark was kept and prayed to the Lord.

The Ark was the symbol of God’s presence with His people.

2 Samuel 6:17 NLT
¹⁷ They brought the Ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the special tent David had prepared for it. And David sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord.

Exodus 25:22 NLT
²² I (God) will meet with you there and talk to you from above the atonement cover between the gold cherubim that hover over the Ark of the Covenant. From there I will give you my commands for the people of Israel.

Symbolically, David was coming into the presence of God.

This prayer is David’s response to God’s covenant promise that his dynasty will last forever. 

“Who am I,

David’s prayer is an expression of genuine humility and unworthiness.

• David was overwhelmed by the Lord’s promise to establish David’s dynasty and make his descendants into a lasting kingdom. 

O Sovereign Lord,

Here, in the NLT, David addresses God as the Sovereign Lord.

Various translations use:

O Lord God (ESV, KJV, CEB)

Sovereign Lord (NIV, NLT)

O Lord Jehovah (ASV)

The following is from Chat GPT

1. 1. 1. “Lord”: This title generally signifies authority, sovereignty, and ownership. In biblical texts, “Lord” often translates from the Hebrew word “Adonai” or “YHWH” (sometimes written as Yahweh or Jehovah). This was the personal, sacred name of God revealed to Moses in the book of Exodus and is considered so holy that traditional Jewish practice avoids pronouncing it, substituting it with “Adonai” (meaning “my Lord”).

 

1. 1. 2. “God”: In Hebrew, “God” is often rendered as “Elohim.” Elohim is used throughout the Old Testament to denote God’s power, divinity, and role as Creator of all things.

When combined as “Lord God,” these titles emphasize God’s ultimate authority, holiness, and role as the Creator and ruler of all creation. The phrase conveys both His personal relationship with humanity and His sovereign rule over the universe.

The names Sovereign Lord and Lord God can be used interchangeably.  They do not contradict each other.

Notice how often David uses these names in 12 verses.

Sovereign Lord

Lord

God

Lord God

Lord of Heaven’s Armies

God of Israel

• In this passage David repeatedly recognizes God as a Sovereign Lord.

God has ultimate power, authority, and control over all creation and events. 

 

Notice how many times David referred to himself as “Your servant”.  A title given to David by God.

2 Samuel 7:5 NLT
⁵ “Go and tell my servant David,  

David was devoted to carrying out God’s will.

David understood his role in life. 

• David refers to himself as a servant of God. 

and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 

David is overwhelmed by God’s kindness. 

¹⁹ And now, Sovereign Lord, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving your servant a lasting dynasty!

How long will this lasting dynasty exist?

Revelation 11:15 NLT
¹⁵ Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices shouting in heaven:
“The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ,
and he will reign forever and ever.”

• The “lasting dynasty” promised to David will last “forever and ever”. 

David appears to understand that this dynasty goes way beyond the reign of King Solomon and his descendants. 

Do you deal with everyone this way, O Sovereign Lord?

1 Chronicles 17:17 NLT
¹⁷ And now, O God, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving your servant a lasting dynasty! You speak as though I were someone very great, O Lord God! 

²⁰ “What more can I say to you? You know what your servant is really like, Sovereign Lord. 

• Again, David humbly considers himself unworthy of all the Lord’s blessings. 

²¹ Because of your promise and according to your will, you have done all these great things and have made them known to your servant.

• This everlasting dynasty will happen because it is God will for it to happen and God promised that it would happen. It was not a result of David’s ambitions.

This would all be done for Israel’s sake to fulfill God’s covenant with his people Israel.

David attributes all his success to the Lord. 

²² “How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you! 

There is none like you.

1 Samuel 2:2 NLT
² No one is holy like the Lord!
There is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God. 

Isaiah 44:6 NLT
⁶ This is what the Lord says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies:
“I am the First and the Last;
there is no other God.

Deuteronomy 4:39 NLT
There Is Only One God
³⁹ “So remember this and keep it firmly in mind: The Lord is God both in heaven and on earth, and there is no other.

1 Kings 8:56-60 NLT
⁵⁶ “Praise the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the wonderful promises he gave through his servant Moses. ⁵⁷ May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us or abandon us. ⁵⁸ May he give us the desire to do his will in everything and to obey all the commands, decrees, and regulations that he gave our ancestors. ⁵⁹ And may these words that I have prayed in the presence of the Lord be before him constantly, day and night, so that the Lord our God may give justice to me and to his people Israel, according to each day’s needs. ⁶⁰ Then people all over the earth will know that the Lord alone is God and there is no other.

1 Timothy 2:5 NLT
⁵ For,
There is one God and one Mediator (Jesus Christ) who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. 

James 2:19 NLT
¹⁹ You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.

• David exalts God as unique and without equal, recognizing Him as the only true God. 

²³ What other nation on earth is like your people Israel? What other nation, O God, have you redeemed from slavery to be your own people?

David recognizes that Israel is unique, set apart to be God’s own special treasure.

Deuteronomy 7:6-8 NLT
⁶ For you are a holy people, who belong to the Lord your God. Of all the people on earth, the Lord your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure.
⁷ “The Lord did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! ⁸ Rather, it was simply that the Lord loves you, and he was keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors. That is why the Lord rescued you with such a strong hand from your slavery and from the oppressive hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.

Genesis 12:1-3 NLT
^12:1 The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. ² I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. ³ I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

Also verse 24

You made a great name for yourself when you redeemed your people from Egypt. You performed awesome miracles and drove out the nations and gods that stood in their way.  

²⁴ You made Israel your very own people forever, and you, O Lord, became their God.

• David recognizes that Israel was set apart from every other nation by the uniqueness of its God and by the relationship the people had with Him. 

²⁵ “And now, O Lord God, I am your servant; do as you have promised concerning me and my family. Confirm it as a promise that will last forever. 

• David is praying that God will fulfill His word regarding David’s house and descendants. (David is praying, “Thy will be done”.) 

David understood God’s role and David understood his role.

²⁶ And may your name be honored forever so that everyone will say, ‘The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is God over Israel!’ And may the house of your servant David continue before you forever.

• David is praying that God’s name would be honored forever.

Our lives are designed to bring honor to God.

Matthew 5:14-16 NLT
¹⁴ “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. 

²⁷ “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, God of Israel, I have been bold enough to pray this prayer to you because you have revealed all this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you—a dynasty of kings!’ 

• David prayed boldly.

We too should come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.

Hebrews 4:14-16 NLT
Christ Is Our High Priest
¹⁴ So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. ¹⁵ This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. ¹⁶ So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. 

²⁸ For you are God, O Sovereign Lord. Your words are truth, and you have promised these good things to your servant. ²⁹ And now, may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you.

For you have spoken, and when you grant a blessing to your servant, O Sovereign Lord, it is an eternal blessing!”

• David recognizes that God will do as He has promised.

Introduction:

The Lord’s Covenant Promise to David.

The promise of a royal dynasty.

Like God’s promise to Abraham, his covenant with David is unconditional: It does not depend on human obedience or faithfulness but only on God’s unchanging love.

God promised David, that His “favor will not be taken from him”.

A story with dual meanings.

• • • Some elements of this story would be fulfilled in the immediate future, while some elements of this story would be realized in the more distant future.

2 Samuel 7:1-17 NLT
The Lord’s Covenant Promise to David
¹ When King David was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all the surrounding enemies, ² the king summoned Nathan the prophet. “Look,” David said, “I am living in a beautiful cedar palace, but the Ark of God is out there in a tent!”
³ Nathan replied to the king, “Go ahead and do whatever you have in mind, for the Lord is with you.”
⁴ But that same night the Lord said to Nathan,
⁵ “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord has declared: Are you the one to build a house for me to live in? ⁶ I have never lived in a house, from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this very day. I have always moved from one place to another with a tent and a Tabernacle as my dwelling. ⁷ Yet no matter where I have gone with the Israelites, I have never once complained to Israel’s tribal leaders, the shepherds of my people Israel. I have never asked them, “Why haven’t you built me a beautiful cedar house?”’
⁸ “Now go and say to my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of my people Israel. ⁹ I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before your eyes. Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth! ¹⁰ And I will provide a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed. Evil nations won’t oppress them as they’ve done in the past, ¹¹ starting from the time I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies.
“‘Furthermore, the Lord declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings! ¹² For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. ¹³ He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. ¹⁴ I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do. ¹⁵ But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight. ¹⁶ Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’”
¹⁷ So Nathan went back to David and told him everything the Lord had said in this vision.

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 7:1-17 NLT
The Lord’s Covenant Promise to David

¹ When King David was settled in his palace

This would have taken place in the last decade of King David’s reign.

2 Samuel 5:11 NLT
¹¹ Then King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar timber and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built David a palace.

Hiram became King of Tyre around 980 B.C.

Approximate years of King David’s rule were 1010 BC to 970 BC. 

and the Lord had given him rest from all the surrounding enemies, 

With God’s help, David had conquered the nations surrounding Israel.

• David was settled in his palace in Jerusalem and was enjoying a period of peace.

Note: Some commentators believe that 2 Samuel 8 takes place before 2 Samuel 7.

They believe that the arrangement of material is topical.

Chapter 6 was about bringing the Ark to Jerusalem. Chapter 7 is about building a temple for the Ark. 

² the king summoned Nathan the prophet.

Nathan is mentioned here for the first time.

“Look,” David said, “I am living in a beautiful cedar palace, but the Ark of God is out there in a tent!”

Building a temple was something David really wanted to do.

This is mentioned in Psalm 132 which may have been written by David.

Psalm 132
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.
¹ Lord, remember David
and all that he suffered.
² He made a solemn promise to the Lord.
He vowed to the Mighty One of Israel,
³ “I will not go home;
I will not let myself rest.
⁴ I will not let my eyes sleep
nor close my eyelids in slumber
⁵ until I find a place to build a house for the Lord,
a sanctuary for the Mighty One of Israel.”

David consulted Nathan the prophet about building a more permanent structure in which the Lord could reside.  The tent was no longer suitable, in David’s mind, especially in comparison to his own elaborate palace.

• David consulted Nathan the prophet about building a more permanent structure in which the Lord could reside. 

³ Nathan replied to the king, “Go ahead and do whatever you have in mind, for the Lord is with you.”

• Initially Nathan the prophet encouraged David to pursue this noble project.

Initially Nathan the prophet encouraged David to pursue this noble project.  Nathan told David that he had the Lord’s blessing, but at this point in time neither David nor Nathan had consulted the Lord.

• At this point in time neither David nor Nathan had consulted the Lord. 

⁴ But that same night the Lord said to Nathan, 

• God reveals His will to Nathan. (Verses 5-16) 

⁵ “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord has declared: Are you the one to build a house for me to live in? 

Other scriptures:

1 Kings 8:18-19 NLT
¹⁸ But the Lord told him, ‘You wanted to build the Temple to honor my name. Your intention is good, ¹⁹ but you are not the one to do it. One of your own sons will build the Temple to honor me.’

1 Chronicles 17:4 LT
⁴ “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord has declared: You are not the one to build a house for me to live in.

1 Chronicles 22:8 NLT
⁸ “But the Lord said to me, ‘You have killed many men in the battles you have fought. And since you have shed so much blood in my sight, you will not be the one to build a Temple to honor my name. 

• David was not chosen by God to build the temple. 

⁶ I have never lived in a house, from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this very day. I have always moved from one place to another with a tent and a Tabernacle as my dwelling. ⁷ Yet no matter where I have gone with the Israelites, I have never once complained to Israel’s tribal leaders, the shepherds of my people Israel. I have never asked them, “Why haven’t you built me a beautiful cedar house?”’

It was not God’s idea for David to build Him a Temple.

• God had never asked the Israelites to build Him a house and did not want David to build a house for Him. 

⁸ “Now go and say to my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of my people Israel. 

God had a role for David.

• God had called David to be a leader (shepherd) of His people. 

⁹ I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before your eyes. Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth! ¹⁰ And I will provide a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed. Evil nations won’t oppress them as they’ve done in the past, ¹¹ starting from the time I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. 

1 Kings 5:3 NLT
³ “You know that my father, David, was not able to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord his God because of the many wars waged against him by surrounding nations. He could not build until the Lord gave him victory over all his enemies. 

• David’s desire to build a temple was commendable, but his gift and mission were to fight the Lord’s battles until Israel was securely at rest in the Promised Land. 

“‘Furthermore, the Lord declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings! 

• David wanted to build a temple for God. Instead, God would build a house, or in reality, a dynasty for David.

God has been building Israel ever since the days of Abraham.  Now God commits Himself to build David’s royal house so that the promise to Israel may be fulfilled – rest in the Promised Land.

• God’s covenant with David finds its ultimate fulfillment in the kingship of Christ who was born of the tribe of Judah and the house of David. 

¹² For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. ¹³ He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. 

• Solomon would build a temple.

1 Chronicles 22:6-10 NLT
⁶ Then David sent for his son Solomon and instructed him to build a Temple for the Lord, the God of Israel. ⁷ “My son, I wanted to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord my God,” David told him. ⁸ “But the Lord said to me, ‘You have killed many men in the battles you have fought. And since you have shed so much blood in my sight, you will not be the one to build a Temple to honor my name. ⁹ But you will have a son who will be a man of peace. I will give him peace with his enemies in all the surrounding lands. His name will be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel during his reign. ¹⁰ He is the one who will build a Temple to honor my name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will secure the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’

¹⁴ I will be his father, and he will be my son.

• Kings in David’s line would enjoy a special covenant relationship with God.

To the believers in Corinth:

2 Corinthians 6:18 NLT
¹⁸ And I will be your Father,
and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.” 

If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do. 

Wrongdoing requires a just response from God.

¹⁵ But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight. 

God will always keep his promise to preserve David’s dynasty. (see the comment following vs. 16) 

¹⁶ Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’”

This refers to the kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Although the dynasty disappeared for hundreds of years, David’s house and kingdom were renewed in Jesus Christ, the sinless descendant of David who reigns forever.

• The complete and final fulfillment of God’s covenant with David is found in the Messiah’ Jesus Christ, the “son of David”. 

It was the coming Messiah who would establish David’s kingdom forever.

Christ is a descendant of David. (This is stated in numerous passages of scripture.)

Matthew 1:1 NLT
¹ This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham:

Luke 1:32-33 NLT
³² He (Jesus) will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. ³³ And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

 Isaiah 9:6-7 NLT
⁶ For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷ His government and its peace
will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
will make this happen! 

¹⁷ So Nathan went back to David and told him everything the Lord had said in this vision.

Note: Verses 5-16 were a vision from God to Nathan.