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.”
