2 Samuel 11
David's Sin with Bath-shebaThis section describes a dark moment in David’s life. Although he was a great and wise king, his achievements were overshadowed by a serious sin. While his army was fighting the Ammonites, David stayed behind in Jerusalem. This led to his falling into adultery with Bath-sheba. The passage explains not only what happened, but also why it was so serious. It warns us about the dangers of idleness, temptation, and forgetting our responsibilities. David’s actions had many consequences, both for himself and others.v. 1: David continued the war against the Ammonites, showing wisdom and strength as a leader. He sent his army to attack their capital city, Rabbah, while he stayed in Jerusalem. This was different from before, when David had gone to battle himself (2 Samuel 10:17 a). The city was under siege for a long time. It was during this time, while David stayed behind, that he committed his sin with Bath-sheba. v. 2: David’s sin began with neglect. He should have been with his army, but he chose to stay at home. He became lazy and got up from his bed late in the day. Instead of using his time wisely, he was idle. This gave the tempter an opportunity. When we are not doing our duty, we are more likely to be tempted. David saw a woman, Bath-sheba, washing herself. The temptation entered through his eyes, just as Eve was tempted in the garden (Genesis 3:6 b). David did not turn away, even though he had prayed before, Turn away my eyes from beholding vanity (Psalm 119:37 c). v. 3: David asked about the woman. At first, he may have thought of marrying her if she was not already married, as he had done with others. But he found out that she was Bath-sheba, the wife of Uriah. Even though he knew this, his desire grew stronger. v. 4: David sent messengers to bring Bath-sheba to him. Even though he may have only wanted to speak with her at first, he gave in to his desire and slept with her. Bath-sheba agreed, maybe because David was famous and respected. Sometimes people think, “If such a good person is doing this, it must not be wrong.” But sin is dangerous and easy to fall into. Once someone starts down the wrong path, it is hard to stop. It is wise to avoid sin from the very beginning (Proverbs 17:14 d). v. 5: David’s sin was made worse by several things. He was not young, but at least fifty years old, so he should have had more self-control. He already had many wives and concubines (2 Samuel 12:8 e). Uriah, Bath-sheba’s husband, was a good and loyal soldier, fighting for David at that very moment. Bath-sheba was a woman of good character before this. David, as king, was supposed to punish such sins, not commit them himself (Job 31:11; Romans 2:22 f). He made himself a bad example for others. The only excuse is that this was not his regular behavior; he was suddenly overcome by temptation. This story teaches us to pray every day, Lead us not into temptation (Matthew 6:13 g), and to be careful so that we do not fall into sin. David's Contrivance to Hide His Crime; David's Contrivance DefeatedThis section explains how David tried to cover up his sin with Bath-sheba. Uriah, Bath-sheba’s husband, had been away fighting in the war. When Bath-sheba became pregnant, David feared that Uriah would discover the truth. David worried that Uriah might punish Bath-sheba or even rebel against him. To avoid this, David tried to make it look like Uriah was the father of the child. But his plan did not work, because Uriah was loyal and refused to go home to his wife. This story shows how one sin can lead to more sins, and how God can use even the actions of others to reveal the truth.v. 6–8: David made a plan to hide his sin. He called Uriah back from the army, pretending he wanted a report about the war and the siege of Rabbah (2 Samuel 11:7 h). David acted as if he cared about the army, but really he wanted Uriah to go home and spend time with his wife, so everyone would think the baby was Uriah’s. David even sent food to Uriah’s house to make his visit more pleasant (2 Samuel 11:8 i). But Uriah did not go home that night. The next night, David tried again by making Uriah drunk (2 Samuel 11:13 j). It is very wrong to make someone drunk on purpose (Habakkuk 2:15–16 k). God warns that those who do this will be punished. Making someone sin is worse than stealing from them. – – v. 9, 12–13: Uriah did not go home either night. Instead, he slept with the king’s guards. Some people think Uriah might have suspected something, but if he did, he would have opened the letter David later gave him for Joab. Most likely, God gave Uriah the strength to resist, so David’s plan would fail and his sin would be exposed. Uriah explained to David that he could not enjoy the comforts of home while the ark, the army, and his fellow soldiers were camping in the open field (2 Samuel 11:11 l). He said, “How can I go to my house and eat, drink, and sleep with my wife?” Uriah’s loyalty and self-control were impressive. He chose to share in the hardships of his fellow soldiers, even when he had the chance to rest. This should have reminded David of his own failure. The law said, “When the host goeth forth against the enemy, then keep thyself from every wicked thing”(Deuteronomy 23:9 m). Uriah kept this law, but David broke it. – – – – David Causes Uriah to Be Slain; David Informed of Uriah's DeathThis section shows how David’s attempt to cover up his sin led to even greater evil. When David could not make it look like Uriah was the father of Bath-sheba’s child, he decided to have Uriah killed. David’s heart, once sensitive and just, became hardened by sin. He planned Uriah’s death in a way that would not look suspicious, but it was still murder. This story warns us how one sin can lead to another, and how trying to hide sin only makes things worse. In the end, even though David thought he succeeded, God saw everything and was displeased.v. 14–15: David sent a letter to Joab, the army commander, telling him to put Uriah in the front lines where the fighting was fiercest, and then to leave him so he would be killed (2 Samuel 11:14–15 n). David made Uriah carry his own death order. This was cruel and showed how far David had fallen. He used Uriah’s bravery and loyalty against him. Others, including Joab and the soldiers who left Uriah alone, also became guilty. Even some of David’s own men died with Uriah (2 Samuel 11:17 o). David’s actions gave joy to Israel’s enemies, the Ammonites, and put his own army at risk. – v. 16–17: Joab obeyed David’s orders. During the next attack on the city, he put Uriah in the most dangerous place. When the enemy attacked, Uriah and some other soldiers were killed. Joab may have thought David had a reason for this, or he may have wanted to please David because of his own past sins. Sometimes people who have done wrong want others, even leaders, to do wrong too, so they feel less guilty. – v. 18–24: Joab sent a messenger to tell David what happened. He told the messenger to mention Uriah’s death, knowing that this was what David really wanted to hear. The messenger explained that the enemy soldiers had come out to fight, and that some of David’s men had died, including Uriah. Joab tried to make the report sound like a normal loss in battle, but the truth was that it was all part of David’s plan. – – – – – – v. 25: David received the news with secret satisfaction . He told Joab not to be upset about the loss, saying, “The sword devours one as well as another.”David acted as if it was just a normal part of war, but he was really hiding his sin and ignoring the lives lost because of his actions. v. 26–27: After Uriah’s death, Bath-sheba mourned for her husband for a short time (2 Samuel 11:26 p). Then David married her, and she gave birth to a son. The quick marriage could not hide what had happened, and the birth of the child made the truth obvious. Most importantly, “the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.”God saw all of David’s sins—adultery, deceit, murder, and the rushed marriage. Even though David was a man after God’s own heart, his sin brought God’s displeasure. This is a warning that God sees and hates sin, especially in those who belong to Him. We should never use David’s example as an excuse to sin, because God will judge us just as He judged David.
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