2Sa 11:1-5 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for 2Sam 11:1-27: 11:1-27 David’s affair with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah show that David was capable of great failure and cast a dark shadow over David’s life and career. These failures came during a time of great military success against the Ammonites (10:1–11:1 ; 12:26-31 ). 11:1 In the spring of the year, the land began to dry out after the heavy winter rains. Kings avoided war during the rainy season. • David stayed behind either because he was irresponsible in carrying out his royal duties or because he trusted Joab to efficiently handle the Ammonite problem (cp. 10:7 ). This is the first mention of a leader of Israel staying off the battlefield in a time of war.

Summary for 2Sam 11:1-27: 11:1-27 ^a David’s affair with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah show that David was capable of great failure and cast a dark shadow over David’s life and career. These failures came during a time of great military success against the Ammonites (10:1–11:1 ^b; 12:26-31 ^c). 11:1 ^d In the spring of the year, the land began to dry out after the heavy winter rains. Kings avoided war during the rainy season.

• David stayed behind either because he was irresponsible in carrying out his royal duties or because he trusted Joab to efficiently handle the Ammonite problem (cp. 10:7 ^e). This is the first mention of a leader of Israel staying off the battlefield in a time of war.
11:2 ^f walking on the roof: The roofs of houses were flat and were regularly used for a variety of purposes, such as drying and storing produce (Josh 2:6 ^g), strolling and socializing, and sleeping in warm weather.

• Bathsheba was taking a bath in plain view of the roof of the king’s palace, but perhaps she assumed everyone would be inside, seeking refuge from the heat or having a midday rest.
11:3 ^h Bathsheba means “daughter of seven” or “daughter of oath.” Her father Eliam was the son of Ahithophel (see 23:34 ⁱ), an adviser sought by David and then by Absalom (15:12 ^j; 16:23 ^k). Much to David’s chagrin (15:31 ^l), Ahithophel later shifted his allegiance from David to Absalom (17:1-4 ^m, 14 ⁿ) and advised Absalom to sleep with David’s concubines on a rooftop, in open view (16:20-22 ^o).

• Uriah is a Hebrew name (meaning “Yahweh [is] my light”); either he was a foreign mercenary, a convert to Israelite religion, or an Israelite of Hittite heritage. Uriah might also have been a member of the non-Israelite aristocracy in Jerusalem that predated David’s conquest of the city. He was one of the Thirty—David’s mightiest warriors (23:39 ^p).
11:4 ^q It is not clear whether Bathsheba came to David’s palace voluntarily. That no protestations are recorded (cp. 13:12-13 ^r) and that she married David, bore him another child, and persuaded him to designate their child as heir (1 Kgs 1:11-21 ^s) suggest that she might have been a willing partner. However, Bathsheba mourned for her husband (2 Sam 11:26-27 ^t), and only David was condemned for this act (11:27 ^u), so she might have been violated against her will.

• The phrase after having her menstrual period (see Lev 15:19-24 ^v) is included to show that the child Bathsheba conceived could not possibly have been Uriah’s.