2 Samuel 11:6-27
11:8 a and relax: David assumed that Uriah would have sex with Bathsheba while on this weekend pass. Then everyone except Bathsheba would assume that the child was Uriah’s, conceived on this night.• a gift: David might not have even cared whether the husband and wife were intimate. Uriah’s return to his house would stifle any rumors as to how and when Bathsheba became pregnant.
11:11 b in tents (Hebrew, sukkoth, the name behind Sukkot, “the Festival of Shelters,” Deut 16:13-17 c): These were temporary structures made of branches and foliage used by soldiers in the field, herdsmen protecting their cattle, or grape harvesters in the vineyard.
• wine and dine and sleep with my wife? Uriah was willing to wine and dine with David (2 Sam 11:13 d), so it was not sharing the table with Bathsheba that Uriah wished to avoid but sharing the marriage bed. The Israelites considered the war camp a holy place because God was present to fight for his people. Thus, soldiers on duty avoided anything that caused impurity, such as sexual intercourse (Lev 15:18 e; see also 1 Sam 21:5-6 f).
Summary for 2Sam 11:16-17: 11:16-17 g Uriah was not the only casualty: David sacrificed several other Israelite soldiers while attempting to hide his sin.
11:21 h Wasn’t Abimelech ... killed ... by a woman: Cp. Judg 9:54 i.
11:25 j The sword devours this one today and that one tomorrow! David’s callous attitude toward the unnecessary deaths he caused is chilling.
Copyright information for
TNotes