David’s Sin With Bathsheba

Topic: Temptation
Passage: 2 Samuel 11:1–17

February 12, 2023

Commentary

After restoring Israel to peace and military power, David’s personal life becomes entangled in sin. After the first step he allows himself to fall deeper and deeper into sin. The progression was:

1. David abandoned his purpose by staying home from war (v.1).

2. He focused on his own desires (vv. 2-3).

3. When temptation came he yielded instead of turning away from it (vv. 4-5).

4. He sinned deliberately (v. 4).

5. He tried to cover up his sin by deceiving others (vv. 6-15).

6. He committed murder to continue the coverup (vv. 16-17).

The sin of David and Bathsheba (chaps. 11-12) changes the tenor of the story from David’s triumphs to his troubles. David sent Joab and his soldiers to battle but he stayed behind. The author implied that David should have been at war, rather than remaining behind (v. 1). When David looked from the roof of his palace he saw a beautiful woman bathing and he was filled with lust (vv. 2-5). He should have left the roof and fled the temptation but instead he pursued the temptation by inquiring about Bathsheba and then spending the night with her.

When Bathsheba learned of her pregnancy, David attempted to cover up his sin. He sent for her husband, Uriah the Hittite, who was in the field of battle (vv. 6-13). Uriah refused to go home to his wife, even at David’s insistence. Uriah did not want to enjoy his wife and his home when the armies of God were on the battlefield. David was driven by Uriah’s obstinate refusal to visit his wife to a desperate scheme. He drafted orders for Joab to assign Uriah to the front line where the battle was most fierce. Then he was to order the supporting troops to withdraw leaving Uriah to be struck down and killed by the Ammonites. (vv. 14-17).

Application

To flee temptation, I must: (1) Ask God in prayer to help me stay away from people, and places that tempt me. (2) Memorize and meditate on portions of Scripture that will combat my specific weakness. (3) Keep in the Word of God on a daily basis and apply the things I’m learning.

2 Samuel 11:1– 17 (NET)

1 In the spring of the year, at the time when kings normally conduct wars, David sent out Joab with his officers and the entire Israelite army. They defeated the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed behind in Jerusalem. 2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of his palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. Now this woman was very attractive. 3 So David sent someone to inquire about the woman. The messenger said, “Isn’t this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?”

4 David sent some messengers to get her. She came to him and he went to bed with her. (Now at that time she was in the process of purifying herself from her menstrual uncleanness.) Then she returned to her home. 5 The woman conceived and then sent word to David saying, “I’m pregnant.”

6 So David sent a message to Joab that said, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent Uriah to David. 7 When Uriah came to him, David asked about how Joab and the army were doing and how the campaign was going. 8 Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your home and relax.” When Uriah left the palace, the king sent a gift to him. 9 But Uriah stayed at the door of the palace with all the servants of his lord. He did not go down to his house.

10 So they informed David, “Uriah has not gone down to his house.” So David said to Uriah, “Haven’t you just arrived from a journey? Why haven’t you gone down to your house?” 11 Uriah replied to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah reside in temporary shelters, and my lord Joab and my lord’s soldiers are camping in the open field. Should I go to my house to eat and drink and go to bed with my wife? As surely as you are alive, I will not do this thing!” 12 So David said to Uriah, “Stay here another day. Tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem both that day and the following one. 13 Then David summoned him. He ate and drank with him, and got him drunk. But in the evening he went out to sleep on his bed with the servants of his lord; he did not go down to his own house.

14 In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. 15 In the letter he wrote: “Station Uriah at the front in the thick of the battle and then withdraw from him so he will be cut down and killed.”

16 So as Joab kept watch on the city, he stationed Uriah at the place where he knew the best enemy soldiers were. 17 When the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, some of David’s soldiers fell in battle. Uriah the Hittite also died.

David’s Sin With Bathsheba

Topic: Temptation
Passage: 2 Samuel 11:1–17

April 18, 2019

Commentary

After restoring Israel to peace and military power, David’s personal life becomes entangled in sin. After the first step he allows himself to fall deeper and deeper into sin. The progression was:

1. David abandoned his purpose by staying home from war (v.1).

2. He focused on his own desires (vv. 2-3).

3. When temptation came he yielded instead of turning away from it (vv. 4-5).

4. He sinned deliberately (v. 4).

5. He tried to cover up his sin by deceiving others (vv. 6-15).

6. He committed murder to continue the coverup (vv. 16-17).

The sin of David and Bathsheba (chaps. 11-12) changes the tenor of the story from David’s triumphs to his troubles. David sent Joab and his soldiers to battle but he stayed behind. The author implied that David should have been at war, rather than remaining behind (v. 1). When David looked from the roof of his palace he saw a beautiful woman bathing and he was filled with lust (vv. 2-5). He should have left the roof and fled the temptation but instead he pursued the temptation by inquiring about Bathsheba and then spending the night with her.

When Bathsheba learned of her pregnancy, David attempted to cover up his sin. He sent for her husband, Uriah the Hittite, who was in the field of battle (vv. 6-13). Uriah refused to go home to his wife, even at David’s insistence. Uriah did not want to enjoy his wife and his home when the armies of God were on the battlefield. David was driven by Uriah’s obstinate refusal to visit his wife to a desperate scheme. He drafted orders for Joab to assign Uriah to the front line where the battle was most fierce. Then he was to order the supporting troops to withdraw leaving Uriah to be struck down and killed by the Ammonites. (vv. 14-17).

Application

To flee temptation, I must: (1) Ask God in prayer to help me stay away from people, and places that tempt me. (2) Memorize and meditate on portions of Scripture that will combat my specific weakness. (3) Keep in the Word of God on a daily basis and apply the things I’m learning.

2 Samuel 11:1– 17 (NET)

1 In the spring of the year, at the time when kings normally conduct wars, David sent out Joab with his officers and the entire Israelite army. They defeated the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed behind in Jerusalem. 2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of his palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. Now this woman was very attractive. 3 So David sent someone to inquire about the woman. The messenger said, “Isn’t this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?”

4 David sent some messengers to get her. She came to him and he went to bed with her. (Now at that time she was in the process of purifying herself from her menstrual uncleanness.) Then she returned to her home. 5 The woman conceived and then sent word to David saying, “I’m pregnant.”

6 So David sent a message to Joab that said, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent Uriah to David. 7 When Uriah came to him, David asked about how Joab and the army were doing and how the campaign was going. 8 Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your home and relax.” When Uriah left the palace, the king sent a gift to him. 9 But Uriah stayed at the door of the palace with all the servants of his lord. He did not go down to his house.

10 So they informed David, “Uriah has not gone down to his house.” So David said to Uriah, “Haven’t you just arrived from a journey? Why haven’t you gone down to your house?” 11 Uriah replied to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah reside in temporary shelters, and my lord Joab and my lord’s soldiers are camping in the open field. Should I go to my house to eat and drink and go to bed with my wife? As surely as you are alive, I will not do this thing!” 12 So David said to Uriah, “Stay here another day. Tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem both that day and the following one. 13 Then David summoned him. He ate and drank with him, and got him drunk. But in the evening he went out to sleep on his bed with the servants of his lord; he did not go down to his own house.

14 In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. 15 In the letter he wrote: “Station Uriah at the front in the thick of the battle and then withdraw from him so he will be cut down and killed.”

16 So as Joab kept watch on the city, he stationed Uriah at the place where he knew the best enemy soldiers were. 17 When the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, some of David’s soldiers fell in battle. Uriah the Hittite also died.