bathsheba

            This chapter is famous in the Bible for many reasons. For one, it is the classic example that is often referred to when pointing out that David was not perfect. He was a man like any other, subject to temptations and their consequences. This chapter also displays the fallacy of trying to cover sin, and it demonstrates how it can backfire on us in a way that increases our consequences, creating calamity. Finally, this chapter is the catalyst for David’s grief, which is displayed in following chapters and also chronicled in many of the Psalms. David’s grief-filled and repentant Psalms provide believers with models of prayer, repentance, and regret that have helped them through many trials. There is a lot here, so let us get started.

            Here is a basic breakdown of events:

• David sends his armies out to war
• David is alone on his roof, surveying the city
• David sees Bathsheba bathing and is attracted to her 
• David sends for Bathsheba to come to him
• Bathsheba comes to the king and they sleep together
• Bathsheba sends David a message that she is pregnant
• David sends for Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, to return to the city from battle
• David hosts him for a night, under the ruse that he seeks updates from the front lines, but what he really wants is for Uriah to go to his wife for the night and sleep with her so that everyone will assume that Uriah (not David) is the father of her unborn child
• Uriah honorably abstains from going home, saying in verse 11: ““The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open fields. Shall I then go to my house to eat and drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.”
• The next night, David tries again to have Uriah lay with his wife and gets him drunk, hoping it will weaken his resolve and that Uriah will lay with his wife while inebriated. This also does not work, and Uriah once again does not sleep at his home with Bathsheba
• Seemingly desperate, David tells battle commander Joab to place Uriah in the most dangerous part of the battle
• Joab obeys David and Uriah is killed where the battle is toughest
•  Bathsheba mourns the death of her husband
• David brings Bathsheba to his house and makes her his wife, after which she gives birth to their son.
• The record states in verse 27: “But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.”

            Man needs a purpose. What was David’s purpose during this time? He was commanding, but from afar. There is nothing inherently wrong with him staying back, especially since he obviously trusted those he commanded to succeed without him. However, when our time is not filled, and we are surrounded by our comforts, evil looks for the occasion to strike. This was a component of David’s mistake, adding to the probability of his weakness before Bathsheba and his poor choices that followed.

It usually happens that, when things are going well, we are at our most vulnerable. This is not to say that we are weak or lack knowledge, but it is to say that our guard is down and we are exposed; we are especially vulnerable to the temptations of the devil. David is in this situation at the beginning of this chapter. He has experienced many successes on the battlefield, his leadership is strong, and he has the loyalty of not only his people, but also of many of the surrounding nations. He is respected, he is strong, and there are no immediate and obvious threats to his stature. 

            This is when we need to look out for threats that come from within. Within those we trust, within areas we consider harmless, and especially threats that originate from within ourselves. 

            Why did David fail so miserably with Bathsheba?

• Idleness
• Weakness + Opportunity
• Pride

Our primary lesson from this chapter is to avoid the pitfalls of idleness and to be aware of the dangers of temptation. David did not think his decisions through, and he did not consider the possible chain of events to follow if he were to do what he wanted. He fell victim to believing that his kingship protected him from consequences. As we will see in coming chapters, he experiences great consequences as the result of his choices.

Lastly, consider the results of David attempting to cover his sins. Oftentimes, when we seek to cover our sins, the temptation says cleverly and quietly, “just do this and it will all be gone.” But as this story beautifully demonstrates, David’s first and second attempts fail miserably. He is forced to create great lies, put others at risk, and even make others (Bathsheba and Joab), complicit.

This chapter not only helps us to recognize how to avoid and resist temptation, but it also teaches us how taking responsibility for our sins early on save us from a landslide of further sins and their consequences.