David And Bathsheba

2 Samuel 11

Verse 1 – When kings go forth, David tarried still

Verse 2 – Walked/strolled/restless

Saw a woman bathing (Purified from her uncleanness)

Verse 3 – Asked his servant who is this woman

Response: Wife of Uriah

That didn’t stop David

Verse 4 – Lay with her

She returned to her house

Problem

Verse 5 – Bathsheba sent and told David she was pregnant (David had not continued to see her)

Plan A -David tries to cover his sin

Verse 6 – David sent for Uriah

Verse 7 – Asked how is the war going

Verse 8 – Go to your house

Wash your feet (enter in)

David sent a feast to the house

Verse 9 – Uriah did not go to his house

Verse 10 – The servants told David

David asked Uriah, Why did you not go to your house?

Verse 11 – Uriah answered, Our army is camped on the field of battle. Shall I go eat and drink and lie with my wife? I will NOT do this!

(What a slap in David’s face! This is exactly what David had been doing!)

Verse 12 – David tells Uriah, Stay one more night

Verse 13 – David gets Uriah drunk but Uriah still did not go to his house.

Uriah seems to be a very honorable man. He refuses to go in to the comforts of his home and his bed when his comrades are on the battlefield. Plan A fails.

Plan B – David conspires to have Uriah killed in battle

Verse 14 – David writes a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah

Verse 15 – The letter instructed Joab to put Uriah on the front line in the hottest part of the battle

Then pull back from him so that he will be killed

(That’s pretty cold. David has Uriah carry the message that commands his death)

Verse 16-23 – Joab did as he was told and reported back to David

Verse 24 – The message said: SOME of the king’s servants are dead. Uriah is dead. (Uriah was not the only man who was killed.)

Verse 25 – David’s response: Don’t be upset. The sword devours one as well as the other.

Verse 26 – Bathsheba mourns the death of her husband

Verse 27 – David marries Bathsheba

2 Samuel 12

Verse 1-4 – God sends his prophet Nathan to David

Nathan tells David a story

A rich man had many flocks and herds

A poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb.

The poor man had bought the lamb and nourished it up.

It grew with him and his children.

It ate his own meat.

It drank from his own cup.

It lay against his chest

and was like a daughter to him.

A traveler came through. The rich man didn’t want to take of his own flock and herd, so he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it for the traveler’s supper.

Verse 5 – David becomes very angry and says the man who has done this thing should die! The man had no pity. He should give the poor man four lambs.

Verse 7 – Nathan says to David, YOU are the man.

(I believe the description of the lamb describes for us the love that Uriah had for his wife.)

Verse 9 – You have despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight. You killed Uriah with the sword of your enemy and took his wife.

Verse 10 –12 The consequences for David’s actions

Verse 13 – David says I have sinned against God

David Repents

Psalm 51

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your lovingkindness: according to the multitude of your tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned, and done this evil in your sight: Purge me and I shall be clean: wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which you have broken may rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence; and take not your holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of your salvation; and uphold me with your free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors your ways; and sinners shall be converted unto you. Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God, God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips; and my mouth shall show forth your praise. For you desire not sacrifice; else would I give it: The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.