2nd Samuel Chapter 11 in The Amplified Bible “Bathsheba, David’s Great Sin”
Karl McKinnie (LION)
![Karl McKinnie (LION)]()
Karl McKinnie (LION)
Senior Executive Partner/Managing Partner/Sales/Business Development Director
Introduction
In 2 Samuel Chapter 11, we encounter one of the most infamous episodes in the life of King David: his sin with Bathsheba. This chapter provides a sobering reminder of the dangers of succumbing to temptation and the devastating consequences of sin, even for a man after God's own heart. Through David's fall, we are reminded of the importance of vigilance against sin, repentance, and the need for accountability in the life of a believer.
Now Let’s Eat Some Meat!
Verses 1-5: David's Sinful Desires: “Then it happened in the spring, at the time when the kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all [the fighting men of] Israel, and they destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem. One evening David got up from his couch and was walking on the [flat] roof of the king’s palace, and from there he saw a woman bathing; and she was very beautiful in appearance. David sent word and inquired about the woman. Someone said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” David sent messengers and took her. When she came to him, he lay with her. And when she was purified from her uncleanness, she returned to her house. The woman conceived; and she sent word and told David, “I am pregnant.”
David remains in Jerusalem while his men go to battle. From his rooftop, he sees Bathsheba bathing and desires her.
Relevance To Today’s Believers: This passage illustrates the danger of yielding to sinful desires and the consequences of allowing lust to control one's actions. It serves as a warning to believers about the importance of guarding their hearts and minds against temptation.
Verses 6-13: David's Adultery and Deception: “Then David sent word to Joab, saying, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah came to him, David asked him how Joab was, how the people were doing, and how the war was progressing. Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house, and wash your feet (spend time at home).” Uriah left the king’s palace, and a gift from the king was sent out after him. But Uriah slept at the entrance of the king’s palace with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. When they told David, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Have you not [just] come from a [long] journey? Why did you not go to your house?” Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in huts (temporary shelters), and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field. Should I go to my house to eat and drink and lie with my wife? By your life and the life of your soul, I will not do this thing.” Then David said to Uriah, “Stay here today as well, and tomorrow I will let you leave.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. Now David called him [to dinner], and he ate and drank with him, so that he made Uriah drunk; in the evening he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, and [still] did not go down to his house.”
David sends for Bathsheba and sleeps with her, leading to her pregnancy. In an attempt to cover up his sin, David devises a plan to bring Bathsheba's husband, Uriah, back from battle and encourage him to spend time with his wife. However, Uriah's integrity prevents David's plan from succeeding.
Relevance To Today’s Believers: This passage reveals the depths of David's sin and his willingness to deceive and manipulate to conceal it. It serves as a cautionary tale about the destructive nature of sin and the lengths to which it can drive a person.
Verses 14-17: David's Conspiracy and Murder: “In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. He wrote in the letter, “Put Uriah in the front line of the heaviest fighting and leave him, so that he may be struck down and die.” So it happened that as Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew the [enemy’s] valiant men were positioned. And the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, and some of the people among the servants of David fell; Uriah the Hittite also died.””
David's plan to cover up his sin fails, so he arranges for Uriah to be placed in the fiercest part of the battle, resulting in his death.
Relevance To Today’s Believers: This passage exposes the heinousness of David's actions and the lengths to which he goes to hide his sin. It highlights the tragic consequences of sin not only for the sinner but also for innocent bystanders.
Verses 18-27: The Consequences of David's Sin: “Then Joab sent word and informed David of all the events of the war. And he commanded the messenger, “When you have finished reporting all the events of the war to the king, then if the king becomes angry and he says to you, ‘Why did you go so near to the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot [arrows] from the wall? Who killed Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth (Gideon)? Was it not a woman who threw an upper millstone on him from the wall so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’ Then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.’?”So the messenger left, and he came and told David everything that Joab had sent him to report. The messenger said to David, “The men indeed prevailed against us and came out to us in the field, but we were on them and pushed them as far as the entrance of the [city] gate. Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall. Some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.” Then David said to the messenger, “Tell Joab this, ‘Do not let this thing disturb you, for the sword devours one [side] as well as another. Strengthen your battle against the city and overthrow it’; and so encourage Joab.” When Uriah’s wife [Bathsheba] heard that her husband Uriah was dead, she mourned for her husband. And when the time of mourning was past, David sent word and had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done [with Bathsheba] was evil in the sight of the Lord.”
After Uriah's death, Bathsheba mourns for her husband. David takes her as his wife, and she bears him a son. However, the Lord is displeased with David's actions.
Relevance To Today’s Believers: This passage demonstrates that God sees and judges all sin, even when it is hidden from others. It underscores the principle that "be sure your sin will find you out" Numbers 32:23 “But if you do not do this, behold, you will have sinned against the Lord; and be sure that your sin will find you out.” (AMP) and emphasizes the importance of repentance and accountability for believers.
Summary
In 2 Samuel Chapter 11, we witness the tragic downfall of King David as he succumbs to temptation and commits adultery with Bathsheba. David's sin spirals further as he orchestrates the death of Bathsheba's husband, Uriah, to cover up his transgression. This chapter serves as a stark reminder of the destructive power of sin and the importance of vigilance, repentance, and accountability in the life of a believer. David's story teaches us that no one is immune to temptation and that even the greatest among us can fall if we neglect to guard our hearts and minds. Ultimately, David's sin with Bathsheba serves as a cautionary tale for believers, reminding us of the need to walk in integrity, humility, and obedience before the Lord.
If You Have Ears To Hear, Then Hear It!