September 5, 2025
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Reading along with us in 2 Samuel and Acts? Here’s today’s reading:
2 Samuel 11 (NIV)
David and Bathsheba
1 In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.
2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, 3 and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.”……Continue Reading
David instead of leading his men into battle is taking it easy and giving into his flesh. He then sees a naked woman bathing. Now he instead of turning away dwells on her with lustful eyes. And then it leads him into his pride of wanting her no matter the cost. Scripture warns of this. I John 2:16 {For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.} Then he proceeds to make things worse by trying to cover it up. He tries to have Uriah come home and sleep with his wife. {Bathsheba} This doesn`t work because Uriah is a good man and is faithful, and loyal to the crown. So, David has him killed on the front line. Then he takes Bathsheba as his own wife to cover up his sin of taking her and making her pregnant. God sees all and is displeased with him. God will deal with David as we see in chapter 12. In the Bible, God always shows people for who they are, both the good and the bad. David is never shown to us as perfect. This makes it more possible for us to relate for we are all flawed people when after coming to Christ. May we all desire to follow Christ in every way.
What an incredibly sad chapter and it all starts with David not doing what he should have been doing. Sometimes the greatest protection against sin is to do what is good and not give an opportunity for temptation to flourish. Then a look becomes a stare and desire controls. And then David does one of the worst things of the account and makes others aware and involved in his sin. He takes advantage of his authority for his own gain and pleasure rather protecting people and promoting righteousness. And it is both noble and sad that Uriah is better to David, Israel and God than David is. And then David does the worst thing and makes others complicit in his sin (even causing other people to die by the nature of the battle Joab engages in) and has Uriah killed. And then stories have to be made up when David and Joab know exactly why they did what they did. This chapter, almost unlike no other, shows the ugly, selfish, cruel, deceptive And abusive nature of sin. And no one is beyond it’s reach. And that is why we all need to be vigilant to guard against it.
2 Samuel 11
Such a disappointing chapter for David! We have seen and heard of the sin that so easily bessets David and that is his temptation toward women and this is just a complete surrender to that sin rather than the will of God. His sin of adultery and ultimately murder was bad enough but what is particularly sad (and common in sin) is the destruction it brings to others. He leads others into sin because they must assist him and others even die as a result of his sin. Those keeping secrets, planning Uriah’s death, and going along with a poor battle strategy to kill Uriah we can be sure others unnecessarily lost their lives as well.
Often we justify sins by saying it doesn’t affect anyone else but the reality is whether it is obviously engulfing others like in this chapter, sin does spiritual and emotional damage to people and relationships. All sin affects others one way or another.
2 Samuel 11; Isaiah 16
David is acting like a complete bum in this chapter. He skips work (leading in war as kings did this time of year), sleeps in until evening, and peeps on another man’s wife.
When he gives in further to his sinful desires he sleeps with her and gets her pregnant. But rather than confessing and repenting of his sin he tries to cover it up by bringing Uriah home to try to get him to sleep with Bathsheba, even extending his stay and getting him drunk to further tempt him.
This escalates to its head when he has Uriah deliver his own death warrant (that’s messed up) which Joab fulfills.
Uriah also wasn’t just some average soldier, he was one of the top 30 warriors in all of Israel (2 Samuel 23:39), and was likely a close comrade of David.
2 Samuel 11
Flee from temptation. If a Bathsheba moment happens. I think it through. My wife’s heart will be broken. My kids would not talk to me again. Never see my grandkids again. And I’d be broke. Just give me a ride to the Jamestown bridge!! Love right where I am. And like David seen enough people engage and what a mess follows for years to come
Walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh.
David at any point could have resisted this temptation: gone to battle as he should, stayed inside, looked away, honored a marriage, honored a man, honored life. He pursued temptation to its end goal: sin and death.
His life is forever ruined by this one act of weakness that snowballs all the way, even to affecting his sons.