2 Samuel 11
Berean Study Bible

David and Bathsheba

In the spring, at the time when kings march out to war,

After the winter rains had ended, roads became more accessible, allowing armies to travel with supplies and equipment. Kings often led such military campaigns, especially during major conflicts.

1Ki 20:26 In the spring, Ben-hadad mobilized the Arameans…
1Ki 20:22 Afterward, the prophet approached the king of Israel…
Ecc 3:8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war…

David sent out Joab and his servants with the whole army of Israel.

Joab commanded Israel’s forces against Ammon while David delegated the campaign from Jerusalem. The conflict had begun after the Ammonites humiliated David’s envoys and sought help from neighboring forces.

2Sa 10:7 On hearing this, David sent Joab and the entire army…
1Ch 19:8 On hearing this, David sent Joab and the entire army…
2Sa 10:9 When Joab saw the battle lines before him and behind him…

They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah,

Israel overran Ammonite territory and surrounded Rabbah, the fortified capital of Ammon, located near modern Amman, Jordan. The siege would continue until the city fell.

2Sa 12:26-31 Meanwhile, Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites…
1Ch 20:2-3 Then David took the crown from the head of their king.…
2Sa 10:14-15 When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled…

but David remained in Jerusalem.

David’s absence from the battlefield marks a departure from his usual role as Israel’s warrior-king and sets the circumstances for his sin with Bathsheba.

1Ch 20:1 In the spring, at the time when kings march out to war,…
2Sa 5:9 So David took up residence in the fortress…
1Ch 11:5 The people of Jebus said to David, “You will never get in here.”…

One evening David got up from his bed

David remained in Jerusalem during the season when kings normally led their armies into battle. His leisure in the palace contrasts with the duty he had delegated to Joab and helps frame the spiritual and moral failure that followed.

Pro 7:6-9 For at the window of my house I looked through the lattice.…
Pro 24:33-34 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding…
1Th 5:6-8 So then, let us not sleep as the others do,…

and strolled around on the roof of the palace.

Flat palace roofs provided privacy, cooling evening air, and a commanding view of the city. From this elevated place of royal privilege, David encountered a temptation he failed to resist.

Act 10:9 The next day at about the sixth hour, as the men were…
Mat 24:17 Let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve…
Deu 22:8 If you build a new house, construct a railing around…

And from the roof he saw a woman bathing—

David’s view entered a private moment. Bathsheba was likely completing ceremonial cleansing after her menstrual period, not inviting attention. David’s sin began as he looked, desired, and chose to pursue what belonged to another man.

Exo 2:5 Soon the daughter of Pharaoh went down to bathe…
Mat 5:28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman…
Job 31:1 I have made a covenant with my eyes. How then could I gaze…

a very beautiful woman.

Her beauty heightened the temptation, but the account places responsibility on David, not Bathsheba. By introducing her first through David’s gaze, the narrative exposes the desire that would lead him to adultery, deception, and murder.

1Ki 1:3-4 Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful girl…
Gen 24:16 Now the girl was very beautiful, a virgin…
Est 2:7 And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah (that is, Esther)…

So David sent and inquired about the woman,

David used his royal authority to learn her identity, taking the first deliberate step toward sin rather than turning from temptation.

1Sa 25:39-40 On hearing that Nabal was dead, David said,…
2Sa 3:13-14 “Good,” replied David, “I will make a covenant with you.”…
1Ki 1:2-4 So his servants said to him, “Let us search for…

and he was told, “This is Bathsheba,

Her identity was clearly established. Bathsheba, whose name means “daughter of the oath,” would later become the mother of Solomon, linking this grievous event to the continuing line of David.

2Sa 12:24 Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her…
1Ki 1:11-17 Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon,…
1Ch 3:5 and these sons were born to him in Jerusalem:…

the daughter of Eliam

Eliam was one of David’s notable warriors and was likely the son of Ahithophel, David’s counselor. David’s actions therefore brought betrayal into the household of men closely connected to him.

2Sa 23:34 Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite,…
2Sa 15:12 While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, …

and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.”

Bathsheba was married to Uriah, a loyal and honorable soldier in David’s service. Uriah’s Hittite background did not lessen his commitment to Israel or to David. David now knew that pursuing her would be adultery and a betrayal of a faithful servant.

Mat 1:6 And Jesse the father of David the king.…
2Sa 12:9-10 Why then have you despised the command of the LORD…
1Ki 15:5 For David had done what was right in the eyes of the LORD…

Then David sent messengers to get her,

David used his royal authority to bring Bathsheba to the palace. As king, he had the power to summon her, placing her in a vulnerable position before his command. His action began a deliberate abuse of the authority God had entrusted to him.

1Sa 25:40 When his servants came to Abigail at Carmel, they said,…
2Sa 3:14 Then David sent messengers to say to Ish-bosheth son of Saul…
Est 2:2-4 Then the king’s attendants proposed, “Let a search be made…

and when she came to him,

Bathsheba came in response to the king’s summons. The narrative places responsibility upon David, whose position and choices drove the events that followed.

1Ki 1:28 Then King David said, “Call in Bathsheba for me.”…
1Ki 1:15 So Bathsheba went to see the king in his bedroom.…
2Sa 14:4 When the woman from Tekoa went to the king,…

he slept with her.

David committed adultery with the wife of Uriah, one of his own faithful soldiers. His sin against God and against Uriah soon led to deception, murder, and lasting judgment upon his household.

2Sa 12:9 Why then have you despised the command of the LORD…
Lev 20:10 If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife…
Pro 6:32-33 He who commits adultery lacks judgment;…

(Now she had just purified herself from her uncleanness.)

Bathsheba had completed the purification required after her menstrual period. The detail establishes that her later pregnancy resulted from her encounter with David and heightens the contrast between ceremonial cleansing and David’s moral defilement.

Lev 15:19-24 When a woman has a discharge consisting of blood…
Lev 15:28-30 When a woman is cleansed of her discharge,…
Lev 18:19 You must not approach a woman during her menstrual period…

Then she returned home.

Bathsheba returned to her house, while David remained in the palace. What he attempted to treat as a hidden act would soon become known, bringing grave consequences to both families and to the kingdom.

Luk 1:56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months…
Luk 2:39 When Jesus’ parents had done everything required…
1Sa 1:19 The next morning they got up early to bow in worship…

And the woman conceived

Bathsheba’s pregnancy made David’s sin impossible to dismiss as a private act. The adultery now carried visible consequences that threatened both her standing as Uriah’s wife and David’s reputation as Israel’s king.

Gen 38:18 “What pledge should I give you?” he asked.…
Gen 16:4 And he slept with Hagar, and she conceived.…
Luk 1:24 After these days, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant…

and sent word to David,

Bathsheba informed David because he alone bore responsibility for the child’s conception. Her message forced him to confront the situation and set in motion his efforts to hide what he had done.

2Sa 3:12 Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf…
2Sa 12:27 Then Joab sent messengers to David to say, “I have fought…
2Ki 5:10 Then Elisha sent him a messenger, who said, “Go and wash…

saying, “I am pregnant.”

The report becomes the immediate cause of David’s attempt to bring Uriah home from the battlefield. Rather than confessing his sin, David sought to conceal it, leading to greater wrongdoing and lasting consequences for his household.

Gen 38:25 As she was being brought out, Tamar sent a message…
Luk 1:36 Look, even Elizabeth your relative has conceived a son…
1Sa 1:20 So in the course of time, Hannah conceived and gave birth…

At this, David sent orders to Joab:

From Jerusalem, David exercised his royal authority over Joab, who was leading Israel’s army in the siege of Rabbah. David’s command was driven by his effort to hide his adultery with Bathsheba and the resulting pregnancy.

2Sa 24:2 So the king said to Joab the commander of his army,…
1Ch 21:2 So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops…

“Send me Uriah the Hittite.”

Though a Hittite by birth, Uriah was a devoted member of Israel’s army and Bathsheba’s husband. David intended for Uriah to return home and sleep with his wife, allowing the child to appear to be Uriah’s.

1Sa 16:11 And Samuel asked him, “Are these all the sons”…
1Ki 22:9 So the king of Israel called one of his officials…

So Joab sent him to David.

Joab obeyed the king and sent Uriah from the battlefield to Jerusalem. Uriah’s loyalty and integrity would soon expose David’s scheme and lead David toward still greater wrongdoing.

2Sa 18:21 So Joab said to a Cushite, “Go, tell the king”…
2Sa 3:12 Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf…

When Uriah came to him,

Uriah the Hittite was one of David’s mighty men and a faithful soldier in Israel’s army. Though of Hittite background, he was fully committed to David and Israel. His loyalty stands in stark contrast to David’s betrayal of him and violation of his marriage.

2Sa 3:20 When Abner and twenty of his men came to David at Hebron,…
2Sa 15:32 When David came to the summit, where he used to worship God,…
2Sa 5:1 Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron…

David asked how Joab and the troops were doing

Joab commanded Israel’s forces in the campaign against the Ammonites. David’s questions gave the appearance of proper concern for the army, but they concealed his effort to draw Uriah away from the battlefield and make it appear that he had returned to his wife.

1Sa 17:22 Then David left his supplies in the care of…
Gen 43:27 He asked if they were well, and then he asked,…
2Ki 4:26 Please run out now to meet her and ask, ‘Are you all right?…

and how the war was going.

The Ammonite war continued while David remained in Jerusalem. Israel’s military success depended on the courage and discipline of men such as Uriah, while David used his authority to hide his sin rather than fulfill his responsibilities as king.

2Sa 1:4 “What was the outcome?” David asked. “Please tell me.” ……
2Sa 18:31 Just then the Cushite came and said, “May my lord the king…
2Sa 18:19 “Please let me run and tell the king the good news…

Then he said to Uriah,

David spoke to Uriah the Hittite, one of his loyal warriors, after learning that Bathsheba was pregnant with his child. He sought to conceal his adultery by arranging circumstances that would lead others to believe Uriah was the father.

1Ki 2:36 Then the king summoned Shimei and said to him,…
Est 7:2 and as they drank their wine on that second day,…

“Go down to your house and wash your feet.”

David urged Uriah to return home, rest, and enjoy the comforts of life with his wife. His instruction was intended to lead Uriah to sleep with Bathsheba and hide David’s sin.

Gen 18:4 Let a little water be brought, that you may wash your feet…
Gen 19:2 and said, “My lords, please turn aside…”…
Jdg 19:21 So he brought him to his house and fed his donkeys.…

So Uriah left the palace,

Uriah departed in obedience to the king, but his loyalty remained with the ark, Israel’s army, and his fellow soldiers who were still encamped in battle.

Est 6:12 Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate.…
Est 5:11 Haman recounted to them his glorious wealth…

and a gift from the king followed him.

David sent provisions to encourage Uriah to feast and return to Bathsheba. The gift revealed the king’s continued effort to manipulate Uriah and cover his wrongdoing.

1Ki 13:7 Then the king said to the man of God, “Come home with me”…
2Ki 5:5 “Go now,” said the king of Aram, “and I will send you…
2Ki 8:9 So Hazael went to meet Elisha, taking with him…

But Uriah slept at the door of the palace

Uriah refused the comfort of his own home and remained at the palace entrance, identifying himself with the servants and soldiers who continued in duty while the army was at war. His conduct exposed the selfishness behind David’s attempt to bring him home.

1Ki 14:27-28 Then King Rehoboam made bronze shields in their place…
2Ki 11:5-7 This is what you are to do: A third of you who come on duty…
Est 2:21-23 In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate…

with all his master’s servants;

Uriah joined the other servants of the king rather than claiming special treatment as one of David’s officers. Their shared lodging reflected loyalty to the king and solidarity with those serving in the conflict.

2Sa 15:18 and all his servants marched past him—…
1Sa 26:5-8 Then David set out and went to the place…
1Ki 1:47 The king’s servants have also gone to congratulate…

he did not go down to his house.

Uriah would not enjoy the privileges of home while Joab’s forces and the ark remained in the field. His faithfulness prevented David from concealing his sin and set in motion David’s later plan to have him killed.

Deu 23:9-10 When you are encamped against your enemies, …
1Sa 21:4-5 “There is no common bread on hand,” the priest replied,…
2Ti 2:4 A soldier refrains from entangling himself…

And David was told, “Uriah did not go home.”

Uriah’s refusal to visit his wife frustrated David’s plan to conceal Bathsheba’s pregnancy. Though a Hittite by ancestry, Uriah was a faithful servant of David and a committed soldier in Israel’s army. His conduct showed loyalty to the men still facing danger in the field.

1Ki 15:5 For David had done what was right in the eyes of the LORD…
2Sa 12:7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man!…
2Sa 23:39 and Uriah the Hittite. There were thirty-seven in all.

“Haven’t you just arrived from a journey?”

David appealed to the customary expectation that a man returning from military service would rest at home. He hoped Uriah’s return would provide a natural explanation for Bathsheba’s pregnancy.

Jhn 4:6 Since Jacob’s well was there, Jesus, weary from His journey,…
1Ki 19:7 A second time the angel of the LORD returned…
Gen 18:4 Let a little water be brought, that you may wash your feet…

David asked Uriah.

The king dealt with Uriah personally because the matter had become urgent. David’s effort to manage the situation quietly reveals his growing determination to hide his sin rather than confess it.

2Ki 5:25 When Gehazi went in and stood before his master,……
1Ki 19:9 There Elijah entered a cave and spent the night.…
Gen 3:9 But the LORD God called out to the man, “Where are you?”

“Why didn’t you go home?”

David’s question exposes his surprise at Uriah’s integrity. Uriah would not enjoy the comforts of home while the ark, Israel, Judah, and his fellow soldiers remained in the camp and at war. His faithfulness stands in sharp contrast to David’s misuse of his authority.

Pro 27:8 Like a bird that strays from its nest is a man…
Rut 1:8 Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law,…
Deu 24:5 If a man is newly married, he must not be sent to war…

Uriah answered,

Uriah, a Hittite serving faithfully among Israel, displays remarkable loyalty to David, Joab, and the army. His conduct exposes the contrast between his uprightness and David’s attempt to conceal sin.

1Sa 22:14 Ahimelech answered the king, “Who among all your servants…
1Sa 20:32 “Why must he be put to death?” Jonathan replied……

“The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents,

The ark’s presence with the army marks the campaign as a national undertaking carried out before the Lord. Israel and Judah share the hardships of war in temporary encampments.

2Sa 7:2 he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am”…
2Sa 6:17 So they brought the ark of the LORD and set it in its place…

and my master Joab and his soldiers are camped in the open field.

Joab and the troops remain exposed in battle conditions, bearing the dangers and discomforts of the campaign. Uriah refuses to separate himself from their hardship.

1Sa 17:2-3 Saul and the men of Israel assembled and camped…
Jdg 7:12 Now the Midianites, Amalekites, and all the other people…
2Ki 7:5 So they arose at twilight and went to the camp…

How can I go to my house to eat and drink and sleep with my wife?

Uriah considers private comfort and marital privileges inappropriate while the army is in the field. David’s plan depends on Uriah doing what his conscience will not permit.

Deu 24:5 If a man is newly married, he must not be sent to war…
Deu 20:5-7 Furthermore, the officers are to address the army,…

As surely as you live, and as your soul lives,

Uriah strengthens his refusal with a solemn oath addressed to the king, showing both respect for David and firmness of conviction.

2Ki 2:2 “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me on to Bethel.”…
1Sa 20:3 But David again vowed, “Your father knows very well…

I will not do such a thing!”

Uriah’s resolve frustrates David’s effort to hide Bathsheba’s pregnancy and prepares the way for David’s increasingly deliberate sin.

Gen 39:9 No one in this house is greater than I am.…
1Co 6:18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin…

“Stay here one more day,”

David sought to keep Uriah in Jerusalem long enough to create the appearance that Bathsheba’s child belonged to her husband. Having failed to persuade Uriah to go home, David extended his stay, revealing his determination to conceal his sin rather than confess it.

Rut 3:13 Stay here tonight, and in the morning,…
Jdg 19:8-9 On the fifth day, he got up early in the morning…

David said to Uriah,

Uriah was a loyal soldier and one of David’s mighty men, yet David used his authority over him for selfish ends. The king’s private dealings with Uriah stand in sharp contrast to Uriah’s faithfulness to Israel’s army and to the Lord.

1Sa 25:35 Then David accepted from her hand what she had…
2Sa 24:2 So the king said to Joab the commander of his army,…

“and tomorrow I will send you back.”

David promised Uriah’s return to the battle, though the events that followed would turn that return into a death sentence. His authority as king, meant to protect and lead his people, became a means of arranging harm against a faithful servant.

Gen 24:56 But he replied, “Do not delay me, since the LORD…
1Sa 29:10 Now then, get up early in the morning…

So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next.

Uriah obeyed David’s command without knowing the king’s purpose. The delay gave David further opportunity to abandon his deception, but he continued down a path that would bring judgment upon his household.

Jhn 1:39 “Come and see,” He replied. So they went and saw…
Luk 24:29 But they pleaded with Him, “Stay with us, for it is…
Gen 24:55 But her brother and mother said, “Let the girl remain…

Then David invited Uriah to eat and drink with him,

David sought to persuade Uriah to return home and provide an apparent explanation for Bathsheba’s pregnancy. What appeared to be royal favor was another attempt to conceal David’s adultery.

2Sa 9:7 “Do not be afraid,” said David, “for surely”…
Est 5:4 “If it pleases the king,” Esther replied, “may the king”…
Gen 19:3 But Lot insisted so strongly that they followed him.…

and he got Uriah drunk.

David hoped impaired judgment would accomplish what his earlier instructions had not. Instead, his efforts to hide sin drew him further into deception.

Gen 19:33-35 So that night they got their father drunk with wine,…
2Sa 13:28 Watch Amnon until his heart is merry with wine…
Pro 23:29-35 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions?…

And in the evening Uriah went out to lie down on his cot with his master’s servants,

Uriah remained loyal to the men serving in battle and would not enjoy comforts they could not share. Even in his drunken state, he acted with greater honor than David.

1Sa 26:5-7 Then David set out and went to the place…
Deu 23:9-14 When you are encamped against your enemies, …
Jdg 19:11-15 When they were near Jebus and the day was almost gone…

but he did not go home.

Uriah’s refusal defeated David’s plan and left the king facing the consequences of his actions. David’s sin could not remain hidden, and his next decision would bring even greater evil.

Deu 20:5-8 Furthermore, the officers are to address the army,…
1Sa 21:4-5 “There is no common bread on hand,” the priest replied,…
2Ti 2:4 A soldier refrains from entangling himself…

David Arranges Uriah’s Death

The next morning

David moved quickly to conceal his sin after Bathsheba became pregnant. Rather than confessing or seeking justice, he began arranging events to protect himself.

Exo 32:6 So the next day they arose, offered burnt offerings…
Gen 22:3 So Abraham got up early the next morning,…
Luk 24:1 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning…

David wrote a letter

The written order gave Joab clear authority to carry out David’s plan and made the king’s instructions official.

2Ki 10:1-2 Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters…
Jer 29:1 This is the text of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet…
Est 8:9-10 At once the royal scribes were summoned,…

to Joab

As commander of Israel’s army, Joab had the power to direct the battle and position Uriah where David intended.

2Sa 18:5 Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai,…
2Sa 24:2 So the king said to Joab the commander of his army,…
1Ki 2:5 Moreover, you know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me…

and sent it with Uriah.

Uriah faithfully carried the message that ordered his own death. His loyalty as one of David’s soldiers stands in sharp contrast to David’s betrayal.

1Ki 21:9-10 In the letters she wrote: “Proclaim a fast…
2Ki 19:14 So Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers…
Jer 29:3 The letter was entrusted to Elasah son of Shaphan…

In the letter he wrote:

David sent Joab secret written orders, using the military chain of command to arrange Uriah’s death while concealing his own responsibility.

1Ki 21:8-10 Then Jezebel wrote letters in Ahab’s name,…
2Ki 10:1-7 Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters…
Est 3:12-13 On the thirteenth day of the first month,…

“Put Uriah at the front of the fiercest battle;

Uriah, a loyal and capable soldier, was to be placed where the fighting was most dangerous.

1Ki 22:31-35 Now the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders…
2Ch 18:30-34 Now the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders,…

then withdraw from him,

The other troops were to leave him exposed to the enemy, turning a battlefield assignment into a deliberate betrayal.

1Ki 22:34-35 However, a certain man drew his bow without taking special aim…
2Ch 18:33-34 However, a certain man drew his bow without taking special aim…

so that he may be struck down and killed.”

David intended Uriah’s death, making the order a calculated act of murder meant to hide David’s adultery with Bathsheba.

2Sa 12:9-10 Why then have you despised the command of the LORD…
2Ki 9:24-26 Then Jehu drew his bow and shot Joram between the shoulders.…

So as Joab besieged the city,

Joab was leading Israel’s assault against Rabbah, the Ammonite capital, during David’s war with Ammon. While the city was under pressure, the fighting near its defenses remained dangerous and intense.

2Sa 12:26-31 Meanwhile, Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites…
1Ch 20:1-3 In the spring, at the time when kings march out to war,…
2Ki 25:1-3 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem…

he assigned Uriah

Uriah, whose name means “Yahweh is my light,” was a faithful and courageous soldier in David’s army, yet Joab placed him according to David’s secret instructions. David’s attempt to conceal his sin with Bathsheba now involved the deliberate sacrifice of a loyal man.

Jos 8:3-9 So Joshua and the whole army set out to attack Ai.…
Jdg 20:29-33 So Israel set up an ambush around Gibeah.…
2Sa 18:1-4 Then David reviewed his troops and appointed…

to a place where he knew the strongest enemy soldiers were.

Joab positioned Uriah where the Ammonite defenders were most formidable, making his death likely. The order turned a military assignment into a calculated betrayal and revealed the destructive course of David’s sin.

1Sa 17:4-11 Then a champion named Goliath, who was from Gath,…
2Sa 10:9-14 When Joab saw the battle lines before him and behind him…
2Ch 13:3-4 Abijah went into battle with an army of 400,000 chosen…

And when the men of the city came out and fought against Joab,

The defenders of Rabbah made a sortie against Israel’s besieging forces under Joab’s command. The Ammonite campaign had continued despite earlier defeats, and the city’s resistance brought David’s army into costly fighting.

Jos 8:14-22 When the king of Ai saw the Israelites, he hurried out…
2Sa 10:8-14 The Ammonites marched out and arrayed themselves…
Jdg 9:39-40 So Gaal went out before the leaders of Shechem…

some of David’s servants fell,

Israel suffered losses in the engagement, showing that the siege was not without danger or sacrifice. David’s soldiers bore the consequences of the king’s command, including the order that placed Uriah in the fiercest fighting.

2Sa 2:30 When Joab returned from pursuing Abner, he gathered…
2Sa 2:17 The battle that day was intense, and Abner and the men…
2Sa 18:7-8 There the people of Israel were defeated…

and Uriah the Hittite also died.

Uriah was killed as David intended after Joab withdrew support from his position. Though a foreigner by birth, Uriah had served David faithfully and honorably. His death exposed David’s attempt to conceal his sin with Bathsheba and prepared the way for God’s judgment through Nathan.

2Sa 12:9-10 Why then have you despised the command of the LORD…
2Sa 12:13-14 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned…”…
1Ki 15:5 For David had done what was right in the eyes of the LORD…

Joab sent to David

As commander of Israel’s army and David’s nephew, Joab reported directly to the king while leading the siege against the Ammonites at Rabbah. His message carried both military news and the circumstances surrounding Uriah’s death.

2Sa 18:19-32 “Please let me run and tell the king the good news…
2Sa 1:1-10 After the death of Saul, David returned from the slaughter…
1Sa 4:16-18 “I have just come from the battle,” the man said to Eli.…

a full account of the battle

Joab gave David the results of the fighting, including the dangerous advance near the city wall where Uriah was killed. The report provided the setting for David’s attempt to conceal his sin with Bathsheba through Uriah’s death in battle.

Jdg 20:36-48 Then the Benjamites realized they had been defeated.…
1Ki 22:34-37 However, a certain man drew his bow without taking special aim…
2Ch 13:13-18 Now Jeroboam had sent troops around to ambush from the rear,…

and instructed the messenger,

Joab sent a messenger from the siege of Rabbah to David in Jerusalem with a carefully prepared report. He anticipated the king’s concern over the costly advance near the city wall and directed the messenger on how to present the news.

2Sa 18:21-23 So Joab said to a Cushite, “Go, tell the king”…
2Sa 1:2-4 On the third day a man with torn clothes and dust…
1Sa 4:12-15 That same day a Benjamite ran from the battle line…

“When you have finished giving the king a full account of the battle,

The report was to include the details of Israel’s losses in the assault. Joab expected David to question why the troops had drawn so close to the wall, providing the occasion to reveal that Uriah had also been killed.

2Sa 18:31-32 Just then the Cushite came and said, “May my lord the king…
2Sa 1:5-10 Then David asked the young man who had brought him…
1Sa 4:16-17 “I have just come from the battle,” the man said to Eli.…

if the king’s anger flares,

David could rightly be angered by a report that his troops had exposed themselves unnecessarily near the city wall, where defenders held a clear advantage.

Pro 19:12 A king’s rage is like the roar of a lion,…
Pro 16:14 The wrath of a king is a messenger of death…
Est 1:12 Queen Vashti, however, refused to come at the king’s…

he may ask you,

Joab prepares the messenger to answer the king carefully and truthfully, knowing David will demand an account of the decision.

Jer 38:14 Then King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah the prophet…
Est 5:3 “What is it, Queen Esther?” the king inquired.…
Est 7:2 and as they drank their wine on that second day,…

‘Why did you get so close to the city to fight?

Attacking too near a fortified wall placed Israel’s soldiers within range of defenders and revealed poor judgment in the battle.

Deu 20:10-11 When you approach a city to fight against it,…
2Sa 20:15 As all the troops with Joab were battering the wall…
Jos 6:20 So when the rams’ horns sounded, the people shouted.…

Did you not realize they would shoot from atop the wall?

Soldiers on the walls could strike attackers below with arrows and other weapons, making such an approach predictably dangerous.

2Ki 19:32 So this is what the LORD says about the king of Assyria:…
Isa 37:33 So this is what the LORD says about the king of Assyria:…
2Ch 26:15 And in Jerusalem he made skillfully designed devices…

Who struck Abimelech son of Jerubbesheth?

Abimelech, Gideon’s son, died after a woman cast a millstone from the tower at Thebez, crushing his skull. His armor-bearer then killed him at Abimelech’s request so no one could say that a woman had slain him.

Jdg 9:53 But a woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head,…
Jdg 9:54 He quickly called his armor-bearer, saying…
Jdg 9:56 In this way God repaid the wickedness that Abimelech had done…

Was it not a woman who dropped an upper millstone on him from the wall,

The example recalls the danger of attacking too near a fortified position. Defenders on walls could strike exposed soldiers below with stones, including upper millstones, heavy stones used for grinding grain, and other weapons.

Deu 24:6 Do not take a pair of millstones or even an upper millstone…
Mat 18:6 But if anyone causes one of these little ones…
Mrk 9:42 But if anyone causes one of these little ones…

so that he died in Thebez?

Thebez resisted Abimelech’s assault, and his death there ended his violent attempt to rule Israel.

Jdg 9:55 And when the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead,…
Jdg 9:57 And God also brought all the wickedness…

Why did you get so close to the wall?’

David might reasonably question Joab’s tactics after hearing that Israel’s soldiers had fallen near the wall of Rabbah. Joab anticipates the king’s anger and prepares the messenger to give the full report.

2Sa 20:16-22 a wise woman called out from the city, “Listen! Listen!”…
1Ki 20:30 The rest of them fled into the city of Aphek,…
Jos 6:20 So when the rams’ horns sounded, the people shouted.…

If he asks you this, then you are to say,

The messenger is to wait until David responds to the military losses before revealing the final detail.

Gen 32:18 They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a gift,…
Gen 12:13 Please say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well…
Gen 20:13 So when God had me journey from my father’s house…

‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead as well.’”

Uriah’s death was the intended result of David’s orders. Though Uriah served David faithfully, he was placed in the fiercest fighting and abandoned by the supporting troops.

2Sa 12:9 Why then have you despised the command of the LORD…
1Ki 21:19 Tell him that this is what the LORD says:…
Pro 6:17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed…

So the messenger set out

The messenger carried Joab’s report from the battlefield in Rabbah to Jerusalem, delivering news of the assault and its losses.

2Sa 18:21-23 So Joab said to a Cushite, “Go, tell the king”…
2Ki 7:9 Finally, they said, “We are not doing what is right.…

and reported to David

David awaited word from the campaign, but the report also concerned the death of Uriah, whose placement in the fiercest fighting had been ordered to secure his death.

2Sa 15:13 Then a messenger came to David and reported,…
2Sa 1:3-4 “Where have you come from?” David asked.…

all that Joab had sent him to say.

Joab had prepared the messenger to explain the military setback and to reveal Uriah’s death if David questioned the attack. The report completed the immediate attempt to conceal David’s sin, though it remained fully known to the Lord.

2Sa 3:12 Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf…
2Ki 18:19-20 The Rabshakeh said to them, “Tell Hezekiah…

The messenger said to David,

Joab’s report reached the king through a messenger, following the military chain of command during the siege of Rabbah.

2Sa 18:31 Just then the Cushite came and said, “May my lord the king…
2Sa 1:4 “What was the outcome?” David asked. “Please tell me.” ……
1Sa 4:17 The messenger answered, “Israel has fled…

“The men overpowered us

The Ammonite forces gained an early advantage against Israel’s troops.

1Sa 4:10 So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated…
1Sa 31:3 When the battle intensified against Saul, the archers…
2Ki 14:12 And Judah was routed before Israel, and…

and came out against us in the field,

They left the protection of the city to engage Joab’s army in open combat.

Jos 8:14 When the king of Ai saw the Israelites, he hurried out…
1Ki 20:27 The Israelites also mobilized, gathered supplies…
Jdg 20:20 And the men of Israel went out to fight against Benjamin.…

but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate.

Israel recovered and forced the Ammonites back to the gates of Rabbah, where the defenders could rely on the city’s fortifications.

1Sa 17:52 Then the men of Israel and Judah charged forward…
Jos 8:29 He hung the king of Ai on a tree until evening…
1Ki 20:30 The rest of them fled into the city of Aphek,…

Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall,

Defenders on a fortified wall could fire down on troops below while remaining protected by the city’s defenses. David had ordered Joab to place Uriah where the fighting was fiercest and then draw back, leaving him exposed near Rabbah’s wall.

2Ch 26:15 And in Jerusalem he made skillfully designed devices…
1Sa 31:3 When the battle intensified against Saul, the archers…
2Ch 35:23 There the archers shot King Josiah, who said to his servants…

and some of the king’s servants were killed.

Other soldiers died along with Uriah because David’s concealed plan placed them in unnecessary danger. Their deaths reveal the wider human cost of the king’s attempt to hide his sin.

2Ki 25:19 Of those still in the city, he took a court official…
Jer 52:25 Of those still in the city, he took a court official…

And your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead as well.”

Uriah, a loyal warrior and one of David’s mighty men, had served Israel faithfully despite his Hittite background. His death fulfilled David’s scheme to conceal his adultery with Bathsheba, exposing the betrayal of a king against a faithful servant and setting in motion judgment upon David’s house.

2Sa 18:32 The king asked the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom…
1Ki 21:13 And the two scoundrels came in and sat opposite Naboth,…
1Ki 2:32 The LORD will bring his bloodshed back upon his own head,…

Then David told the messenger,

David sent word from Jerusalem to Joab at the siege of Rabbah through a military messenger.

2Sa 18:31-32 Just then the Cushite came and said, “May my lord the king…
2Sa 1:14-16 So David asked him, “Why were you not afraid”…
2Sa 4:10-12 when someone told me, ‘Look, Saul is dead,’…

“Say this to Joab:

Joab, commander of Israel’s army, had placed Uriah in the most dangerous part of the battle at David’s instruction.

1Ch 21:2 So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops…
2Sa 24:2 So the king said to Joab the commander of his army,…
1Ch 21:4 Nevertheless, the king’s word prevailed against Joab.…

‘Do not let this matter upset you,

David sought to keep Joab from dwelling on Uriah’s death or questioning the circumstances surrounding it.

Gen 45:5 And now, do not be distressed or angry with yourselves…
1Sa 25:31 then my lord will have no remorse or guilt of conscience…
1Sa 17:32 And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail…

for the sword devours one as well as another.

He treated Uriah’s death as an ordinary loss of war, though David had deliberately arranged for him to be exposed to the enemy.

2Sa 2:26 Then Abner called out to Joab: “Must the sword devour”…
Deu 32:42 I will make My arrows drunk with blood…
Jer 46:10 For that day belongs to the Lord GOD of Hosts,…

Strengthen your attack against the city and demolish it.’

The siege of Rabbah was to continue until the Ammonite stronghold was taken.

2Ki 3:19 And you shall attack every fortified city and every city…
Jos 6:20-21 So when the rams’ horns sounded, the people shouted.…
2Ki 3:25 Only Kir-haraseth was left with stones in place,…

Encourage him with these words.”

David’s message was intended to steady Joab and keep the army focused on the campaign while concealing David’s wrongdoing.

Deu 3:28 But commission Joshua, encourage him, and strengthen him,…
Deu 31:7-8 Then Moses called for Joshua and said to him…
Jos 1:6-9 Be strong and courageous, for you shall give…

David Marries Bathsheba

When Uriah’s wife heard

Bathsheba is identified first by her marriage to Uriah, one of David’s faithful soldiers. Her identity underscores the personal betrayal involved in David’s actions.

1Sa 4:19-22 Now Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas…
Job 1:18-20 While he was still speaking, another messenger came…
2Sa 1:11-12 Then David took hold of his own clothes and tore them…

that her husband was dead,

Uriah had been deliberately placed where the fighting was fiercest so that he would die. David’s attempt to conceal his adultery had now brought about the death of an innocent and loyal man.

Rut 1:3-5 Then Naomi’s husband Elimelech died, and she was left…
1Sa 25:37-39 In the morning when Nabal was sober, his wife told him…
Rom 7:2-3 For instance, a married woman is bound by law…

she mourned for him.

Bathsheba observed the customary period of mourning for her husband. Her grief preceded David’s taking her into his house, completing the outward appearance of a marriage that had begun through sin.

Gen 23:2 She died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron)…
Ezk 24:15-18 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,…
2Sa 1:17-27 Then David took up this lament for Saul and Jonathan…

And when the time of mourning was over,

Bathsheba completed the customary period of mourning for Uriah, who had died in battle because of David’s deliberate scheme.

2Sa 1:12 They mourned and wept and fasted until evening…
Gen 50:10 When they reached the threshing floor of Atad…
Deu 34:8 The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab…

David had her brought to his house,

David took Bathsheba into his household, using his royal authority to make their relationship appear lawful after Uriah’s death.

2Ch 8:11 Solomon brought the daughter of Pharaoh…
Gen 24:67 And Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah…
1Sa 25:42-43 So Abigail hurried and got on a donkey, and attended by five…

and she became his wife and bore him a son.

Their marriage did not remove the guilt of adultery, deception, and murder. The child born from this union would later die under God’s judgment, and David’s sin would bring lasting trouble upon his family.

2Sa 12:24 Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her…
Mat 1:6 And Jesse the father of David the king.…
1Ch 3:5 and these sons were born to him in Jerusalem:…

But the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the LORD.

God saw the full truth behind David’s actions. The king’s position did not place him above God’s law, and David would be held accountable for his sin.

2Sa 12:9 Why then have you despised the command of the LORD…
1Sa 15:19 So why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you rush…
Psa 51:4 Against You, You only, have I sinned…

This is a draft of the Berean Study Bible. Please send all comments and recommendations to bereanstudybible@aol.com.



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