104 – Bathsheba

II Samuel 11:1-27

When it was spring, it was time to once again attack the Ammonites. Normally David would go with his men, but he decided to stay home.

After taking a nap one afternoon, he walked along the sundeck that was on the roof of the palace. From there, he saw a beautiful woman taking a bath. He sent for a servant and asked, “Who is that woman?”

“Oh, her name is Bathsheba. She is the wife of Uriah, one of your 30 fighting men.” 

David sent for her, so she came to the palace. He slept with her that night. In time she realized she was expecting a baby, and she knew it was from the night she spent with the king.  She sent word to David that she was pregnant. 

He decided he had to hide what he had done. So he immediately sent a message to Joab. “Send Uriah to me.”

The soldier arrived and the king asked him, “How is the battle going? Is Joab well?”  After Uriah gave a report, the king told him he could go home to his wife before going back to the battle. He even sent a gift for the couple.

Uriah left the king, but didn’t go home. He slept the night at the door of the palace with all of the king’s servants. In the morning, the king called him in and asked, “Why didn’t you go home?”

“No, I wouldn’t do that. The Ark of God is on the field of battle. The army of Israel sleeps in tents. Joab and his officers are on the field. I can’t go to my house and live in ease. I can’t eat and drink with my wife while they are sacrificing for our nation.”

David said, “Stay here one more day, and then I’ll send you back to the battle.”

The king then asked Uriah to eat and drink with him. During the course of the evening, David got him drunk. Still, he didn’t go home, but slept on a cot at the palace doors.

The next morning David wrote a letter to his commander. “Put Uriah in the front where the fighting is the fiercest. At an assigned moment, have your men fall back, leaving him to die.” 

The king gave the sealed letter to Uriah, and told him to take it to Joab. He went back to the battle and gave the letter to his commander. Joab obeyed the order and put Uriah at the exact place that was the most dangerous. At the assigned moment, everyone else fell back and Uriah was killed. Bathsheba heard that her husband died in battle, and she mourned his death.

Joab continued his battle against the Ammonite capital city. Finally, he broke through and captured their water supply. He sent word to David. “Come quickly! Lead the army into the city and capture it so you’ll get the glory.”

David went and led the army to victory over the Ammonite cities. He had the Ammonite people totally tear down their walls and all of their buildings. He took everything of value, and put the people to work making bricks. 

David then went back to Jerusalem. Once Bathsheba’s time of mourning was over, he made her his wife. Soon afterwards, she gave birth to their son. Only God knew about their sin, and he was not pleased.

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Amman citadel fortifications, from the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands, a valuable teaching resource produced by BiblePlaces.com
Amman Citadel northern end view to northwest, from the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands, a valuable teaching resource produced by BiblePlaces.com
City of David excavations aerial, from the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands, a valuable teaching resource produced by BiblePlaces.com
City of David, Palace of David excavation area, from the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands, a valuable teaching resource produced by BiblePlaces.com