David and Bath-Sheba
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When spring arrived, David sent Joab and the army back to besiege Rabbah and finish the task of subduing the Ammonites while he remained in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 11:1).
David was now triumphant at home and abroad.
“But in the midst of prosperity lurked danger. In the time of his greatest outward triumph David was in the greatest peril, and met his most humiliating defeat.” “Feeling himself strong and secure against his earthly enemies, intoxicated by his prosperity and success, while receiving the plaudits of men, Israel’s honored hero and saint was thrown off his guard. Imperceptibly the inner defenses of his soul had weakened, until he yielded to a temptation that transformed him into a shameless sinner.” David walked onto the roof of the palace and saw a beautiful woman bathing. He learned she “was the wife of Uriah the Hittite, one of David’s bravest and most faithful officers.” David sent for her.
“There is no indication that David’s messengers took Bath-sheba by force. Bath-sheba was beautiful, and she was not beyond temptation. Possibly she was flattered by the overtures made to her by the king, and yielded herself to David without resistance.” A pregnancy resulted from this encounter. Under God’s law, the penalty for adultery was death for both parties (Leviticus 20:10). Bath-sheba made her pregnancy known to David and sought his help.
The injured party in a case of adultery might avenge him or herself by slaying both parties that had engaged in prohibited sex. Uriah would have been within his rights to kill both David and Bath-sheba regardless of the fact one guilty party was the king.
The pregnancy could not be long hidden.
Their sin would soon become public knowledge.
Avoid lust! It often results in numerous bad decisions and ends in sorrow and regret.
