How David sinned with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite

HOW DAVID SINNED WITH BATHSHEBA, WIFE OF URIAH THE HITTITE 

It was that time of the year when kings went to war but David did not go. He sent Joab together with the soldiers to attack the Ammonites. David remained in Jerusalem. 

One evening, when David was walking on the roof of his palace, he saw a beautiful woman bathing. David sent someone to inquire about the woman. They told him the woman was the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.

David sent for her and slept with her. Later, she sent word to David that she had gotten pregnant. David sent a message to Joab on the battlefield so send Uriah the Hittite back home. When Uriah came, David cunningly asked about the war and later told Uriah to go home to wash his feet. Uriah did not go home. He slept at the gate.

When David heard that Uriah did not go home, he sent for him and asked why? Uriah explained that he could not go back home when the Ark of God was on the battlefield. It was also against Israel’s law of purity for a soldier to sleep with a woman during a period of war. The next day, David made him drunk with the hope that when drunk, he would go home to his wife, but Uriah still refused to go home.

In the morning, David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it through Uriah. In the letter, David instructed Joab to set Uriah in the forefront of the battle and draw back from him so that he may be struck down and die. David’s instruction was carried out and Uriah was killed. In response to the news of the death of Uriah, David said, “for the sword devours now one and now another”.

After the death of Uriah, David married Bathsheba, only after she has finished mourning for her husband. She bore a child to David but God was displeased with David’s action.

SAMPLE QUESTION

1. a. Narrate the story of David’s sin against Uriah.

    b. What two lessons can Christians learn from this incident?

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