mh_parser/vol_split/10 - 2Samuel/Chapter 11.xml

<div2 id="iiSam.xii" n="xii" next="iiSam.xiii" prev="iiSam.xi" progress="43.51%" title="Chapter XI">
<h2 id="iiSam.xii-p0.1">S E C O N D   S A M U E L</h2>
<h3 id="iiSam.xii-p0.2">CHAP. XI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="iiSam.xii-p1">What David said of the mournful report of Saul's
death may more fitly be applied to the sad story of this chapter,
the adultery and murder David was guilty of.—"Tell it not in Gath,
publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon." We wish we could draw a
veil over it, and that it might never be known, might never be
said, that David did such things as are here recorded of him. But
it cannot, it must not, be concealed. The scripture is faithful in
relating the faults even of those whom it most applauds, which is
an instance of the sincerity of the penmen, and an evidence that it
was not written to serve any party: and even such stories as these
"were written for our learning," that "he that thinks he stands may
take heed lest he fall," and that others' harms may be our
warnings. Many, no doubt, have been emboldened to sin, and hardened
in it, by this story, and to them it is a "savour of death unto
death;" but many have by it been awakened to a holy jealousy over
themselves, and constant watchfulness against sin, and to them it
is a "savour of life unto life." Those are very great sins, and
greatly aggravated, which here we find David guilty of. I. He
committed adultery with Bath-sheba, the wife of Uriah, <scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.11.1-2Sam.11.5" parsed="|2Sam|11|1|11|5" passage="2Sa 11:1-5">ver. 1-5</scripRef>. II. He endeavoured to
father the spurious brood upon Uriah, <scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.11.6-2Sam.11.13" parsed="|2Sam|11|6|11|13" passage="2Sa 11:6-13">ver. 6-13</scripRef>. III. When that project failed,
he plotted the death of Uriah by the sword of the children of
Ammon, and effected it, <scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.11.14-2Sam.11.25" parsed="|2Sam|11|14|11|25" passage="2Sa 11:14-25">ver.
14-25</scripRef>. IV. He married Bath-sheba, <scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.11.26-2Sam.11.27" parsed="|2Sam|11|26|11|27" passage="2Sa 11:26,27">ver. 26, 27</scripRef>. Is this David? Is this the
man after God's own heart? How is his behaviour changed, worse than
it was before Ahimelech! How has this gold become dim! Let him that
readeth understand what the best of men are when God leaves them to
themselves.</p>
<scripCom id="iiSam.xii-p0.1_1" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.11" parsed="|2Sam|11|0|0|0" passage="2Sa 11" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="iiSam.xii-p0.2_1" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.11.1-2Sam.11.5" parsed="|2Sam|11|1|11|5" passage="2Sa 11:1-5" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:2Sam.11.1-2Sam.11.5">
<h4 id="iiSam.xii-p1.7">David's Sin with Bath-sheba. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iiSam.xii-p1.8">b. c.</span> 1037.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="iiSam.xii-p2">1 And it came to pass, after the year was
expired, at the time when kings go forth <i>to battle,</i> that
David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and
they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But
David tarried still at Jerusalem.   2 And it came to pass in
an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon
the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman
washing herself; and the woman <i>was</i> very beautiful to look
upon.   3 And David sent and enquired after the woman. And
<i>one</i> said, <i>Is</i> not this Bathsheba, the daughter of
Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?   4 And David sent
messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with
her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned
unto her house.   5 And the woman conceived, and sent and told
David, and said, I <i>am</i> with child.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiSam.xii-p3">Here is, I. David's glory, in pursuing the
war against the Ammonites, <scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.11.1" parsed="|2Sam|11|1|0|0" passage="2Sa 11:1"><i>v.</i>
1</scripRef>. We cannot take that pleasure in viewing this great
action which hitherto we have taken in observing David's
achievements, because the beauty of it was stained and sullied by
sin; otherwise we might take notice of David's wisdom and bravery
in following his blow. Having routed the army of the Ammonites in
the field, as soon as ever the season of the year permitted he sent
more forces to waste the country and further to avenge the quarrel
of his ambassadors. Rabbah, their metropolis, made a stand, and
held out a great while. To this city Joab laid close siege, and it
was at the time of this siege that David fell into this sin.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiSam.xii-p4">II. David's shame, in being himself
conquered, and led captive by his own lust. The sin he was guilty
of was adultery, against the letter of the seventh commandment, and
(in the judgment of the patriarchal age) a heinous crime, and <i>an
iniquity to be punished by the judges</i> (<scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Job.31.11" parsed="|Job|31|11|0|0" passage="Job 31:11">Job xxxi. 11</scripRef>), a sin which <i>takes away the
heart,</i> and <i>gets a man a wound and dishonour,</i> more than
any other, and the <i>reproach of which is not wiped away.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="iiSam.xii-p5">1. Observe the occasions which led to this
sin. (1.) Neglect of his business. When he should have been abroad
with his army in the field, fighting the battles of the Lord, he
devolved the care upon others, and he himself <i>tarried still at
Jerusalem,</i> <scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.11.1" parsed="|2Sam|11|1|0|0" passage="2Sa 11:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>.
To the war with the Syrians David went in person, <scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.10.17" parsed="|2Sam|10|17|0|0" passage="2Sa 10:17"><i>ch.</i> x. 17</scripRef>. Had he been now at
his post at the head of his forces, he would have been out of the
way of this temptation. When we are out of the way of our duty we
are in the way of temptation. (2.) Love of ease, and the indulgence
of a slothful temper: <i>He came off his bed at evening-tide,</i>
<scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p5.3" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.11.2" parsed="|2Sam|11|2|0|0" passage="2Sa 11:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. There he had
dozed away the afternoon in idleness, which he should have spent in
some exercise for his own improvement or the good of others. He
used to pray, not only morning and evening, but at noon, in the day
of his trouble: it is to be feared he had, this noon, omitted to do
so. Idleness gives great advantage to the tempter. Standing waters
gather filth. The bed of sloth often proves the bed of lust. (3.) A
wandering eye: <i>He saw a woman washing herself,</i> probably from
some ceremonial pollution, according to the law. The sin came in at
the eye, as Eve's did. Perhaps he sought to see her, at least he
did not practise according to his own prayer, <i>Turn away my eyes
from beholding vanity,</i> and his son's caution in a like case,
<i>Look not thou on the wine it is red.</i> Either he had not, like
Job, <i>made a covenant with his eyes,</i> or, at this time, he had
forgotten it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiSam.xii-p6">2. The steps of the sin. When he saw her,
lust immediately conceived, and, (1.) He enquired who she was
(<scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.11.3" parsed="|2Sam|11|3|0|0" passage="2Sa 11:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>), perhaps
intending only, if she were unmarried, to take her to wife, as he
had taken several; but, if she were a wife, having no design upon
her. (2.) The corrupt desire growing more violent, though he was
told she was a wife, and whose wife she was, yet he sent messengers
for her, and then, it may be, intended only to please himself with
her company and conversation. But, (3.) When she came <i>he lay
with her,</i> she too easily consenting, because he was a great
man, and famed for his goodness too. Surely (thinks she) that can
be no sin which such a man as David is the mover of. See how the
way of sin is down-hill; when men begin to do evil they cannot soon
stop themselves. <i>The beginning</i> of lust, as <i>of strife, is
like the letting forth of water;</i> it is therefore wisdom to
leave it off before it be meddled with. The foolish fly fires her
wings, and fools away her life at last, by playing about the
candle.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiSam.xii-p7">3. The aggravations of the sin. (1.) He was
now in years, fifty at least, some think more, when those lusts
which are more properly youthful, one would think, should not have
been violent in him, (2.) He had many wives and concubines of his
own; this is insisted on, <scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.12.8" parsed="|2Sam|12|8|0|0" passage="2Sa 12:8"><i>ch.</i>
xii. 8</scripRef>. (3.) Uriah, whom he wronged, was one of his own
worthies, a person of honour and virtue, one that was now abroad in
his service, hazarding his life in the high places of the field for
the honour and safety of him and his kingdom, where he himself
should have been. (4.) Bath-sheba, whom he debauched, was a lady of
good reputation, and, till she was drawn by him and his influence
into this wickedness, had no doubt preserved her purity. Little did
she think that ever she could have done so bad a thing as to
<i>forsake the guide of her youth, and forget the covenant of her
God;</i> nor perhaps could any one in the world but David have
prevailed against her. The adulterer not only wrongs and ruins his
own soul, but, as much as he can, another's soul too. (5.) David
was a king, whom God had entrusted with the sword of justice and
the execution of the law upon other criminals, particularly upon
adulterers, who were, by the law, to be put to death; for him
therefore to be guilty of those crimes himself was to make himself
a pattern, when he should have been a terror, to evil doers. With
what face could he rebuke or punish that in others which he was
conscious to himself of being guilty of? See <scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:Rom.2.22" parsed="|Rom|2|22|0|0" passage="Ro 2:22">Rom. ii. 22</scripRef>. Much more might be said to
aggravate the sin; and I can think but of one excuse for it, which
is that it was done but once; it was far from being his practice;
it was by the surprise of a temptation that he was drawn into it.
He was not one of those of whom the prophet complains that <i>they
were as fed horses, neighing every one after his neighbour's
wife</i> (<scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p7.3" osisRef="Bible:Jer.5.8" parsed="|Jer|5|8|0|0" passage="Jer 5:8">Jer. v. 8</scripRef>); but
this once God left him to himself, as he did Hezekiah, <i>that he
might know what was in his heart,</i> <scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p7.4" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.32.31" parsed="|2Chr|32|31|0|0" passage="2Ch 32:31">2 Chron. xxxii. 31</scripRef>. Had he been told of it
before, he would have said, as Hazael, <i>What! is thy servant a
dog?</i> But by this instance we are taught what need we have to
pray every day, <i>Father, in heaven, lead us not into
temptation,</i> and to watch, that we enter not into it.</p>
</div><scripCom id="iiSam.xii-p0.3" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.11.6-2Sam.11.13" parsed="|2Sam|11|6|11|13" passage="2Sa 11:6-13" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:2Sam.11.6-2Sam.11.13">
<h4 id="iiSam.xii-p7.6">David's Contrivance to Hide His Crime;
David's Contrivance Defeated. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iiSam.xii-p7.7">b. c.</span> 1037.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="iiSam.xii-p8">6 And David sent to Joab, <i>saying,</i> Send me
Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.   7 And when
Uriah was come unto him, David demanded <i>of him</i> how Joab did,
and how the people did, and how the war prospered.   8 And
David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And
Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a
mess <i>of meat</i> from the king.   9 But Uriah slept at the
door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and
went not down to his house.   10 And when they had told David,
saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah,
Camest thou not from <i>thy</i> journey? why <i>then</i> didst thou
not go down unto thine house?   11 And Uriah said unto David,
The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab,
and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall
I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my
wife? <i>as</i> thou livest, and <i>as</i> thy soul liveth, I will
not do this thing.   12 And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to
day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in
Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.   13 And when David had
called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk:
and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his
lord, but went not down to his house.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiSam.xii-p9">Uriah, we may suppose, had now been absent
from his wife some weeks, making the campaign in the country of the
Ammonites, and not intending to return till the end of it. The
situation of his wife would <i>bring to light the hidden works of
darkness;</i> and when Uriah, at his return, should find how he had
been abused, and by whom, it might well be expected, 1. That he
would prosecute his wife, according to law, and have her stoned to
death; for <i>jealousy is the rage of a man,</i> especially a man
of honour, and he that is thus injured <i>will not spare in the day
of vengeance,</i> <scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Prov.6.34" parsed="|Prov|6|34|0|0" passage="Pr 6:34">Prov. vi.
34</scripRef>. This Bath-sheba was apprehensive of when she sent to
let David know she was with child, intimating that he was concerned
to protect her, and, it is likely, if he had not promised her so to
do (so wretchedly abusing his royal power), she would not have
consented to him. Hope of impunity is a great encouragement to
iniquity. 2. It might also be expected that since he could not
prosecute David by law for an offence of this nature he would take
his revenge another way, and raise a rebellion against him. There
have been instances of kings who by provocations of this nature,
given to some of their powerful subjects, have lost their crowns.
To prevent this double mischief, David endeavours to father the
child which should be born upon Uriah himself, and therefore sends
for him home to stay a night or two with his wife. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiSam.xii-p10">I. How the plot was laid. Uriah must come
home from the army under pretence of bringing David an account
<i>how the war prospered,</i> and how they went on with the siege
of Rabbah, <scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.11.7" parsed="|2Sam|11|7|0|0" passage="2Sa 11:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>.
Thus does he pretend a more than ordinary concern for his army when
that was the least thing in his thoughts; if he had not had another
turn to serve, an express of much less figure than Uriah might have
sufficed to bring him a report of the state of the war. David,
having had as much conference with Uriah as he thought requisite to
cover the design, sent him to his house, and, that he might be the
more pleasant there with the wife of his youth, sent a dish of meat
after him for their supper, <scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.11.8" parsed="|2Sam|11|8|0|0" passage="2Sa 11:8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>. When that project failed the first night, and Uriah,
being weary of his journey and more desirous of sleep than meat,
lay all night in the guard-chamber, the next night <i>he made him
drunk</i> (<scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p10.3" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.11.13" parsed="|2Sam|11|13|0|0" passage="2Sa 11:13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>),
or made him merry, tempted him to drink more than was fit, that he
might forget his vow (<scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p10.4" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.11.11" parsed="|2Sam|11|11|0|0" passage="2Sa 11:11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>), and might be disposed to go home to his own bed, to
which perhaps, if David could have made him dead drunk, he would
have ordered him to be carried. It is a very wicked thing, upon any
design whatsoever, to make a person drunk. <i>Woe to him</i> that
does so, <scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p10.5" osisRef="Bible:Hab.2.15-Hab.2.16" parsed="|Hab|2|15|2|16" passage="Hab 2:15,16">Hab. ii. 15,
16</scripRef>. God will put a cup of trembling into the hands of
those who put into the hands of others the cup of drunkenness.
Robbing a man of his reason is worse than robbing him of his money,
and drawing him into sin worse than drawing him into any trouble
whatsoever. Every good man, especially every magistrate, should
endeavour to prevent this sin, by admonishing, restraining, and
denying the glass to those whom they see falling into excess; but
to further it is to do the devil's work, to officiate as factor for
him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiSam.xii-p11">II. How this plot was defeated by Uriah's
firm resolution not to lie in his own bed. Both nights he slept
with the life-guard, and <i>went not down to his house,</i> though,
it is probable, his wife pressed him to do it as much as David,
<scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p11.1" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.11.9 Bible:2Sam.11.12" parsed="|2Sam|11|9|0|0;|2Sam|11|12|0|0" passage="2Sa 11:9,12"><i>v.</i> 9, 12</scripRef>. Now, 1.
Some think he suspected what was done, being informed of his wife's
attendance at court, and therefore he would not go near her. But if
he had had any suspicion of that kind, surely he would have opened
the letter that David sent by him to Joab. 2. Whether he suspected
any thing or no, Providence put this resolution into his heart, and
kept him to it, for the discovering of David's sin, and that the
baffling of his design to conceal it might awaken David's
conscience to confess it and repent of it. 3. The reason he gave to
David for this strange instance of self-denial and mortification
was very noble, <scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p11.2" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.11.11" parsed="|2Sam|11|11|0|0" passage="2Sa 11:11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>. While the army was encamped in the field, he would
not lie at ease in his own house. "The ark is in a tent," whether
at home, in the tent David had pitched for it, or abroad, with Joab
in the camp, is not certain. "Joab, and all the mighty men of
Israel, lie hard and uneasy, and much exposed to the weather and to
the enemy; and shall I go and take my ease and pleasure at my own
house?" No, he protests he will not do it. Now, (1.) This was in
itself a generous resolution, and showed Uriah to be a man of a
public spirit, bold and hardy, and mortified to the delights of
sense. In times of public difficulty and danger it does not become
us to repose ourselves in security, or roll ourselves in pleasure,
or, with the king and Haman, to sit down to drink when the <i>city
Shushan was perplexed,</i> <scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p11.3" osisRef="Bible:Esth.3.15" parsed="|Esth|3|15|0|0" passage="Es 3:15">Esth. iii.
15</scripRef>. We should voluntarily endure hardness when the
church of God is constrained to endure it. (2.) It might have been
of use to awaken David's conscience, and make his heart to smite
him for what he had done. [1.] That he had basely abused so brave a
man as Uriah was, a man so heartily concerned for him and his
kingdom, and that acted for him and it with so much vigour. [2.]
That he was himself so unlike him. The consideration of the public
hardships and hazards kept Uriah from lawful pleasures, yet could
not keep David, though more nearly interested, from unlawful ones.
Uriah's severity to himself should have shamed David for his
indulgence of himself. The law was, <i>When the host goeth forth
against the enemy then,</i> in a special manner, <i>keep thyself
from every wicked thing,</i> <scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p11.4" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23.9" parsed="|Deut|23|9|0|0" passage="De 23:9">Deut.
xxiii. 9</scripRef>. Uriah outdid that law, but David violated
it.</p>
</div><scripCom id="iiSam.xii-p0.4" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.11.14-2Sam.11.27" parsed="|2Sam|11|14|11|27" passage="2Sa 11:14-27" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:2Sam.11.14-2Sam.11.27">
<h4 id="iiSam.xii-p11.6">David Causes Uriah to Be Slain; David
Informed of Uriah's Death. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iiSam.xii-p11.7">b. c.</span> 1037.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="iiSam.xii-p12">14 And it came to pass in the morning, that
David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent <i>it</i> by the hand of
Uriah.   15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah
in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him,
that he may be smitten, and die.   16 And it came to pass,
when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place
where he knew that valiant men <i>were.</i>   17 And the men
of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell
<i>some</i> of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the
Hittite died also.   18 Then Joab sent and told David all the
things concerning the war;   19 And charged the messenger,
saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the
war unto the king,   20 And if so be that the king's wrath
arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto
the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from
the wall?   21 Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth?
did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall,
that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou,
Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.   22 So the
messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent
him for.   23 And the messenger said unto David, Surely the
men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the field, and
we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate.   24 And
the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and
<i>some</i> of the king's servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah
the Hittite is dead also.   25 Then David said unto the
messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing
displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another:
make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and
encourage thou him.   26 And when the wife of Uriah heard that
Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.   27
And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his
house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing
that David had done displeased the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiSam.xii-p12.1">Lord</span>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiSam.xii-p13">When David's project of fathering the child
upon Uriah himself failed, so that, in process of time, Uriah would
certainly know the wrong that had been done him, to prevent the
fruits of his revenge, the devil put it into David's heart to take
him off, and then neither he nor Bath-sheba would be in any danger
(what prosecution could there be when there was no prosecutor?),
suggesting further that, when Uriah was out of the way, Bath-sheba
might, if he pleased, be his own for ever. Adulteries have often
occasioned murders, and one wickedness must be covered and secured
with another. The beginnings of sin are therefore to be dreaded;
for who knows where they will end? It is resolved in David's breast
(which one would think could never possibly have harboured so vile
a thought) that Uriah must die. That innocent, valiant, gallant
man, who was ready to die for his prince's honour, must die by his
prince's hand. David has sinned, and Bath-sheba has sinned, and
both against him, and therefore he must die; David determines he
must. Is this the man whose heart smote him because he had cut off
Saul's skirt? <i>Quantum mutatus ab illo!—But ah, how changed!</i>
Is this he that executed judgment and justice to all his people?
How can he now do so unjust a thing? See how fleshly lusts war
against the soul, and what devastations they make in that war; how
they blink the eyes, harden the heart, sear the conscience, and
deprive men of all sense of honour and justice. <i>Whoso committeth
adultery with a woman lacketh understanding</i> and quite loses it;
<i>he that doth it destroys his own soul,</i> <scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p13.1" osisRef="Bible:Prov.6.32" parsed="|Prov|6|32|0|0" passage="Pr 6:32">Prov. vi. 32</scripRef>. But, as the eye of the
adulterer, so the hand of the murderer seeks concealment, <scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p13.2" osisRef="Bible:Job.24.14-Job.24.15" parsed="|Job|24|14|24|15" passage="Job 24:14,15">Job xxiv. 14, 15</scripRef>. Works of
darkness hate the light. When David bravely slew Goliath it was
done publicly, and he gloried in it; but, when he basely slew
Uriah, it must be done clandestinely, for he is ashamed of it, and
well he may. Who would do a thing that he dare not own? The devil,
having as a poisonous serpent, put it into David's heart to murder
Uriah, as a subtle serpent he puts it into his head how to do it.
Not as Absalom slew Amnon, by commanding his servants to
assassinate him, nor as Ahab slew Naboth by suborning witnesses to
accuse him, but by exposing him to the enemy, a way of doing it
which, perhaps, would not seem so odious to conscience and the
world, because soldiers expose themselves of course. If Uriah had
not been in that dangerous post, another must; he has (as we say) a
chance for his life; if he fight stoutly, he may perhaps come off;
and, if he die, it is in the field of honour, where a soldier would
choose to die; and yet all this will not save it from being a
wilful murder, of malice prepense.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiSam.xii-p14">I. Orders are sent to Joab to set Uriah in
the front of the hottest battle, and then to desert him, and
abandon him to the enemy, <scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p14.1" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.11.14-2Sam.11.15" parsed="|2Sam|11|14|11|15" passage="2Sa 11:14,15"><i>v.</i> 14, 15</scripRef>. This was David's
project to take off Uriah, and it succeeded, as he designed. Many
were the aggravations of this murder. 1. It was deliberate. He took
time to consider of it; and though he had time to consider of it,
for he wrote a letter about it, and though he had time to have
countermanded the order afterwards before it could be put in
execution, yet he persisted in it. 2. He sent the letter by Uriah
himself, than which nothing could be more base and barbarous, to
make him accessory to his own death. And what a paradox was it that
he could bear such a malice against him in whom yet he could repose
such a confidence as that he would carry letters which he must not
know the purport of. 3. Advantage must be taken of Uriah's own
courage and zeal for his king and country, which deserve the
greatest praise and recompence, to betray him the more easily to
his fate. If he had not been forward to expose himself, perhaps he
was a man of such importance that Joab could not have exposed him;
and that this noble fire should be designedly turned upon himself
was a most detestable instance of ingratitude. 4. Many must be
involved in the guilt. Joab, the general, to whom the blood of his
soldiers, especially the worthies, ought to be precious, must do
it; he, and all that retire from Uriah when they ought in
conscience to support and second him, become guilty of his death.
5. Uriah cannot thus die alone: the party he commands is in danger
of being cut off with him; and it proved so: some of the people,
even the servants of David (so they are called, to aggravate
David's sin in being so prodigal of their lives), fell with him,
<scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p14.2" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.11.17" parsed="|2Sam|11|17|0|0" passage="2Sa 11:17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. Nay, this
wilful misconduct by which Uriah must be betrayed might be of fatal
consequence to the whole army, and might oblige them to raise the
siege. 6. It will be the triumph and joy of the Ammonites, the
sworn enemies of God and Israel; it will gratify them exceedingly.
David prayed for himself, that he might not fall into the hands of
man, nor flee from his enemies (<scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p14.3" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.24.13-2Sam.24.14" parsed="|2Sam|24|13|24|14" passage="2Sa 24:13,14"><i>ch.</i> xxiv. 13, 14</scripRef>); yet he sells
his servant Uriah to the Ammonites, and not for any iniquity in his
hand.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiSam.xii-p15">II. Joab executes these orders. In the next
assault that is made upon the city Uriah has the most dangerous
post assigned him, is encouraged to hope that if he be repulsed by
the besieged he shall be relieved by Joab, in dependence on which
he marches on with resolution, but, succours not coming on, the
service proves too hot, and he is slain in it, <scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p15.1" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.11.16-2Sam.11.17" parsed="|2Sam|11|16|11|17" passage="2Sa 11:16,17"><i>v.</i> 16, 17</scripRef>. It was strange that
Joab would do such a thing merely upon a letter, without knowing
the reason. But, 1. Perhaps he supposed Uriah had been guilty of
some great crime, to enquire into which David had sent for him, and
that, because he would not punish him openly, he took this course
with him to put him to death. 2. Joab had been guilty of blood, and
we may suppose it pleased him very well to see David himself
falling into the same guilt, and he was willing enough to serve him
in it, that he might continue to be favourable to him. It is common
for those who have done ill themselves to desire to be countenanced
therein by others doing ill likewise, especially by the sins of
those that are eminent in the profession of religion. Or, perhaps,
David knew that Joab had a pique against Uriah, and would gladly be
avenged on him; otherwise Joab, when he saw cause, knew how to
dispute the king's orders, as <scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p15.2" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.19.5 Bible:2Sam.24.3" parsed="|2Sam|19|5|0|0;|2Sam|24|3|0|0" passage="2Sa 19:5,24:3"><i>ch.</i> xix. 5; xxiv. 3</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiSam.xii-p16">III. He sends an account of it to David. An
express is despatched away immediately with a report of this last
disgrace and loss which they had sustained, <scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p16.1" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.11.18" parsed="|2Sam|11|18|0|0" passage="2Sa 11:18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. And, to disguise the affair,
1. He supposes that David would appear to be angry at his bad
conduct, would ask why they came so near the wall (<scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p16.2" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.11.20" parsed="|2Sam|11|20|0|0" passage="2Sa 11:20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>), did they not know
that Abimelech lost his life by doing do? <scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p16.3" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.11.21" parsed="|2Sam|11|21|0|0" passage="2Sa 11:21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. We had the story (<scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p16.4" osisRef="Bible:Judg.9.53" parsed="|Judg|9|53|0|0" passage="Jdg 9:53">Judg. ix. 53</scripRef>), which book, it is
likely, was published as a part of the sacred history in Samuel's
time; and (be it noted to their praise, and for imitation) even the
soldiers were conversant with their bibles, and could readily quote
the scripture-story, and make use of it for admonition to
themselves not to run upon the same attempts which they found had
been fatal. 2. He slyly orders the messenger to soothe it with
telling him that Uriah the Hittite was dead also, which gave too
broad an intimation to the messenger, and by him to others, that
David would be secretly pleased to hear that; for murder will out.
And, when men do such base things, they must expect to be bantered
and upbraided with them, even by their inferiors. The messenger
delivered his message agreeably to orders, <scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p16.5" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.11.22-2Sam.11.24" parsed="|2Sam|11|22|11|24" passage="2Sa 11:22-24"><i>v.</i> 22-24</scripRef>. He makes the besieged to
sally out first upon the besiegers (<i>they came out unto us into
the field</i>), represents the besiegers as doing their part with
great bravery (<i>we were upon them even to the entering of the
gate</i>—we forced them to retire into the city with
precipitation), and so concludes with a slight mention of the
slaughter made among them by some shot from the wall: <i>Some of
the king's servants are dead,</i> and particularly <i>Uriah the
Hittite,</i> an officer of note, stood first in the list of the
slain.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiSam.xii-p17">IV. David receives the account with a
secret satisfaction, <scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p17.1" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.11.25" parsed="|2Sam|11|25|0|0" passage="2Sa 11:25"><i>v.</i>
25</scripRef>. Let not Joab be displeased, for David is not. He
blames not his conduct, nor thinks they did wrong in approaching so
near the wall; all is well now that Uriah is put out of the way.
This point being gained, he can make light of the loss, and turn it
off easily with an excuse: <i>The sword devours one as well as
another;</i> it was a chance of war, nothing more common. He orders
Joab to make the battle more strong next time, while he, by his
sin, was weakening it, and provoking God to blast the
undertaking.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiSam.xii-p18">V. He marries the widow in a little time.
She submitted to the ceremony of mourning for her husband as short
a time as custom would admit (<scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p18.1" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.11.26" parsed="|2Sam|11|26|0|0" passage="2Sa 11:26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>), and then David took her to
his house as his wife, and she bore him a son. Uriah's revenge was
prevented by his death, but the birth of the child so soon after
the marriage published the crime. Sin will have shame. Yet that was
not the worst of it: <i>The thing that David had done displeased
the Lord.</i> The whole <i>matter of Uriah</i> (as it is called,
<scripRef id="iiSam.xii-p18.2" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.15.5" parsed="|1Kgs|15|5|0|0" passage="1Ki 15:5">1 Kings xv. 5</scripRef>), the
adultery, falsehood, murder, and this marriage at last, it was all
displeasing to the Lord. He had pleased himself, but displeased
God. Note, God sees and hates sin in his own people. Nay, the
nearer any are to God in profession the more displeasing to him
their sins are; for in them there is more ingratitude, treachery,
and reproach, than in the sins of others. Let none therefore
encourage themselves in sin by the example of David; for those that
sin as he did will fall under the displeasure of God as he did. Let
us therefore stand in awe and sin not, not sin after the similitude
of his transgression.</p>
</div></div2>