David and Bathsheba

The story of David and Bathsheba is found in the Bible verses of 2 Samuel  11 and 12.  It occurred when the Israelites were at war with the Ammonites.  Instead of leading the army to war David had remained behind, and his eyes got him into trouble.

2 Samuel 11:1-4 (King James Version)

1. And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, 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 was very beautiful to look upon.

3. And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is 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.

The act between David and Bathsheba was suppose to be a "one night stand", but the bible says "be sure your sins will find you out", (Numbers 32:23).

2 Samuel 11:5 (KJV)

5. And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child.

After David and Bathsheba committed adultery, and she became pregnant, David decided he would attempt deception instead of seeking forgiveness for his sin.  David was so caught up in his sin he forgot that God sees and knows all. 

God saw David and Bathsheba commit adultery.

2 Samuel 11:6-11 (King James Version)

6. And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.

7. And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him 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 of meat 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 thy journey? why then 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? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.

Uriah acted honorable in comparison to David and Bathsheba.  And again instead of David seeking forgiveness he plotted to have Uriah killed.

2 Samuel 11:12-25 (King James Version)

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. 

14. And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it 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 were.

17. And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some 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 some 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.

After Uriah died David and Bathsheba married.  This was the lowest point in King David's life, because God was not pleased with David and Bathsheba.

2 Samuel 11:-26-27 (King James Version)

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 LORD.

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Click here for the printable Bible word search puzzle 'David And Bathsheba'.

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God had Nathan the prophet rebuke David. Nathan begins by telling a fictional story that is based on what happened between David and Bathsheba.  Like many movies it was, "based on a true story".

2 Samuel 12:1-6 (King James Version)

1. And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.

2. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:

3. But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.

4. And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.

5. And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:

6. And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.

David was ready to kill the rich man in Nathan's story until he realized the story was about himself, King David and Bathsheba.  God had seen all that he had done.

2 Samuel 12:7-8 (King James Version)

7. And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;

8. And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.

David broke the 7th and 8th of the 10 commandments,  and God sent Nathan to tell him what his punishment would be.  Because of the sin between David and Bathsheba there would be strife with his children, (i.e. Ammon and Tamar, Absalom, Adonijah and Solomon).

2 Samuel 12:9-11 (King James Version)

9. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

10. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.

11. Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.

Let us learn from David and Bathsheba how one sin can lead to another, and not commit sin intentionally, but seek to overcome sin by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

David and Bathsheba committed adultery because David failed to call on the same power that he used to slay Goliath.

2 Samuel 12:12 (King James Version)

12. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.

Finally after Nathan pointed out the sin of David and Bathsheba he asked for forgiveness. 

2 Samuel 12:13 (King James Version)

13. And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

David and Bathsheba had to be disciplined because others were watching.

2 Samuel 12:14 (King James Version)

14. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.

Others may have turned away from God after hearing a death sentence put on their baby, like David and Bathsheba, but David turned to God with fasting and prayer.

2 Samuel 12:15-19 (King James Version)

15. And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick. 

16. David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.

17. And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.

18. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?

19. But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.

As long as the baby of David and Bathsheba lived he fasted and prayed, but when he died David accepted it as God's will and worshipped him.  How many of us could do that?

2 Samuel 12:20-23 (King James Version)

20. Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.

21. Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.  

22. And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?

23. But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.

God forgave David and Bathsheba, because God is more than willing to forgive us of our sins  when we ask.  And God blessed David and Bathsheba with another baby who became King Solomon.

2 Samuel 12:24-25 (King James Version)

24. And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him.

25. And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD.

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