2 Samuel 11:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

NIV: In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah.

NASB: So in the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

CSB: The next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah.

NLT: So the next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and gave it to Uriah to deliver.

KJV: And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

NKJV: In the morning it happened that David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

The Israelite army, under the command of Joab, is battling the Ammonites. While they're away, David sleeps with the wife of Uriah, one of his greatest fighters, and gets her pregnant. David is scrambling, trying to cover his sin. He called Uriah back to Jerusalem, but the good soldier would not accept the comforts of home while his brothers-in-arms sleep on the ground. David is stuck. If Uriah won't sleep with his wife, he'll know someone else did when he returns to a baby (2 Samuel 11:1–13).

David assumes his only option is to admit the baby is his, but that's impossible while Uriah still lives. Not only would the great fighter challenge David, but the entire army would also realize they can't trust their king around their wives. The only way David can claim the baby is if everyone knows he had a legitimate reason for sleeping with Bathsheba. That can only happen if she and David are married. And the only way that can happen is if Uriah's dead.

To complete his betrayal, David sends Uriah back to the front lines with instructions to Joab. Joab is to put Uriah near the base of the walled city and pull the rest of the army back. The Ammonites will have a clear shot and take care of David's problem (2 Samuel 11:15–16). The fact that David can trust Uriah to deliver the sealed message without opening it only adds to David's guilt.

King Saul tried a similar tactic against David. Saul was jealous that David was so good in battle and had won the people's hearts. Saul tempted David with the offer of marrying a royal princess, if David proved he killed a hundred Philistines. Saul thought David the Philistines would kill David. Instead, David killed two hundred and lived to claim his prize (1 Samuel 18:21–29). Uriah won't be so fortunate (2 Samuel 11:17).

In 2 Samuel 11:14–21, David completes his greatest sin. While the army is away, David has sex with one of his greatest warriors' wives. She's now pregnant. David calls him back to Jerusalem, intending him to sleep with his wife and claim the child, but he refuses (2 Samuel 11:1–13). To hide his sin, David sends the man back to the battle with instructions for the general to have him die in battle. David's secret is safe until God tells Nathan, the prophet. Nathan confronts David, and God judges David by taking his son (2 Samuel 12).

In 2 Samuel 11, David commits grievous sins. Joab and the Israelite army, including the warrior Uriah, are finishing the battle against the Ammonites. Back in Jerusalem, David takes notice of Uriah's wife and impregnates her. When she informs David of the pregnancy, David recalls Uriah. The king expects the soldier to sleep with his wife and claim the child. Uriah's intense loyalty and integrity prevent him from even visiting his house while the others are still at war. David tells Joab to have Uriah killed in battle. God sends Nathan to confront David. David sincerely repents, but God takes the child (2 Samuel 12).

Second Samuel 11 begins the account of David's greatest sins. David sleeps with and impregnates a soldier's wife, Bathsheba. To hide his sin, David has the soldier killed in battle. God tells Nathan to rebuke David, and David repents fully. But God still takes the life of the baby boy (2 Samuel 12; Psalm 51). The story reveals two things about God. First, He is willing to restore His relationship with us when we repent from even the most horrible sin. And second, He has no interest in shaming vulnerable victims of powerful people.