Day 122 – 2 Samuel 11:7-13

Scripture Review

2 Samuel 11:7-13

"And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered."

2 Samuel 11:7)

Uriah comes before David, and the king asks about Joab, about the people, and about how the war prospered. David is not really asking because his soul is burdened for the army. If he were that burdened, he would not have been tarrying still at Jerusalem. He is asking because he needs the conversation to look normal.

"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."

(2 Samuel 11:8)

David says, "Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet." After a journey, washing the feet was a common comfort after travel, especially with dusty roads and sandals. David wants Uriah at home, relaxed, fed, and near Bathsheba. He is trying to build his cover story.

Then he sends "a mess of meat from the king." That phrase means a portion or present from the royal table. Not every gift is clean just because it is generous. Not every compliment is honest just because it sounds gracious. This "kindness" toward Uriah is not meant to bless him; it is meant to use him.

"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."

(2 Samuel 11:9)

David's plan fails the first night. Uriah does not go home. He sleeps "at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord." David is in the palace trying to protect his secret, while Uriah is content to sleep like a servant because his fellow soldiers are still in the field. His body is in Jerusalem, but his heart is still with the army. He does not say, "I deserve a break." He does not say, "The king gave me permission." He does not say, "No one will know." He lies down with the servants.

"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?"

(2 Samuel 11:10)

Either David asked or someone was spying for him. But somebody reports back to David, "Uriah went not down unto his house." He was watching the outcome. David wanted to know if the plan worked. Secret sin makes a man listen for footsteps, check doors, watch faces, and measure every answer.

David asks Uriah, "Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house?" David is not confused. He is frustrated. The plan did not work, and now he is irritated with an innocent man. Uriah's integrity is now a problem to David. Think about that. A good man's loyalty has become an obstacle to a backslidden king's cover-up.

"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."

(2 Samuel 11:11)

Uriah's answer is one of honor. He says, "The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents." He begins with the Ark. Uriah's mind goes first to the things of God, then to the people of God, then to the army of God. That ought to have crushed David. Then Uriah says "Israel, and Judah" are abiding in tents, and Joab and the servants are encamped in the open fields. He feels the weight of shared hardship. He will not enjoy his own house while others sleep in war conditions.

Uriah's conscience is cleaner drunk than David's is sober. "shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife?" Those words name the exact thing David wanted him to do. Uriah says it would be wrong for him.

"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."

(2 Samuel 11:12)

David says, "Tarry here to day also." David tarried still at Jerusalem in verse 1and now he makes Uriah tarry too. David promises, "to morrow I will let thee depart." He is buying time. He is trying to find another angle. The first plan failed, so he keeps Uriah close.

"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."

(2 Samuel 11:13)

David is still reaching. He calls Uriah, feeds him, gives him drink, and "he made him drunk." He cannot break Uriah's integrity while he is sober, so he tries to weaken him with wine. David adds sin to sin here and degrades the brave soldier he has already dishonored. Uriah does not go home. He goes out "to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord." Not with Bathsheba. Not in his house. Not in the comfort David wanted him to enjoy. He sleeps where he slept before.

Delayed repentance is dangerous. The longer David waits, the darker his thinking becomes. Confession may be painful, but concealment is poisonous.