2 Samuel 11
DOYLYChap. XI. ver. 1. — after the year was expired] In the Hebrew, at the return of the year; in the spring time, the season most fit for action. Bp. Patrick. — Rabbah] The capital city of the Ammonites.
2 Samuel 11:2
- — in an evening tide, &c.] In the afternoon, when the sun was declining, he rose from the bed where he had lain down to sleep during the heat of the day, as was the manner in those countries. Bp. Patrick. — walked upon the roof of the king’s house:] The manner of building in all Eastern countries was to have the houses flat roofed, with a terrace and parapet wall, for the convenience of walking in the cool air; see note on Deut. xcii 8: and, as David’s palace was built on one of the highest places of mount Zion, he might easily look down on the lower parts of the town, and take a view of all the gardens that were within a due distance. Le Clerc. — the woman was very beautiful to look upon.] David at first violated only the rules of decency, which he might easily have observed, by turning away his eyes from an improper object. This, which doubtless he was willing to think a very pardonable gratification of nothing worse than curiosity, carried him on far beyond his first intention, to the heinous crime of adultery. There undoubtedly he designed to stop, and keep what passed secret from all the world: but, after he had in vain tried to conceal his adultery, he was driven to the most horrible of all wickedness, murder; and a murder too, accompanied with the heaviest aggravations, deliberately planned and brought about by treachery. In this dreadful manner was one, who had been till then of an excellent character, hurried on, from a single, and seemingly slight, indulgence, into the depth of the grossest and most shocking villanies. And in the like manner may any one, if he be not on his guard against the deceitfulness of sin, he hurried unawares to his final destruction. Abp. Secker. How naturally do men forget themselves, and their God, and His favours, when they are in prosperity, as David was! We often know not what we pray for, and wish, when we seek to be free from trouble, care, and danger. Bp. Wilson.
2 Samuel 11:3
- — the Hittite?] He was either a Hittite by descent, but a proselyte to the Jewish religion; or, as he
2 Samuel 11:4
- — sent messengers and took her.] Notwithstanding he was informed she was another man’s wife, he sent messengers to her, to invite her to his palace, into which he received her. This was a very great crime, committed deliberately and advisedly; and is here recorded for several great ends and purposes: among others, to make the best of men sensible, in what need they stand continually of Divine assistance; for which they should therefore earnestly pray, lest they fall into temptations: also to show us, that those are but men whose examples are set before us, and therefore we must live by rule, not merely by example. Bp. Patrick. With what reluctance, with what dread do I look upon the miscarriage of the man after God’s own heart! O holy Prophet, who can promise himself always to stand, when he sees thee fallen and maimed with the fall? who can assure himself of an immunity from the foulest sins, when he sees thee offending so heinously, so bloodily? Let profane eyes behold thee as a pattern, as an excuse for sinning: I shall never look upon thee, but through tears, as a woful spectacle of human infirnity! Bp. Hall. The design of God in recording the sins and miscarriages with which the best of men are sometimes overtaken, is, to admonish us all of the frailty of our nature, and the deceitfulness of our hearts; and to represent to the best of men how much it concerns them to be constantly on their guard, and never to permit themselves in the omission of any religious duties, lest Satan, who always lies in wait to surprise them, should get an advantage over them by his temptations. Reading. We must not look upon the sin which David at this time committed, as one of those which good men fall into through weakness and infirmity, and which are not inconsistent with a state of piety: it was a sin of the most heinous nature; and the more so, as it was committed by a person well acquainted with his duty, greatly enlightened, and enriched with Divine graces. We must remember therefore, that, if he had not recovered by a sincere and publick repentance, proportioned to the greatness of his sins, he would finally have perished. So that we ought not to make an evil use of this example; but, on the contrary, should watch over ourselves with greater care: especially because sins of this nature are much more enormous in Christians, than they were in David; and it is consequently more hard for them to repent David sendeth for Uriah. David’s letter to Joab. Before CHRIST about 1635.
2 Samuel 11:5
- — sent and told David.] She was afraid of infamy, and perhaps of the severity of her husband, who might cause her to be stoned: and therefore prayed David to consult her honour and safety. Bp. Patrick.
2 Samuel 11:8
- — Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet.] In those countries, where it was not the custom to wear shoes, but sandals, and sometimes to go barefoot, to wash the feet was the greatest refreshment after a journey. The same was usually done before they sat down to meat.
2 Samuel 11:9
- — went not down to his house.] It seems to have been a sinful contrivance of David, that, by Uriah’s holding intercourse with his wife, the child, which was conceived, might be thought to be his. But Uriah either suspected how the matter was, or else things were so ordered by the providence of God, that the crime of David should not be concealed, as he intended. Bp. Patrick. David’s intention hitherto appears to have been, neither to murder Uriah nor to marry his wife, but only to screen her honour, and his own crime. Stackhouse.
2 Samuel 11:11
- — The ark, — abide in tents:] It appears hence, that they still continued the custom, of which we read 1 Sam. iv. 4, of carrying the ark into the field, as a token of the Divine presence and favour towards them; also for the purpose of their consulting the Divine Ma-
jesty in any difficult cases. Bp. Patrick. There is no appearance, from any thing in the history, that Uriah had as yet any suspicion of what had passed between David and his wife. Dr. Chandler.
2 Samuel 11:13
- — he made him drunk.] Such are the low and scandalous shifts, to which the consciousness of guilt reduces men! David hoped that Uriah, when inflamed with liquor, would return to his house and cohabit with his wife, which he had refused to do when sober. Dr. Chandler.
— but went not down to his house.] How great must have been David’s disappointment on receiving this intelligence! He had injured a brave man; and all that he could do was, to hide the injury, and not aggravate by exposing it. He had done all in his power to effect this concealment, but to no purpose. Dr. Delaney.
2 Samuel 11:15
- — Set ye Uriah &c.] Thus does one sin beget another, depriving men of the use of their understanding: now, that David had given himself up to sensuality, his eyes were blinded, his very nature changed, and become base and degenerate. He, who had formerly spared Saul when he might have destroyed him, without the knowledge of any one, now seeks the death of a faithful friend in a most unworthy manner. Bp. Patrick.
It has appeared a difficulty to some, that persons raised up, sided, inspired, directed, or assisted by God, should have been guilty of such crimes as David, such idolatries as Solomon, such weaknesses as Samson, such apostasies and cruelties as the Jewish nation in general. To this it may be answered, that it is perfectly credible that they should be raised up for particular purposes; aided in effecting a particular object; inspired with a certain degree of knowledge; assisted at particular periods, and in a special manner; and yet that, beyond this, their natural character, their external temptations, their acquired habits, may have produced all the irre-
Uriah is slain. David taketh Bath-sheba to wife. Before CHRIST about 1688.
2 Samuel 11:17
- — Uriah the Hittite died also.] Thus fell this brave man; a sacrifice to his own heroic virtue, and to his prince’s guilt. Dr. Delaney.
2 Samuel 11:21
- — son of Jerubbesheth?] Jerubbesheth, another name for Jerubbaal or Gideon. There are other Hebrew names which end indifferently in Besheth or Bosheth, and Baal; as Ish-boeheth, called Esh-baal at 1 Chron. viii. 33; and Mephibosheth, called Merib-baal at 1 Chron. viii. 34. Bp. Patrick. The reason assigned for the Hebrews altering the termination Baal in names, is, that they did not care to pronounce this word, being
the name of idols which they held in abomination. Calmet.
2 Samuel 11:27
- — when the mourning was past.] No time for the mourning of widows is prescribed by the law. Bath-sheba probably mourned according to the custom of the country, which is commonly supposed to be, by keeping a fast for seven days successively, eating nothing each day till the sun was set. See 1 Sam. xxxi. 13. Dr. Delaney.
— displeased the Lord.] God resolved to show His abhorrence of the crime, to execute on David a vengeance proportionable to the heinousness and guilt of it, and thereby to rouse his conscience, and bring him to those acknowledgments of his sin which might prepare him for that forgiveness, of which he was now greatly unworthy, however much he needed it. Dr. Chandler.
Chap. XII. ver. 1. — There were two men &c.] This parable, in which Nathan conveyed his message from God, is dressed up with all the circumstances of art, tenderness, and delicacy, to move compassion, and at the same time to force from him that dreadful sentence
The parable of the ewe lamb. Nathan reproveeth David, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.