CHAPTER XI. 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 Askelon. We wish we could draw a vail over it, and that it might never be known, might never be said, that concealed: the scripture is faithful in relating the faults even of those whom it David did such things as are here recorded of him; but it cannot, it must not, be 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 imboldened 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 which here we find David guilty of. 1. He committed adultery with Bath-sheba, the wife of Uriah, v. 1-5. fl. Ho endeavoured to father the spurious brood upon Uriah, v. 6-13. III. When that project failed, he plotted the death of Uriah by the sword of the children of Ammon, and effected it, v. 14-25. IV. He married Bath-sheba, v. 26, 27. Is this David? Is this the man after God's own heart? How is his behaviour changed, worse than it was before Ahimelech How is this guld become dim? Let him that readeth, understand what the best of men are, when God leaves them to themselves. is a savour of life unto life. They are very great sins, and greatly aggravated, 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 evening-tide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw ba woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. at the return of the year. 1 Kings 20. 22, 26. 2 Chr. 36. 10. a 1 Chr. 20.1. b Gen. 34. 2. Job 31. 1. Prov. 6. 25. Matt. 5. 28. e Prov. 31. 30. ↑ Bath-shua. 1 Chr. 3. 5. or, Ammiel. dc. 23. 39. fully, as Hanun did David's ambassadors; mocked them, abused them, slew them; and this was it that filled the measure of their iniquity, and brought upon them ruin without remedy, (Matt. 21. 35, 41.-22. 7. compare 2 Chr. 36. 16;) for Christ takes the affronts and injuries done to his ministers, as done to himself, and will avenge them accordingly. NOTES TO CHAPTER XI. V. 1-5. Here is, I. David's glory in pursuing the war against the Ammonites. v. 1. 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 face the country, and further to avenge the quarrel of his ambassadors. Rabbah, their metropolis, made a stand, and held out a great while; that city Joab laid close siege to, and it was at the time of that siege, that David fell into this sin. 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 an iniquity to be punished by the judges, (Job 31. 11;) a sin which takes away the heart, and gets a man a wound and dishonour, more than any other, and the reproach of it is not wiped away. 1. Observe the occasions of this sin, which led to it. (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 tarried still at Jerusalem, v. 1. To the war with the Syrians David went in person, ch. 10. 17. Had he been now at his post at the head of his forces, he had been out of the way of this temptation. When we are out of the way of our duty, we are in temptation. (2.) Love of ease, and the indulgence of a slothful temper. He came off his bed at evening-tide, (v. 2;) 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 it. Idleness gives great advantage to the tempter. Standing waters gather filth. The bed of sloth oft proves the bed of lust. (3.) A wandering eye. He saw a woman washing herself, 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, Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and his son's caution in a like case, Look not thou on the wine when it is red. Either he had not, like Job, made a covenant with his eyes, or, at this time, he had forgotten it. 2. The steps of the sin. When he saw her, lust immediately conceived, and, (1.) He inquired who she was, (v. 3,) 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 And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bath-sheba, 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 am with child. Uriah the Hittite. 6 And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me 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, § or, and when she had purified herself, she returned. of the peace of. g Gen. 18. 4. went out after. e P. 51. Jam. 1. 14, 15. f Lev. 15. 19-28. 18. 19. h c. 7. 2, 6. i c. 20. 6. (3.) When she came, he lay with her, 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 downhill; when men begin to do evil, they cannot soon stop themselves. The beginning of lust, as of strife, is like the letting forth of water; 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. 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, ch. 12. 8. (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, jeoparding 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 repu tation, and, till she was drawn by him and his influence into this wickedness, no doubt, had preserved her purity: little did she think that ever she could have done so bad a thing, as to forsake the guide of her youth, and forget the covenant of her God; 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 hath intrusted 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 Rom. 2. 22. 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 none of those, of whom the prophet complains, that they were as fed horses, neighing every one after his neighbour's wife, (Jer. 5.8;) but, this once, God left him to himself, as he did Hezekiah, that he might know what was in his heart, 2 Chr. 32. 31. Had he been told of it before, he would have said, as Hazael, What! Is thy servant a dog? But by this instance we are taught, what need we have to pray every day, Father, in heaven, lead us not into temptation, and to watch, that we enter not into it. V. 6-13. 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 bring to light the hidden works of darkness; 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 jealousy is the rage of a man, especially a man of honour; and he that he is thus injured, will not spare in the day of vengeance, Prov. 6. 34. 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, which, 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 die. and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the | retire ye from him, that he may be smitten," and 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. 12 And David said to Uriah, Tarry here today also, and to-morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the mor row. 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 fore front of the hottest battle, and m ver. 9. * Is. 22. 12, 14. Gen. 19. 33-35. Hab. 2. 15. 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 in his own house. Observe, I. How the plot was laid. Uriah must come home from the army, under pretence of bringing David an account how the war prospered, and how they went on with the siege of Rabbah, v. 7. Thus does he pretend a more than ordinary concern for his army, when that was, at present, 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, sent a dish of meat for the entertainment of himself and his wife, v. 8. 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 he made him drunk, (v. 13,) or made him merry; tempted him to drink more than was fit, that he might forget his vow, (v. 11,) 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; Wo to him that doth so, Hab. 2. 15, 16. God will put into their hands a cup of trembling, 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. 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 went not down to his house, though, it is probable, his wife pressed him to do it as much as David, v. 9, 12. 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 brave, v. 11. That 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 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 shows 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 city Shushan was perplexed, Esth. 3. 15. 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, When the host goeth forth against the enemy, then, in a 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? n1 Kings 21.8, 9. strong. 1 from after. o c. 12.9. special manner, keep thyself from every wicked thing, Deut. 23. 9. Uriah outdid that law, but David violated it. V. 14-27. 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 puts 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? And suggesting further, that when he 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? Quantum mutatus ab illo !—But ah, how changed! 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 blind the eyes, harden the heart, sear the conscience, and deprive men of all sense of honour and justice. Whoso commilleth adultery with a woman, lacketh understanding, and quite loses it; he that doth it, destroys his own soul, Prov. 6. 32. But as the eye of the adulterer, so the hand of the murderer, seeks concealment, Job 24. 14, 15. 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, or 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. 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, v. 14, 15. 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 afterward, before it could be put in execution, yet he did not do it. 2. He sent the letter by Uriah himself; than which nothing could be more base and barbarous, to make him accessary 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 recom pense, 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 21 Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbe CHAPTER XII. sheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone The foregoing chapter gave us the account of David's sin, this of his repentance 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 showed 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 tone as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow rit: 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 LORD. Judg. 9. 53. Judg. 6. 32. Jerubbaal. t be evil in thine eyes. q Ec. 9. 2, 3, 12. so and such. r c. 12. 26. ■ Deut. 22. 29. c. 12.9. § was evil in the eyes of. 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, v. 17. Nay, this wilful misconduct by which Uriah must be betrayed, might be of fatal consequence to the whole army, and, having obliged 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, (ch. 24. 13, 14,) yet he sells his servant Uriah to the Ammonites, and not for any iniquity in his hand. II. Joab executes these orders. In the next assault that was 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 proved too hot, and he was slain in it, v. 16, 17. 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 inquire 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 ch. 24. 3.-19. 5. 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, v. 18. 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, v. 20. Did they not know that Abimelech lost his life by doing so? v. 21. We had the story, Judg. 9. 53, 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 there they found to be fatal. 2. He slyly orders the messenger to sooth 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, v. 22-24. He makes the besieged to sally out first upon the besiegers, They came out unto us into the field: represents the besiegers as doing their part with great bravery, We were upon them, even to the entering of the gate, 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, Some of the king's servants are dead; and particularly Uriah the Hittite, an officer of note, stood first in the list of the slain. IV. David receives the account with a secret satisfaction, VOL. I.-96 though he fell, he was not utterly cast down, but by the grace of God, recovered himself, and found mercy with God. Here is, 1. His conviction, by a message Nathan brought him from God, which was a parable that obliged him to condemn himself, v. 1-6. And the interpretation of the parable, in which Nathan charged him with the sin, (v. 7—9,) and pronounced sentence upon him, v. 10-12. 11. His repentance and remission, with a reserve of judgment, v. 13, 14. III. The sickness and death of the child, and his behaviour, while it was sick, and when it was dead, (v. 15-23;) in both which, David gave evidences of his repentance. IV. The birth of Solomon, and God's gracious message concerning him, in which God gave an evidence of his reconciliation to David, v. 24, 25. V. The taking of Rabbah, (v. 26-31,) which is mentioned as a further instance, that God did not deal with David according to his sins. 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. t 1 Chr. 21. 7. a Ps. 51. title. b c. 14. 5, &c. 1 Kings 20. 35, 41. Is. 5. 1-7. Matt. 21. 33, &c. Luke 15. 11, &c. 16. 19, &c. • morsel. c Prov. 5. 18, 19. d Gen. 18. 2-7. v. 25. Let not Joab be displeased, for David is not; he blames not his conduct, nor thinks they did ill, in approaching so near the wall; all is well, now that Uriah is got out of the way. This point being gained, he can make light of the loss, and turn it off easily with an excuse, The sword devours one as well as another; 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. Lastly, He married the widow, in a little time. She subImitted to the ceremony of mourning for her husband, as little a time as custom would admit, (v. 26,) and then David took her to his house as his wife, and she bare 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, The thing that David had done displeased the Lord; the whole matter of Uriah, (as it is called, 1 Kings 15. 5,) 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 they 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. NOTES TO CHAPTER XII. V. 1-14. It seems to have been a great while after David had been guilty of adultery with Bath-sheba, before he was brought to repentance for it. For, when Nathan was sent to him, the child was born, v. 14. So that it was about nine months that David lay under the guilt of that sin, and, for aught that appears, unrepented of. What shall we think of David's state all this while? Can we imagine his heart never smote him for it? Or that he never repented it in secret before God? I would willingly hope that he did, and that Nathan was sent to him, immediately upon the birth of the child, when the thing by that means came to be publicly known and talked of, to draw from him an open confession of the sin, to the glory of God, the admonition of others, and that he might receive, by Nathan, absolution with certain limitations. But during these nine months, we may well suppose his comforts and the exercises of his graces suspended, and his communion with God interrupted; during all that time, for certain, he penned no psalms, his harp was out of tune, and his soul like a tree in winter, that has life in the root only; therefore, after Nathan had been with him, he prays, Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and open thou my lips, Ps. 51. 12, 15. Let us observe, I. The messenger God sent to him. We were told, by the last words of the foregoing chapter, that the thing David had done displeased the Lord, upon which, one would think, it should have followed that the Lord sent enemies to invade him, terrors to take hold on him, and the messenger of death to arrest him. No, he sent a prophet to him, Nathan, his faithful friend and confidant, to instruct and counsel him, v. 1. David did not send for Nathan, (though he had never had so much occasion as he had now for his confessor,) but God sent Nathan to David. Note, Though God may suffer his people to fall into sin, he will not suffer them to lie still in it. He went on frowardly in (761) too little, I would, moreover, have given unto thee such and such things. 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 h c. 5. 5. i 1 Sam. 15. 19. k Num. 15. 31. Is. 5. 24. Am. 2. 4. c. 11. 15-27. m Am. 7. 9. Matt. 26. 52. the way of his heart, and, if left to himself, would wander end-ment, or next to none. If the sentence be thought too severe, it lessly, but (saith God) I have seen his ways, and will heal him, must be imputed to the present roughness of David's temper, Is. 57. 17, 18. He sends after us before we seek after him, else being under guilt, and not having himself as yet received mercy. we should certainly be lost. Nathan was the prophet by whom 2. He closed in with him, at length, in the application of the God had sent him notice of his kind intentions toward him, parable. In beginning with a parable, he showed his prudence; (ch. 7. 4,) and now, by the same hand, he sends him this mes- and great need there is of prudence in giving reproofs; it is well sage of wrath. God's word in the mouth of his ministers must managed if, as here, the offender can be brought, ere he is aware, be received, whether it speak terror or comfort. Nathan was to convict and condemn himself; but here, in his application, obedient to the heavenly vision, and went on God's errand to he shows his faithfulness, and deals as plainly and roundly with David. He did not say, "David has sinned, I will not come king David himself, as if he had been a common person. In near him;" no, Count him not as an enemy, but admonish him plain terms, "Thou art the man, who hast done this wrong, and as a brother, 2 Thes. 3. 15. He did not say, "David is a king, a much greater, to thy neighbour; and therefore, by thine own I dare not reprove him;" no, if God send him, he sets his face sentence, thou deservest to die, and shalt be judged out of thine like a flint, Is. 50. 7. own mouth. Did he deserve to die, who took his neighbour's lamb, and dost not thou, who hast taken thy neighbour's wife? Though he took the lamb, he did not cause the owner thereof to lose his life, as thou hast done, and therefore much more art thou worthy to die." II. The message Nathan delivered to him, in order to his conviction. 1. He fetched a compass with a parable, which seemed to David as a complaint made to him by Nathan against one of his subjects that had wronged his poor neighbour, in order to his righting the injured, and punishing the injurious. Nathan, it is likely, used to come to him upon such errands, which made this the less suspected; it becomes those who have interest in princes, and have free access to them, to intercede for those that are wronged, that they may have right done them. (1.) Nathan represented to David a notorious injury, which a rich man had done to an honest neighbour that was not able to contend with him. The rich man had many flocks and herds, (v. 2,) the poor man had one only, so unequally is the world divided; and yet infinite wisdom, righteousness, and goodness, make the distribution, that the rich may learn charity, and the poor contentment. This poor man had but one lamb, a ewelamb, a little ewe-lamb, having not wherewithal to buy or keep more. But it was a cade-lamb, (as we will call it) it grew up with his children, (v. 3,) he was fond of it, and it was familiar with him at all times. The rich man having occasion for a lamb to entertain a friend with, took the poor man's lamb from him by violence, and made use of that, (v. 4;) either out of covetousness, because he grudged to make use of his own, or rather out of luxury, because he fancied the lamb that was thus tenderly kept, and ate and drank like a child, must needs be more delicate food than any of his own, and have a better relish. Now he speaks immediately from God, and, in his name, begins with, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, a name sacred and venerable to David, and which commanded his attention; Nathan now speaks, not as a petitioner for a poor man, but as an ambassador from the great God, with whom is no respect of persons. (1.) God, by Nathan, reminds David of the great things he had done and designed for him, anointing him to be king, and preserving him to the kingdom, (v. 7;) giving him power over the house and household of his predecessor, and of others that had been his masters, Nabal for one: he had given him the house of Israel and Judah; the wealth of the kingdom was at his service; every body was willing to oblige him; and ready to bestow any thing upon him, to make him easy: I would have given thee such and such things, v. 8. See how liberal God is in his gifts; we are not straitened in him. Where he has given much, yet he gives more. And God's bounty to us is a great aggravation of our discontent, and desire of forbidden fruit. It is ungrateful to covet what God has prohibited, while we have liberty to pray for what God has promised, and that is enough. (2.) In this, he showed him the evil of the sin he had been guilty of, in defiling Bath-sheba. He had many wives and concubines, whom he kept at a distance, as rich men keep their flocks in their fields; had he had but one, and had she been dear to him, as the ewe-lamb was to its owner, had she been dear to him, as the loving hind and the pleasant roe; her breasts would have satisfied him at all times, and he would have looked no further, Prov. 5. 19. Marriage is a remedy against fornication, but marrying many is not; for when once the law of unity is transgressed, the indulged lust will hardly stint itself. Uriah, like the poor man, had only one wife, who was to him as his own soul, and always lay in his own bosom, for he had no other, desired no other, to lie there. The traveller or way-him to be set in the fore front of the battle. They that contrive faring man was, as Bishop Patrick explains it from the Jewish writers, evil imagination, disposition, or desire, which came into David's heart, which he might have satisfied with some of his own, yet nothing would serve but Uriah's darling. They observe, that this evil disposition is called a traveller, for in the beginning it is only so, but, in time, it becomes a guest, and in conclusion, is master of the house. For he that is called a traveller, in the beginning of the verse, is called a man, (ish, a husband,) in the close of it. Yet some observe, that in David's breast, lust was but as a wayfaring man that tarries only for a night, it did not constantly dwell and rule there. (3.) By this parable, he drew from David a sentence against himself. For David, supposing it to be a case in fact, and not doubting the truth of it, when he had it from Nathan himself, gave judgment immediately against the offender, and confirmed it with an oath, v. 5, 6. [1.] That, for his injustice in taking away the lamb, he should restore four-fold, according to the law, (Ex. 22. 1,) Four sheep for a sheep. [2.] That, for his tyranny and cruelty, and the pleasure he took in abusing a poor man, he should be put to death. If a poor man steal from a rich man, to satisfy his soul when he is hungry, he shall make restitution, though it cost him all the substance of his house, Prov. 6. 30, 31; and Solomon there compares the sin of adultery with that, v. 32. But if a rich man steal for stealing's sake, not for want but wantonness, merely that he may be imperious and vexatious, he deserves to die for it; for to him restitution is no punish (2.) He charges him with a high contempt of the divine authority, in the sins he had been guilty of. Wherefore hast thou (presuming upon thy royal dignity and power) despised the commandment of the Lord? v. 9. This is the spring, and this is the malignity of sin, that it is making light of the divine law, and the Lawmaker; as if the obligation of it were weak, the precepts of it trifling, and the threats not at all formidable. Though no man ever wrote more honourably of the law of God than David did, yet, in this instance, he is justly charged with a contempt of it. His adultery with Bath-sheba, which began the mischief, is not mentioned, perhaps, because he was already convinced of that, but, [1.] The murder of Uriah is twice mentioned. Thou hast killed Uriah with the sword; though not thy sword, yet the sword of the children of Ammon, by ordering wickedness and command it, are as truly guilty of it as those that execute it. It is repeated, with an aggravation, Thou hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon, those uncircumcised enemies of God and Israel. [2] The marrying of Bath-sheba is likewise twice mentioned, because he thought there was no harm in that; (v. 9,) Thou hast taken his wife to be thy wife; and again, v. 10. To marry her whom he had before defiled, and whose husband he had slain, was an affront upon the ordinance of marriage, making that not only to palliate, but in a manner to consecrate, such villanies. In all this, he despised the word of the Lord, so it is in the Hebrew, not only his commandment in general, which forbade such things, but the particular word of promise, which God had, by Nathan, sent to him some time before, that he would build him a house: which sacred promise, if he had had a due value and veneration for, he would not thus have polluted his house with lust and blood. (3.) He threatens an entail of judgments upon his family for this sin; (v. 10,)" The sword shall never depart from thy house, not in thy time, nor afterward, but for the most part, thou and thy posterity shall be engaged in war.' Or, it points at the slaughters that should be among his children, Amnon, Absalom, and Adonijah, all falling by the sword. God had promised that his mercy should not depart from him and his house, (ch. 7. 15,) yet here threatens that the sword should not depart. Can the mercy and the sword consist with each other? Yes, those may 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. 12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun. 13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned "against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away Pthy sin; thou shalt not die. 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. 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 rall night upon the earth. n Deut. 29. 30. c. 16. 22. o c. 24. 10. Job 7. 20. Ps. 32. 5. 51. 4. Prov. 28. 13. p Ps. 130. 3, 4. Is. 6. 5-7. Mic. 7. 18. Zech. 3. 4. 1 John 1, 7, 9. 2. 1. Rev. 1. 5. lie under great and long afflictions, who yet shall not be excluded from the grace of the covenant. The reason given is, Because thou hast despised me. Note, Those who despise the word and law of God, despise God himself, and shall be lightly esteemed. It is particularly threatened, [1.] That his children should be his grief; I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house. Sin brings trouble into a family, and one sin is often made the punishment of another. [2.] That his wives should be his shame; that by an unparalleled piece of villany they should be publicly debauched before all Israel, v. 11, 12. It is not said it should be done by his own son, lest the accomplishment should have been hindered by the prediction being too plain; but it was done by Absalom, at the counsel of Ahithophel; (ch. 16. 21,22,) He that defiled his neighbour's wife, should have his own defiled, for thus that sin used to be punished, as appears by Job's imprecations, (Job 31. 10,) Then let my wife grind unto another, and that threatening, Hos. 4. 14. The sin was secret, and industriously concealed, but the punishment should be open, and industriously proclaimed, to the shame of David, whose sin in the matter of Uriah, though committed many years before, would then be called to mind, and commonly talked of upon that occasion. As face answers to face in a glass, so does the punishment often answer to the sin; here is blood for blood, and uncleanness for uncleanness. And thus God would show how much he hates sin, even in his own people, and that, wherever he finds it, he will not let it go unpu nished. 3. David's penitent confession of his sin, hereupon. He says not a word to excuse himself or extenuate his sin, but freely owns it, I have sinned against the Lord, v. 13. It is probable that he said more to this purport: but this is enough to show that he was truly humbled by what Nathan said, and submitted himself to the conviction. He owns his guilt, I have sinned; and aggravates it. It was against the Lord: on this string he harps in the psalm he penned on this occasion; (Ps. 51. 4,) Against thee, thee only, have I sinned. 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. 20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed, To this day, there are those who reproach God, and are hard- I. The child's illness. The Lord struck it, and it was very sick, perhaps with convulsions, or some other dreadful distemper, v. 15. The diseases and death of infants, that have not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, especially as they are sometimes sadly circumstanced, are sensible proofs of the original sin in which they are conceived. II. David's humiliation under this token of God's displeasure, and the intercession he made with God for the life of the child; (v. 16, 17,) He fasted, and lay all night upon the earth, and would not suffer any of his attendants either to feed him, or help him up. This was an evidence of the truth of his rebear the shame of his sin, to have it ever before him, and to be continually upbraided with it: for this child would be a continual memorandum of it, both to himself and others, if he lived: and therefore, he was so far from desiring its death, as most, in such circumstances, do, that he prayed earnestly for its life. True penitents patiently bear the reproach of their youth and of their youthful lusts, Jer. 31. 19. 2. A very tender compassionate spirit appeared in this, and great humanity, above what is commonly found in men, especially men of war, toward little children, even their own; and this was another sign of a broken contrite spirit; they that are penitent, will be pitiful. 3. He discovered, in this, a great concern for another world, which is an evidence of repentance. Nathan had told him that certainly the child should die; yet, while it is in the reach of prayer, he earnestly intercedes with God for it, chiefly (as we may suppose) that its soul might be safe and happy in another world, and that his sin might not come against the child, and that it might not fare the worse for that in the future state. 4. He discovered, in this, a holy dread of God and of his displeasure. He deprecated the death of the child, chiefly as it was a token of God's anger against him and his house, and was inflicted in performance of a threatening; therefore he prayed thus earnestly, that, if it were the will of God, the child might live, because 4. His pardon declared, upon this penitent confession, but with a reserve of judgment. When David said, I have sinned, and Nathan perceived that he was a true penitent, (1.) He did, in God's name, assure him that his sin was forgiven, "The Lord also has put away thy sin out of the sight of his avenging eye; thou shalt not die" that is, "not die eternally, nor be for ever put away from God, as thou wouldest have been, if he had not put away the sin." The obligation to punishment is hereby cancelled and vacated. He shall not come into condemna-pentance. For, 1. Hereby it appeared that he was willing to tion; that is the nature of forgiveness. แ Thy iniquity shall not be thy everlasting ruin, The sword shall not depart from thy house, but," [1.] "It shall not cut thee off, thou shalt come to thy grave in peace." David deserved to die as an adulterer and murderer, but God would not cut him off, as he might justly have done. [2.] "Though thou shalt all thy days be chastened of the Lord, yet thou shalt not be condemned with the world." See how ready God is to forgive sin. To this instance, perhaps, David refers, Ps. 32. 5, I said, I will confess, and thou forgavest. Let not great sinners despair of finding mercy with God, if they truly repent; for who is a God like unto him, pardoning iniquity? (2.) Yet he pronounces a sentence of death upon the child, v. 14. Behold the sovereignty of God! The guilty parent lives, and the guiltless infant dies; but all souls are his, and he may, in what way he pleases, glorify himself in his creatures. [1] David had, by his sin, wronged God in his honour; he had given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme. The wicked people of that generation, the infidels, idolaters, and profane, would triumph in David's fall, and speak ill of God and of his law, when they saw one guilty of such foul enormities, that professed such an honour both for him and it. "These are your professors! This is he that prays and sings psalms, and is so very devout! What good can there bo in such exercises, if they will not restrain men from adultery and murder?" They would say, "( Was not Saul rejected for a less matter? Why then must David live and reign still?" Not considering that God sees not as man sees, but searches the heart. *Of the propriety of this suggestion, the reader will form a judg. ment for himself.-ED. |