David Confesses His Guilt

Lots of repetition of Biblical principles we have already discussed.  (Repetition is good.)

A story of God’s grace and mercy.

Justice gives what is deserved (reward or punishment).
Mercy withholds what is deserved (punishment).
Grace gives what is not deserved (blessing or favor).

2 Samuel 12:13-25 NLT
¹³ Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”
Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin. ¹⁴ Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the word of the Lord by doing this, your child will die.”
¹⁵ After Nathan returned to his home, the Lord sent a deadly illness to the child of David and Uriah’s wife. ¹⁶ David begged God to spare the child. He went without food and lay all night on the bare ground. ¹⁷ The elders of his household pleaded with him to get up and eat with them, but he refused.
¹⁸ Then on the seventh day the child died. David’s advisers were afraid to tell him. “He wouldn’t listen to reason while the child was ill,” they said. “What drastic thing will he do when we tell him the child is dead?”
¹⁹ When David saw them whispering, he realized what had happened. “Is the child dead?” he asked.
“Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.”
²⁰ Then David got up from the ground, washed himself, put on lotions, and changed his clothes. He went to the Tabernacle and worshiped the Lord. After that, he returned to the palace and was served food and ate.
²¹ His advisers were amazed. “We don’t understand you,” they told him. “While the child was still living, you wept and refused to eat. But now that the child is dead, you have stopped your mourning and are eating again.”
²² David replied, “I fasted and wept while the child was alive, for I said, ‘Perhaps the Lord will be gracious to me and let the child live.’ ²³ But why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him one day, but he cannot return to me.”
²⁴ Then David comforted Bathsheba, his wife, and slept with her. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and David named him Solomon. The Lord loved the child ²⁵ and sent word through Nathan the prophet that they should name him Jedidiah (which means “beloved of the Lord”), as the Lord had commanded.

Examine the Scriptures
2 Samuel 12:13-25 NLT
David Confesses His Guilt 

¹³ Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”

• David recognizes his guilt and confesses his sin in response to Nathan’s rebuke.

David displayed genuine and contrite repentance.

Read Psalm 51.
For the choir director: A psalm of David, regarding the time Nathan the prophet came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.
¹ Have mercy on me, O God,
because of your unfailing love.
Because of your great compassion,
blot out the stain of my sins.
² Wash me clean from my guilt.
Purify me from my sin.
³ For I recognize my rebellion;
it haunts me day and night.
⁴ Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say,
and your judgment against me is just.
⁵ For I was born a sinner—
yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
⁶ But you desire honesty from the womb,
teaching me wisdom even there.
⁷ Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
⁸ Oh, give me back my joy again;
you have broken me—
now let me rejoice.
⁹ Don’t keep looking at my sins.
Remove the stain of my guilt.
¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not banish me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and make me willing to obey you.
¹³ Then I will teach your ways to rebels,
and they will return to you.
¹⁴ Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves;
then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.
¹⁵ Unseal my lips, O Lord,
that my mouth may praise you.¹⁶ You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.
You do not want a burnt offering.
¹⁷ The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.
¹⁸ Look with favor on Zion and help her;
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
¹⁹ Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit—
with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings.
Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar. 

Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you,

• The Lord forgave David.

God’s grace was more than sufficient to forgive and restore David.

1 John 1:9 NLT
⁹ But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

• David experienced the joy of knowing his sin was forgiven.

Psalm 32:1-5 NLT
A psalm of David.
¹ Oh, what joy for those
whose disobedience is forgiven,
whose sin is put out of sight!
² Yes, what joy for those
whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt
whose lives are lived in complete honesty!
³ When I refused to confess my sin,
my body wasted away,
and I groaned all day long.
⁴ Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.
My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.
⁵ Finally, I confessed all my sins to you
and stopped trying to hide my guilt.
I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.”
And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.  

and you won’t die for this sin. 

(From previous lesson.)

Leviticus 24:17 NLT
¹⁷ “Anyone who takes another person’s life must be put to death.

Leviticus 20:10 NLT
¹⁰ “If a man commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, both the man and the woman who have committed adultery must be put to death. 

God does not give us what we deserve. He gives us what we least deserve (grace) and withholds what we do deserve (mercy). While God may not grant every desire or wish, He remains faithful to His promises. 

¹⁴ Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the word of the Lord by doing this, your child will die.”

• Forgiveness does not always remove all of the consequences of sin. (From previous lesson.)

• • David’s sons Amnon, Absalom, and Adonijah will all die by the sword.
  • David’s family will turn against him.
  • David will experience public humiliation.

¹⁵ After Nathan returned to his home, the Lord sent a deadly illness to the child

• David did experience painful consequences for his sins.

of David and Uriah’s wife. 

Note: Scripture says this was “the child of …Uriah’s wife” 

¹⁶ David begged God to spare the child. He went without food and lay all night on the bare ground. 

• David begged God to spare the child.

¹⁷ The elders of his household pleaded with him to get up and eat with them, but he refused.
¹⁸ Then on the seventh day the child died.

“When David slept with Bathsheba and created new life, Bathsheba did not belong to him but to Uriah. The child cannot belong to David. He cannot enrich himself through his sin, and in a sense, justice is done to Uriah.” (Constable) 

David’s advisers were afraid to tell him. “He wouldn’t listen to reason while the child was ill,” they said. “What drastic thing will he do when we tell him the child is dead?”
¹⁹ When David saw them whispering, he realized what had happened. “Is the child dead?” he asked.
“Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.”
²⁰ Then David got up from the ground, washed himself, put on lotions, and changed his clothes. He went to the Tabernacle and worshiped the Lord.

• David accepted the Lord’s discipline.

Referring back to verse 14, David would have viewed the death of the child as an act of God.

Jews associated seven days with divine acts. 

After that, he returned to the palace and was served food and ate.

• David resumed normal life activities.

²¹ His advisers were amazed. “We don’t understand you,” they told him. “While the child was still living, you wept and refused to eat. 

¹⁶ David begged God to spare the child. 

But now that the child is dead, you have stopped your mourning and are eating again.”

When David resumed his normal life activities, his advisors were amazed.

²² David replied, “I fasted and wept while the child was alive, for I said, ‘Perhaps the Lord will be gracious to me and let the child live.’ 

²³ But why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? 

David accepted the Lord’s discipline.

David understood the principle of Galatians 6:7 NLT

⁷ Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. 

I will go to him one day, but he cannot return to me.”

Reflect on the following passages of scripture.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 NLT
The Hope of the Resurrection
¹³ And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. ¹⁴ For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.
¹⁵ We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. ¹⁶ For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. ¹⁷ Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸ So encourage each other with these words.

John 14:1-3 NLT
^14:1 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. ² There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? ³ When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.

Revelation 21:4 NLT
⁴ He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

Philippians 3:12-14 NLT
¹² I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. ¹³ No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. 

²⁴ Then David comforted Bathsheba, his wife, 

See Matthew 1:6 (second part of this verse) 

and slept with her. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and David named him Solomon.

1 Chronicles 3:5 NLT
⁵ The sons born to David in Jerusalem included Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon. Their mother was Bathsheba, …

Genealogy in Matthew (Matthew 1:1–17)

Jesse was the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah). (Matthew 1:6 NLT)

Genealogy in Luke (Luke 3:23–38)

Mattatha was the son of Nathan. Nathan was the son of David.  (Luke 3:31 NLT)

• The birth of David and Bathsheba’s second son, Solomon was a blessing from the LORD. It demonstrates that God’s grace is greater than all our sins.

The fact that God allowed him to live—and even made him David’s successor on the throne—is testimony to God’s great grace to David.

Romans 5:20 NLT
²⁰ God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant.

• God had previously revealed to David that He would give him a son, and that he should name him “Solomon,” and that this son would succeed David on his throne.

1 Chronicles 22:6-10 NLT  (2 Samuel 7 – previous to David’s sin with Bathsheba)
⁶ Then David sent for his son Solomon and instructed him to build a Temple for the Lord, the God of Israel. ⁷ “My son, I wanted to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord my God,” David told him. ⁸ “But the Lord said to me, ‘You have killed many men in the battles you have fought. And since you have shed so much blood in my sight, you will not be the one to build a Temple to honor my name. ⁹ But you will have a son who will be a man of peace. I will give him peace with his enemies in all the surrounding lands. His name will be Solomon and I will give peace and quiet to Israel during his reign. ¹⁰ He is the one who will build a Temple to honor my name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will secure the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’

1 Chronicles 28:4-7 NLT
⁴ “Yet the Lord, the God of Israel, has chosen me (David) from among all my father’s family to be king over Israel forever. For he has chosen the tribe of Judah to rule, and from among the families of Judah he chose my father’s family. And from among my father’s sons the Lord was pleased to make me king over all Israel. ⁵ And from among my sons—for the Lord has given me many—he chose Solomon to succeed me on the throne of Israel and to rule over the Lord’s kingdom. ⁶ He said to me, ‘Your son Solomon will build my Temple and its courtyards, for I have chosen him as my son, and I will be his father. ⁷ And if he continues to obey my commands and regulations as he does now, I will make his kingdom last forever.’ 

The Lord loved the child 

• The Lord loved Solomon.

²⁵  and sent word through Nathan the prophet that they should name him Jedidiah (which means “beloved of the Lord”), as the Lord had commanded.

Solomon means “peaceful” or “man of peace.”

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Nathan Rebukes David

Choices have consequences.  Consequences can be severe and painful.

Psalm 32:3-4 NLT (Written by David)
³ When I refused to confess my sin,
my body wasted away,
and I groaned all day long.
⁴ Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.
My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. 

2 Samuel 12:1-12 is a powerful and convicting story of the prophet Nathan confronting King David over his sin with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah.

2 Samuel 12:1-12 NLT
Nathan Rebukes David
^12:1 So the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: “There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. ² The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. ³ The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man’s own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. ⁴ One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest.”
⁵ David was furious. “As surely as the Lord lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! ⁶ He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.”
⁷ Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! The Lord, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. ⁸ I gave you your master’s house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. ⁹ Why, then, have you despised the word of the Lord and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife. ¹⁰ From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own.
¹¹ “This is what the Lord says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. ¹² You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.”

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 12:1-12 NLT

Nathan Rebukes David

• Nathan uses a parable to reveal David’s sin indirectly, appealing to his sense of justice before directly confronting him.

A parable is a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson. 

^12:1 So the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story:

God is sending Nathan the prophet to rebuke and announce judgment on the king God had entrusted to shepherd His people.

• We are all accountable to God for our words and actions.

Romans 14:12 NLT
¹² Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.

• The Lord confronted David with his sins.

The parable. 

“There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. ² The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. ³ The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought.

The rich man represents David,

the poor man represents Uriah,

and the little lamb represents Bathsheba.

He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man’s own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. ⁴ One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest.” 

The stealing and slaughter of the lamb represented the adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah by David.

The Lord’s concern for the poor is a major theme in the Bible. As his representative, the king was supposed to protect the poor against abuse by the powerful.

Exodus 23:6 NLT
⁶ “In a lawsuit, you must not deny justice to the poor.

Proverbs 29:7 NLT
⁷ The godly care about the rights of the poor;
the wicked don’t care at all.

Proverbs 19:17 NLT
¹⁷ If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord—
and he will repay you!

Proverbs 14:31 NLT
³¹ Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker,
but helping the poor honors him.

Deuteronomy 15:11 NLT
¹¹ There will always be some in the land who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need.

Matthew 25:34-36 NLT
³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. ³⁶ I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ 

⁵ David was furious. “As surely as the Lord lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! 

• David was so angry he pronounced that the man who would do such a despicable thing ought to die, though the Law contained no such penalty for the theft of property. 

⁶ He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.”

• David is truly concerned about justice, when not blinded by his own passion.

Exodus 22:1 NLT
Protection of Property
_22:1 “If someone steals an ox or sheep and then kills or sells it, the thief must pay back five oxen for each ox stolen, and four sheep for each sheep stolen.

Note: Four of David’s sons will die.

Bathsheba’s first son

2 Samuel 12:18 NLT
¹⁸ Then on the seventh day the child died.

Amnon (13:29)

2 Samuel 13:29 NLT
²⁹ So at Absalom’s signal they murdered Amnon. Then the other sons of the king jumped on their mules and fled.

Absalom (18:15)

2 Samuel 18:15 NLT
¹⁵ Ten of Joab’s young armor bearers then surrounded Absalom and killed him.

Adonijah (1 Kings 2:25

1 Kings 2:25 NLT
²⁵ So King Solomon ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada to execute him, and Adonijah was put to death. 

⁷ Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man!

Nathan shifts from the parable to the direct rebuke that Nathan was delivering from God.

• Sin blinds people to their guilt and often requires external confrontation for them to see their wrongdoing.

“You are that man” would have gotten David’s attention.  Commentators believe several months had passed since David had committed his gross sins and they were probably not in the forefront of his thinking. 

The Lord, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. ⁸ I gave you your master’s house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. 

A reminder of some of the great things God had done for David.

Anointed David king.

Saved David from the power of Saul.

Gave David:

Saul’s house and wives.

The kingdom of Israel and Judah.

• God had done great things for David

• God has done great things for us. 

⁹ Why, then, have you despised the word of the Lord and done this horrible deed?

Jeremiah 17:9 NLT
⁹ “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things,
and desperately wicked.
Who really knows how bad it is? 

For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife.  

David is held responsible for despising the word of the Lord, murdering Uriah, and stealing his wife.

Leviticus 24:17 NLT
¹⁷ “Anyone who takes another person’s life must be put to death.

Leviticus 20:10 NLT
¹⁰ “If a man commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, both the man and the woman who have committed adultery must be put to death.

• David is charged with murdering Uriah the Hittite and stealing his wife.

Why was David spared the death penalty?  His sin was heinous.

David’s genuine and contrite repentance (Psalm 51)

• God’s grace is more than sufficient to forgive and restore David (us).

Although God’s grace could restore his fellowship with God, the impact of his sin remained and had a negative impact on the nation of Israel as well as a negative on David’s personal life.

• Forgiveness does not always remove all of the consequences of sin. 

¹⁰ From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own.

The scriptures say that David has despised the Lord and his word. (Verses 9 & 10)

• Choices have consequences.

David’s household will experience violence, as seen later in the conflicts between his sons (Amnon, Absalom, and Adonijah).

Bathsheba’s first son

2 Samuel 12:18 NLT
¹⁸ Then on the seventh day the child died.

Amnon (13:29)

2 Samuel 13:29 NLT
²⁹ So at Absalom’s signal they murdered Amnon. Then the other sons of the king jumped on their mules and fled.

Absalom (18:15)

2 Samuel 18:15 NLT
¹⁵ Ten of Joab’s young armor bearers then surrounded Absalom and killed him.

Adonijah (1 Kings 2:25)

1 Kings 2:25 NLT
²⁵ So King Solomon ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada to execute him, and Adonijah was put to death. 

• David’s sons Amnon, Absalom, and Adonijah will all die by the sword. 

¹¹ “This is what the Lord says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you.

• David’s family will turn against him.

2 Samuel 15:13-16 NLT
David Escapes from Jerusalem
¹³ A messenger soon arrived in Jerusalem to tell David, “All Israel has joined Absalom in a conspiracy against you!”
¹⁴ “Then we must flee at once, or it will be too late!” David urged his men. “Hurry! If we get out of the city before Absalom arrives, both we and the city of Jerusalem will be spared from disaster.”
¹⁵ “We are with you,” his advisers replied. “Do what you think is best.”
¹⁶ So the king and all his household set out at once. He left no one behind except ten of his concubines to look after the palace. 

I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. ¹² You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.”

• David will experience public humiliation.

2 Samuel 16:22 NLT
²² So they set up a tent on the palace roof where everyone could see it, and Absalom went in and had sex with his father’s concubines.

We are responsible for our choices.

Choices have consequences.

God’s grace is more than sufficient to forgive and restore us. 

Forgiveness does not always remove all of the consequences of sin.

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David Arranges for Uriah’s Death

Introduction:

Jeremiah 17:9 NLT
⁹ “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things,
and desperately wicked.
Who really knows how bad it is?

2 Samuel 11:14-27 NLT
David Arranges for Uriah’s Death
¹⁴ So the next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and gave it to Uriah to deliver. ¹⁵ The letter instructed Joab, “Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest. Then pull back so that he will be killed.” ¹⁶ So Joab assigned Uriah to a spot close to the city wall where he knew the enemy’s strongest men were fighting. ¹⁷ And when the enemy soldiers came out of the city to fight, Uriah the Hittite was killed along with several other Israelite soldiers.
¹⁸ Then Joab sent a battle report to David. ¹⁹ He told his messenger, “Report all the news of the battle to the king. ²⁰ But he might get angry and ask, ‘Why did the troops go so close to the city? Didn’t they know there would be shooting from the walls? ²¹ Wasn’t Abimelech son of Gideon killed at Thebez by a woman who threw a millstone down on him from the wall? Why would you get so close to the wall?’ Then tell him, ‘Uriah the Hittite was killed, too.’”
²² So the messenger went to Jerusalem and gave a complete report to David. ²³ “The enemy came out against us in the open fields,” he said. “And as we chased them back to the city gate, ²⁴ the archers on the wall shot arrows at us. Some of the king’s men were killed, including Uriah the Hittite.”
²⁵ “Well, tell Joab not to be discouraged,” David said. “The sword devours this one today and that one tomorrow! Fight harder next time, and conquer the city!”
²⁶ When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. ²⁷ When the period of mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. Then she gave birth to a son. But the Lord was displeased with what David had done.

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 11:14-27 NLT

David Arranges for Uriah’s Death

¹⁴ So the next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and gave it to Uriah to deliver.

• David plots Uriah’s death.

Uriah unknowingly carries his own death warrant.

 ¹⁵ The letter instructed Joab, “Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest. Then pull back so that he will be killed.” 

• David sends a letter to Joab, the commander of his army, instructing him to place Uriah at the front line of battle where the fighting is fiercest and then withdraw, ensuring Uriah’s death.

Then pull back so that he will be killed.” 

Note: Uriah was one of “David’s mighty warriors” (listed in 1 Chronicles 11 and 2 Samuel 23)

David manipulates others to cover his sin.

This is an act of premeditated murder.

Leviticus 24:17 NLT
¹⁷ “Anyone who takes another person’s life must be put to death. 

¹⁶ So Joab assigned Uriah to a spot close to the city wall where he knew the enemy’s strongest men were fighting. 

• Joab complied with David’s instructions.

Joab’s willingness to carry out David’s orders reflects the ethical dilemmas faced by subordinates in systems of power.

David, as king, abused his authority to serve his personal desires,

Joab may have felt compelled to obey David as his king, believing it was his duty to follow orders. However, the Bible consistently upholds God’s law as the ultimate standard, even above human authority.

This was an act of premeditated murder.

Exodus 20:13 NLT
“You must not murder.

Situations like this highlight the importance of courageously opposing injustice, even when it comes from a superior.

Acts 5:29 NLT
²⁹ But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.

Obeying authority does not excuse participation in wrongdoing. Individuals are accountable for their actions, even when following orders.

James 4:17 NLT
Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

• Joab’s submission to David’s command does not absolve him of guilt for participating in an immoral act.

Bible characters who disobeyed those in authority:

The Hebrew midwives

Exodus 1:15-17 & 21 NLT
¹⁵ Then Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, gave this order to the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah: ¹⁶ “When you help the Hebrew women as they give birth, watch as they deliver.  If the baby is a boy, kill him; if it is a girl, let her live.”
¹⁷ But because the midwives feared God, they refused to obey the king’s orders. They allowed the boys to live, too.
²¹ And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.

Rahab  (Note: Rahab is mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus.)

Joshua 2:2-6 NLT
² But someone told the king of Jericho, “Some Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” ³ So the king of Jericho sent orders to Rahab: “Bring out the men who have come into your house, for they have come here to spy out the whole land.”
⁴ Rahab had hidden the two men, but she replied, “Yes, the men were here earlier, but I didn’t know where they were from. ⁵ They left the town at dusk, as the gates were about to close. I don’t know where they went. If you hurry, you can probably catch up with them.” ⁶ (Actually, she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them beneath bundles of flax she had laid out.)

The people – the men of Saul’s army

1 Samuel 14:43-45 NLT
⁴³ “Tell me what you have done,” Saul demanded of Jonathan.
“I tasted a little honey,” Jonathan admitted. “It was only a little bit on the end of my stick. Does that deserve death?”
⁴⁴ “Yes, Jonathan,” Saul said, “you must die! May God strike me and even kill me if you do not die for this.”
⁴⁵ But the people broke in and said to Saul, “Jonathan has won this great victory for Israel. Should he die? Far from it! As surely as the Lord lives, not one hair on his head will be touched, for God helped him do a great deed today.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he was not put to death.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

Daniel 3:10-12 NLT
¹⁰ You issued a decree requiring all the people to bow down and worship the gold statue when they hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments. ¹¹ That decree also states that those who refuse to obey must be thrown into a blazing furnace. ¹² But there are some Jews—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up.” 

Peter and John

Acts 4:18-20 NLT
¹⁸ So they called the apostles back in and commanded them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus.
¹⁹ But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? ²⁰ We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”

¹⁷ And when the enemy soldiers came out of the city to fight, 

Uriah the Hittite was killed along with several other Israelite soldiers.

• Here one sin led to another sin, escalating from adultery to deception and murder.

Uriah was not the only casualty.  David was also responsible for the death of several other Israelite soldiers.

• David’s sin harmed others.

¹⁸ Then Joab sent a battle report to David. ¹⁹ He told his messenger, “Report all the news of the battle to the king. ²⁰ But he might get angry and ask, ‘Why did the troops go so close to the city? Didn’t they know there would be shooting from the walls? 

• Joab knew that fighting close to the enemies’ city wall was a military blunder. 

Joab knew that his actions were wrong. 

²¹ Wasn’t Abimelech son of Gideon killed at Thebez by a woman who threw a millstone down on him from the wall? Why would you get so close to the wall?’

Judges 9:50-56 NLT
⁵⁰ Then Abimelech attacked the town of Thebez and captured it. ⁵¹ But there was a strong tower inside the town, and all the men and women—the entire population—fled to it. They barricaded themselves in and climbed up to the roof of the tower. ⁵² Abimelech followed them to attack the tower. But as he prepared to set fire to the entrance, ⁵³ a woman on the roof dropped a millstone that landed on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull.
⁵⁴ He quickly said to his young armor bearer, “Draw your sword and kill me! Don’t let it be said that a woman killed Abimelech!” So the young man ran him through with his sword, and he died. ⁵⁵ When Abimelech’s men saw that he was dead, they disbanded and returned to their homes.
⁵⁶ In this way, God punished Abimelech for the evil he had done against his father (Gideon was called Jerub-baal) by murdering his seventy brothers. 

Then tell him, ‘Uriah the Hittite was killed, too.’”

Joab’s messenger was instructed to inform David specifically that Uriah had been killed, communicating to David that his plan had worked.

• David’s plan worked. 

²² So the messenger went to Jerusalem and gave a complete report to David. ²³ “The enemy came out against us in the open fields,” he said. “And as we chased them back to the city gate, ²⁴ the archers on the wall shot arrows at us. Some of the king’s men were killed, including Uriah the Hittite.” 

²⁵ “Well, tell Joab not to be discouraged,” David said. “The sword devours this one today and that one tomorrow! Fight harder next time, and conquer the city!”

Basically, David told Joab not to be discouraged by the death of a few good men.

David was calling sin something other than sin: merely a natural consequence of war.

• David’s callus attitude is chilling.

What should David have done?

1 John 1:9 NLT
⁹ But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 

²⁶ When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. 

Bathsheba mourns for Uriah.

There is no indication of David mourning the death of Uriah.

• Bathsheba mourned for Uriah.

²⁷ When the period of mourning was over,

Probably a period of seven days.

Joseph mourned his father’s death for seven days.

Genesis 50:10 NLT
¹⁰ When they arrived at the threshing floor of Atad, near the Jordan River, they held a very great and solemn memorial service, with a seven-day period of mourning for Joseph’s father.

King Saul’s death.

1 Samuel 31:11-13 NLT
¹¹ But when the people of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, ¹² all their mighty warriors traveled through the night to Beth-shan and took the bodies of Saul and his sons down from the wall. They brought them to Jabesh, where they burned the bodies. ¹³ Then they took their bones and buried them beneath the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted for seven days. 

David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. Then she gave birth to a son. 

But the Lord was displeased with what David had done.

No sin is hidden from God, and accountability is inevitable.

David had brazenly violated God’s laws.

Exodus 20:13-17 NLT

¹³ “You must not murder.

¹⁴ “You must not commit adultery.

¹⁵ “You must not steal.

¹⁶ “You must not testify falsely against your neighbor.

¹⁷ “You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.”

• David had abused his royal power, which the Lord had entrusted to him to shepherd the Lord’s people. 

The assignment that God had given to David.

2 Samuel 5:2 NLT
… And the Lord told you, (David) ‘You will be the shepherd of my people Israel. You will be Israel’s leader.’” 

• The Lord was displeased with what David had done. 

A small sample of the guilt David would have to live with. 

Psalm 51:2-4 NLT
² Wash me clean from my guilt.
Purify me from my sin.
³ For I recognize my rebellion;
it haunts me day and night.
⁴ Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.

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David and Bathsheba

Introduction:

This passage serves as a sobering reminder of the vulnerability of even people who truly love the Lord and the far-reaching consequences of sin. It calls us to self-examination, repentance, and reliance on God’s grace to avoid similar pitfalls.

2 Samuel 11:1-13 NLT
David and Bathsheba
^11:1 In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem.
² Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. ³ He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” ⁴ Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home. ⁵ Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent David a message, saying, “I’m pregnant.”
⁶ Then David sent word to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent him to David. ⁷ When Uriah arrived, David asked him how Joab and the army were getting along and how the war was progressing. ⁸ Then he told Uriah, “Go on home and relax.” David even sent a gift to Uriah after he had left the palace. ⁹ But Uriah didn’t go home. He slept that night at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard.
¹⁰ When David heard that Uriah had not gone home, he summoned him and asked, “What’s the matter? Why didn’t you go home last night after being away for so long?”
¹¹ Uriah replied, “The Ark and the armies of Israel and Judah are living in tents, and Joab and my master’s men are camping in the open fields. How could I go home to wine and dine and sleep with my wife? I swear that I would never do such a thing.”
¹² “Well, stay here today,” David told him, “and tomorrow you may return to the army.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next. ¹³ Then David invited him to dinner and got him drunk. But even then he couldn’t get Uriah to go home to his wife. Again he slept at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard.

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 11:1-13 NLT

David and Bathsheba 

^11:1 In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war,

At this point in time, David had been living in Jerusalem for about 10 years.

It was a common practice for kings to go out to war after the early grain harvest in April and May.

This was after the rainy season. Dry roads and fields made it easier for armies to travel and conduct military campaigns.

Leading his troops into battle was one of the major roles of an ancient Near Eastern ruler.

David, as king, was expected to lead his army during wartime, yet he remains in Jerusalem. It appears that he was neglecting his duty.  This inaction sets the stage for his moral failure.

• It was a common practice in the ancient Near East for kings to go out to war after the grain harvest in April and May. 

David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites.

In the previous chapter the Israelites went to war with the Ammonites.  The Ammonites hired mercenaries from the Syrians (Arameans).  The Israelites were facing a two front battle, having to fight both the Ammonite and the Aramean armies. The Israelites achieved a decisive victory over the Syrian (Aramean) army.  When the Ammonites saw the Arameans running, they ran from Abishai and retreated into the city. After the battle was over, Joab returned to Jerusalem. (2 Samuel 10:14 NLT)  Joab did not attempt to capture the city of Rabbah at this time. 

They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah.

However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem.

Israel went to war, but their king stayed home.  Something is wrong with this.

Normally Israel’s kings accompanied their armies into battle.

• David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites, but he stayed behind in Jerusalem. 

² Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace.

• The roof was the place people often went to relax, especially in the mornings and evenings.

Daniel 4:28-30 NLT
²⁸ “But all these things did happen to King Nebuchadnezzar. ²⁹ Twelve months later he was taking a walk on the flat roof of the royal palace in Babylon. ³⁰ As he looked out across the city, he said, ‘Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor.’

Acts 10:9 NLT
Peter Visits Cornelius
⁹ The next day as Cornelius’s messengers were nearing the town, Peter went up on the flat roof to pray. It was about noon,

Jeremiah 19:12-13 NLT
¹² This is what I will do to this place and its people, says the Lord. I will cause this city to become defiled like Topheth. ¹³ Yes, all the houses in Jerusalem, including the palace of Judah’s kings, will become like Topheth—all the houses where you burned incense on the rooftops to your star gods, and where liquid offerings were poured out to your idols.’”

1 Samuel 9:25 NLT
²⁵ When they came down from the place of worship and returned to town, Samuel took Saul up to the roof of the house and prepared a bed for him there.

Joshua 2:4-6 NLT
⁴ Rahab had hidden the two men …6 (Actually, she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them beneath bundles of flax she had laid out.) 

As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. 

“In ancient times, Israelite houses had an enclosed courtyard.

Bathsheba was actually in her own house.”

As David looked out over the city, he was able to see the inside of a neighboring courtyard.

Initially David’s behavior was innocent. However David’s leisure activity leads to temptation.

“Our greatest battles don’t usually come when we’re working hard; they come when we have some leisure, when we’ve got time on our hands, when we’re bored.” (Constable Bible Commentary)

James 1:14-15 NLT
¹⁴ Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. ¹⁵ These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. 

• David’s wandering eyes lead to sinful desire. 

• David’s sinful desires led to sinful actions. 

³ He sent someone to find out who she was, 

David acted. 

And he was told, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.”

Elian (2 Samuel 23:34) One of the thirty – David’s mightiest warriors.

Uriah the Hittite was one of David’s top warriors. (2 Samuel 23:39) One of the thirty – David’s mightiest warriors.

Both of these men were a part of David’s inner circle.  They were both men who David should have highly respected. 

• Eliam and Uriah are both included in the list of David’s mighty warriors. 

 ⁴ Then David sent messengers to get her;

• David’s temptation followed an age-old pattern: he saw, he desired, and he took.

• David could not help seeing, but now David needed to run!

1 Corinthians 6:18 NLT
¹⁸ Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body.

Exodus 20:13-17 NLT
¹⁷ “You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.” 

and when she came to the palace, he slept with her.

Exodus 20:13-17 NLT
¹⁴ “You must not commit adultery. 

Bathsheba likely had little ability to refuse the king. 

• David slept with Bathsheba. 

She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period.

The significance of this in the context is to make it clear that she was not already pregnant by her own husband when David took her.

Then she returned home. ⁵ Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent David a message, saying, “I’m pregnant.”

Clearly, David is the father of the child who was conceived.

• Choices have consequences.

Leviticus 20:10 NLT
¹⁰ “If a man commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, both the man and the woman who have committed adultery must be put to death.

Deuteronomy 22:22 NLT
²² “If a man is discovered committing adultery, both he and the woman must die. In this way, you will purge Israel of such evil.

David attempts to cover up his sin. 

⁶ Then David sent word to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent him to David. ⁷ When Uriah arrived, David asked him how Joab and the army were getting along and how the war was progressing. 

• David attempts to cover up his sins.

Under the pretense of seeking information about the course of the war, David brings Uriah back to Jerusalem.

⁸ Then he told Uriah, “Go on home and relax.” David even sent a gift to Uriah after he had left the palace. 

David wanted Uriah to spend time with his wife so that Uriah (and everyone else) would think he was the father of the child that had been conceived. 

⁹ But Uriah didn’t go home. He slept that night at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard.
¹⁰ When David heard that Uriah had not gone home, he summoned him and asked, “What’s the matter? Why didn’t you go home last night after being away for so long?”
¹¹ Uriah replied, “The Ark and the armies of Israel and Judah are living in tents, and Joab and my master’s men are camping in the open fields. How could I go home to wine and dine and sleep with my wife?

• The Israelites considered the war camp a holy place because God was present to fight for his people. Thus soldiers avoided anything that caused impurity.

Leviticus 15:18 NLT
¹⁸ After a man and a woman have sexual intercourse, they must each bathe in water, and they will remain unclean until the next evening.

1 Samuel 21:4-5 NLT
⁴ “We don’t have any regular bread,” the priest replied. “But there is the holy bread, which you can have if your young men have not slept with any women recently.”
⁵ “Don’t worry,” David replied. “I never allow my men to be with women when we are on a campaign. And since they stay clean even on ordinary trips, how much more on this one!” 

I swear that I would never do such a thing.”

• Uriah’s loyalty to the army contrasts sharply with David’s betrayal.

Where is David?  David is not with his warriors on the battlefield.

Uriah’s loyalty to the army contrasts sharply with David’s betrayal. 

¹² “Well, stay here today,” David told him, “and tomorrow you may return to the army.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next. ¹³ Then David invited him to dinner and got him drunk.

• David’s actions grow more desperate as he attempts to manipulate Uriah into compromising his principles. 

But even then he couldn’t get Uriah to go home to his wife. Again he slept at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard.

• Instead of repenting and trying to settle the matter openly, David tries to cover up his adultery.

This episode serves as a sobering reminder of the vulnerability of even the most righteous individuals and the far-reaching consequences of sin. It calls readers to self-examination, repentance, and reliance on God’s grace to avoid similar pitfalls.

Note:

Exodus 20:13-17 NLT
¹³ “You must not murder.

¹⁴ “You must not commit adultery.

¹⁵ “You must not steal.

¹⁶ “You must not testify falsely against your neighbor.

¹⁷ “You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.”

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Introduction:

Who are the Israelites fighting when King David had his affair with Bathsheba?

(The Ammonites at Rabbah, the chief city of the Ammonites.)

What was the theme of 2 Samuel chapter 8?

David defeating Israel’s enemies.  At the end of David’s reign, Israel was securely at rest in the Promised Land.

The battle in Chapter 10 may be the same battle that was described in 2 Samuel 8.

Hadadezer appears in chapter 10 as David’s active and capable foe (10:16) yet in chapter 8 David had defeated him (8:3) and plundered his city (8:7, 12).

2 Samuel 8:3-4 NLT
³ David also destroyed the forces of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when Hadadezer marched out to strengthen his control along the Euphrates River. ⁴ David captured 1,000 chariots, 7,000 charioteers, and 20,000 foot soldiers. He crippled all the chariot horses except enough for 100 chariots.

Chapter 10 gives us the historical context for chapter 11 unpacking the events of chapter 8.

Note:
You will need to reach your own conclusions with some of the unanswered questions in this lesson.

2 Samuel 10:1-19 NLT

David Defeats the Ammonites

^10:1 Some time after this, King Nahash of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun became king. ² David said, “I am going to show loyalty to Hanun just as his father, Nahash, was always loyal to me.” So David sent ambassadors to express sympathy to Hanun about his father’s death.
But when David’s ambassadors arrived in the land of Ammon, ³ the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun, their master, “Do you really think these men are coming here to honor your father? No! David has sent them to spy out the city so they can come in and conquer it!” ⁴ So Hanun seized David’s ambassadors and shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their robes at the buttocks, and sent them back to David in shame.
⁵ When David heard what had happened, he sent messengers to tell the men, “Stay at Jericho until your beards grow out, and then come back.” For they felt deep shame because of their appearance.
⁶ When the people of Ammon realized how seriously they had angered David, they sent and hired 20,000 Aramean foot soldiers from the lands of Beth-rehob and Zobah, 1,000 from the king of Maacah, and 12,000 from the land of Tob. ⁷ When David heard about this, he sent Joab and all his warriors to fight them. ⁸ The Ammonite troops came out and drew up their battle lines at the entrance of the city gate, while the Arameans from Zobah and Rehob and the men from Tob and Maacah positioned themselves to fight in the open fields.
⁹ When Joab saw that he would have to fight on both the front and the rear, he chose some of Israel’s elite troops and placed them under his personal command to fight the Arameans in the fields. ¹⁰ He left the rest of the army under the command of his brother Abishai, who was to attack the Ammonites. ¹¹ “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then come over and help me,” Joab told his brother. “And if the Ammonites are too strong for you, I will come and help you. ¹² Be courageous! Let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. May the Lord’s will be done.”
¹³ When Joab and his troops attacked, the Arameans began to run away. ¹⁴ And when the Ammonites saw the Arameans running, they ran from Abishai and retreated into the city. After the battle was over, Joab returned to Jerusalem.
¹⁵ The Arameans now realized that they were no match for Israel. So when they regrouped, ¹⁶ they were joined by additional Aramean troops summoned by Hadadezer from the other side of the Euphrates River. These troops arrived at Helam under the command of Shobach, the commander of Hadadezer’s forces.
¹⁷ When David heard what was happening, he mobilized all Israel, crossed the Jordan River, and led the army to Helam. The Arameans positioned themselves in battle formation and fought against David. ¹⁸ But again the Arameans fled from the Israelites. This time David’s forces killed 700 charioteers and 40,000 foot soldiers, including Shobach, the commander of their army. ¹⁹ When all the kings allied with Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they surrendered to Israel and became their subjects. After that, the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites.

 Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 10:1-19 NLT

See 1 Chronicles 19:1-19

David Defeats the Ammonites 

^10:1 Some time after this,

King Nahash of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun became king. ² David said, “I am going to show loyalty to Hanun just as his father, Nahash, was always loyal to me.” So David sent ambassadors to express sympathy to Hanun about his father’s death.

David wanted to keep the Ammonites as peaceful neighbors.

King Nahash an enemy of Saul had always been loyal to David.

• At this point in time, King David wanted to keep peace with his neighbors, the Ammonites. 

But when David’s ambassadors arrived in the land of Ammon, ³ the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun, their master, “Do you really think these men are coming here to honor your father?

• The Ammonite leaders question David’s motives.

Their questions may have been legitimate.

No! David has sent them to spy out the city so they can come in and conquer it!” 

Rabbah was the chief city of the Ammonites.

• The Ammonites may have been thinking about what had happened to their neighbors, the Moabites. (2 Samuel 8:2)

2 Samuel 8:2 NLT
² David also conquered the land of Moab. He made the people lie down on the ground in a row, and he measured them off in groups with a length of rope. He measured off two groups to be executed for every one group to be spared. The Moabites who were spared became David’s subjects and paid him tribute money. 

⁴ So Hanun seized David’s ambassadors and shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their robes at the buttocks, and sent them back to David in shame.

In this instance, David’s kindness was neither appreciated nor reciprocated.

This act of humiliation angered David (see verse 6).

This action was a disgraceful, dishonorable, shameful, insulting, contemptable behavior.

This was a shameful practice inflicted on prisoners of war.

Isaiah 20:4 NLT
⁴ For the king of Assyria will take away the Egyptians and Ethiopians as prisoners. He will make them walk naked and barefoot, both young and old, their buttocks bared, to the shame of Egypt.

• When the Ammonites humiliated David’s soldiers, it was the beginning of Israel’s war with the Ammonites.

This insult to David was, in effect, a declaration of war. 

⁵ When David heard what had happened, he sent messengers to tell the men, “Stay at Jericho until your beards grow out, and then come back.” For they felt deep shame because of their appearance.

Jericho was the first place west of the Jordan River that would have been reached by David’s servants as they returned from Rabbah.

The city of Jericho had not yet been formally reconstructed, but it was located near a large spring of water and it was a good place of seclusion for the men to stay. 

⁶ When the people of Ammon realized how seriously they had angered David, they sent and hired 20,000 Aramean foot soldiers from the lands of Beth-rehob and Zobah, 1,000 from the king of Maacah, and 12,000 from the land of Tob. 

• Realizing they have offended David, the Ammonites hire mercenaries from the Syrians of Zobah, Rehob, and other regions.

Refer to a Bible map.

Hiring armies was a common practice of the day.

The term “Syrian” is often used interchangeably with Arameans in English translations of the Bible. 

⁷ When David heard about this, he sent Joab and all his warriors to fight them. ⁸ The Ammonite troops came out and drew up their battle lines at the entrance of the city gate,

Rabbah

while the Arameans from Zobah and Rehob and the men from Tob and Maacah positioned themselves to fight in the open fields.

The Israelites were facing a two-front battle.

The Ammonites in the city.

The Syrian mercenaries in the fields around the city.

• The Israelites were facing a two-front battle. 

⁹ When Joab saw that he would have to fight on both the front and the rear, he chose some of Israel’s elite troops and placed them under his personal command to fight the Arameans in the fields. 

• Joab finds himself between the Ammonite and the Aramean armies.

¹⁰ He left the rest of the army under the command of his brother Abishai, who was to attack the Ammonites. ¹¹ “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then come over and help me,” Joab told his brother. “And if the Ammonites are too strong for you, I will come and help you. ¹² Be courageous! Let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. May the Lord’s will be done.”

• Joab motivates his troops to be courageous and trust in the LORD for the outcome.

Fight bravely and trust in the Lord.

Battles have two parts. Our part and God’s part.

¹³ When Joab and his troops attacked, the Arameans began to run away. ¹⁴ And when the Ammonites saw the Arameans running, they ran from Abishai and retreated into the city. After the battle was over, Joab returned to Jerusalem.

• Joab did not attempt to capture the city of Rabbah at this time. (See 11:1 – next lesson.) 

¹⁵ The Arameans now realized that they were no match for Israel. So when they regrouped, ¹⁶ they were joined by additional Aramean troops summoned by Hadadezer from the other side of the Euphrates River. These troops arrived at Helam under the command of Shobach, the commander of Hadadezer’s forces.

The exact location of Helam is uncertain, but it is believed to have been in the region east of the Jordan River, possibly in the area of Gilead or near the borderlands between Israel and Aram (modern-day Syria). (Chat GPT)

Seven miles north of Tob???

• The Arameans, realizing that they were no match for Israel, regrouped, joining up with additional Aramean troops summoned by Hadadezer. 

¹⁷ When David heard what was happening, he mobilized all Israel, crossed the Jordan River, and led the army to Helam. The Arameans positioned themselves in battle formation and fought against David. ¹⁸ But again the Arameans fled from the Israelites. This time David’s forces killed 700 charioteers

(1 Chronicles 19:18 says 7,000 charioteers.  This could be the same battle discussed in chapter 8.)

and 40,000 foot soldiers, including Shobach, the commander of their army. 

• The Israelites achieve a decisive victory, killing 700 (or 7,000) charioteers and 40,000 foot soldiers, including Shobach, the commander of their army. 

¹⁹ When all the kings allied with Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they surrendered to Israel and became their subjects. 

After that, the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites.

• The Arameans (Syrians) made peace with Israel and are no longer willing to help the Ammonites.

The Syrians occupying territories in the northern section of David’s kingdom were no longer a threat to Israel at this point in time. (Refer to a map of David’s kingdom.)

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