11:1 Winter is the rainy season in Israel, the time when crops are planted. Spring was a good time to go to war because the roads were dry, making travel easier for troop movements, supply wagons, and chariots. In Israel, wheat and barley were ready to be harvested in the spring. These crops were an important food source for traveling armies.
11:1ff In the episode with Bath-sheba, David allowed himself to fall deeper and deeper into sin. (1) David abandoned his purpose by staying home from war (11:1). (2) He focused on his own desires (11:2). (3) When temptation came, he looked into it instead of turning away from it (11:3). (4) He sinned deliberately (11:4). (5) He tried to cover up his sin by deceiving others (11:6-15). (6) He committed murder to continue the cover-up (11:15, 17). Eventually David’s sin was exposed (12:9) and punished (12:10-14). (7) The consequences of David’s sin were far-reaching, affecting many others (11:17; 12:11, 14, 15).
David could have chosen to stop and turn from evil at any stage along the way. But once sin gets started, it is difficult to stop (James 1:14, 15). The deeper the mess, the less we want to admit having caused it. It’s much easier to stop sliding down a hill when you are near the top than when you are halfway down. The best solution is to stop sin before it starts.
11:3 See 1 Kings 1, p. 679 for Bathsheba’s profile.
11:3, 4 As David looked from the roof of the palace, he saw a beautiful woman bathing, and he was filled with lust. David should have left the roof and fled the temptation. Instead, he entertained the temptation by inquiring about Bath-sheba. The results were devastating.
To flee temptation, (1) ask God in earnest prayer to help you stay away from people, places, and situations that may tempt you. (2) Memorize and meditate on portions of Scripture that combat your specific weaknesses. At the root of most temptation is a real need or desire that God can fill, but we must trust in his timing. (3) Find another believer with whom you can openly share your struggles, and call this person for help when temptation strikes.
11:4 That Bath-sheba “was purified from her uncleanness” means that she had just completed the purification rites following menstruation. Thus she could not have already been pregnant by her own husband when David slept with her. Leviticus 15:19-30 gives more information on the purification rites Bath-sheba had to perform.
11:15 David put both Bath-sheba and Joab in difficult situations. Bath-sheba knew it was wrong to commit adultery, but to refuse a king’s request could mean punishment or death. Joab did not know why Uriah had to die, but it was obvious the king wanted him killed. We sometimes face situations with only two apparent choices, and both seem wrong. When that happens, we must not lose sight of what God wants. The answer may be to seek out more choices. By doing this, we are likely to find a choice that honors God.
11:17 Uriah and several other soldiers died as a result of David’s scheme. Sin often hurts innocent bystanders. When you are tempted to do wrong, thinking about the people who could be hurt by your sin may motivate you to avoid it.
11:25 David’s response to Uriah’s death seems flippant and insensitive. While he grieved deeply for Saul and Abner, his rivals (chapter 1; 3:31-39), he showed no grief for Uriah, a good man with strong spiritual character. Why? David had become callous to his own sin. The only way he could cover up his first sin (adultery) was to sin again, and soon he no longer felt guilty for what he had done. Feelings are not reliable guides for determining right and wrong. Deliberate, repeated sinning had dulled David’s sensitivity to God’s laws and others’ rights. The more you try to cover up a sin, the more insensitive you become toward it. Don’t become hardened to sin, as David did. Confess your wrong actions to God before you forget they are sins.
11:27 King David abused his position of authority to get what he wanted. Today we often see abuse of power in government and business. God is especially hard on leaders who misuse their positions to exploit, manipulate, or compromise those under their authority. This breaks the trust between them and those they serve.