K e y s t o D y n a m i c B i b l e S t u d y
Out
of
Control
BY BARBARA ARNOLD
dupe Uriah into believing that his wife was God who is in control; to Him belongs all
avid’s plunder into adultery pregnant with his own child. After “Joab authority. And God will uncover this with
D
with Bathsheba exposed sent Uriah to David” (v. 6), David launched stunning clarity in the following verse:
a defect which brought plan one: make small talk, encourage Uriah “Then the LORD sent Nathan the prophet
anguish to the one known to go home to the bed of his wife, and send to David” (12:1).
as psalmist, giant killer, and a gift (to make him feel honored). The “God will raise up evil against you,”
“man after God’s own heart.” The author of plan, however, was foiled by one proving Nathan told David, “from your own
2 Samuel 11 reveals David’s flaw through himself more loyal than David; Uriah slept household” (12:11). In the next chapters,
a word which is repeated throughout the outside David’s doorway with the guards Nathan’s prediction to David would be
passage and ceases in the midst of David’s (v.9). fulfilled with garish intensity.
consequences. It is the word “sent.” Plan two: get Uriah soused with wine. Though David had the maturity to
Not long after David “sent” Joab his This one flunked as well. Uriah just would rebound well spiritually, even in the face of
commanding officer to battle without him, not go home. David needed to devise a the consequences of his sin, children rarely
David strolled along the rooftop of his strategy which would be failsafe. The have the capacity to do so. Exhibiting his
palace in Jerusalem to seek relief from his suddenness with which the new plot struck father’s passion by lusting for his half sister
insomnia (2 Sam. 11:1). What he “saw” and David made him euphoric with relief. It Tamar, Amnon lay on a bed as though sick
“sent” for and “took” has drawn many to a would not be considered murder. Uriah and appealed to his father to have Tamar
mistaken conclusion (vv.2-4). Bathsheba’s would just be doing his duty, at the front of come to nurse him. David assented and,
bath scene was not written as a visual aid to a battle-line, in a perilous position. David thus, David “sent” Tamar his daughter—
help us appreciate why David fell in love could send this message to Joab by way of to her rape (2 Samuel 13:1-21). Later,
with this woman. The author had a more Uriah himself (v. 14). Tamar’s full brother Absolom sought
practical purpose for picturing the situation. It worked. When news of Uriah’s revenge for his sister when his father did
Washing signified that she adhered to the death reached Jerusalem, his wife spent nothing. Absolom requested that his father
prescriptions of the Law which instructed the appropriate number of days mourning let Amnon come to a feast at his home.
a woman to bathe when she completed her him. At its conclusion, David “sent and David agreed and “sent” Amnon his son—
menstrual cycle. Since she had just ended brought her to his house and she became to his murder (2 Samuel 13:21-29).
her period, the baby she conceived could his wife” (v. 27). Not often does Scripture At the beginning of the account, David
not have been her husband’s. When the divulge God’s opinion about a matter. In “sent,” and a sexual sin plus a murder was
author reports that “David saw a woman this situation, however, God’s thoughts are the outcome. With an irony which may
bathing” he is letting us know that the babe disclosed: “The thing that David had done cause a chill, we realize that David “sent”
was definitely David’s. was evil in the sight of the LORD” (v. 27). again, and a sexual sin plus a murder was
As soon as Bathsheba, wife of the soldier David had sent his troops to battle without committed, this time against his daughter
named Uriah, recognized that she was his presence, he had sent for Bathsheba, and his son. The consequences confirmed
pregnant, she informed David. He reacted he had sent for Uriah her husband, he had that circumstances were ultimately out of
with the swift response of a boxer who has sent him to his death, and he had sent, once David’s control.

just been punched, and sent a message to more, for Bathsheba. David is revealed as
Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite” (v. 6). someone who thinks he is in control; this
David would have to produce a scheme to flaw made him forget something—it is
©2008 Barbara Arnold
JULY 2008 | WOW!

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