In the letter he wrote: "Put Uriah at the front of the fiercest battle; then withdraw from him, so that he may be struck down and killed." Sermons
1. Greatly distinguished for his heroic courage. For more than twenty years he had taken part in the conflicts of David, and contributed to his victories; and, by the valour which he displayed, gained and kept an honourable position. 2. Grievously wronged by his royal master. Having been secretly dishonoured by the king, he was specially sent for, treated with guile, and tempted to become an unconscious agent in concealing the crime. "Were honour driven out of the world, it should find a refuge in the breast of kings." 3. A noble example of patriotic devotion. "The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents," etc. (ver. 11). He "may be regarded from a moral standpoint as a type of the marvellous power and self-control for which those troops, then in their prime, must have been distinguished" (Ewald). In contrast with the indulgent habit (ver. 1) of the king, he exhibited sympathy, self-denial, zeal, and determination: "I will not do this thing." "The ark of God is in the field, "And can it be? thou liest awake, "Oh, dream no more of quiet life; 4. A pitiable instance of a common failing. (Ver. 13.) He was susceptible to the power of temptation, even as others. Though proof against indulgence in one form, he was overcome by it in another. But he did not entirely lose his self-control. And the guilt of the tempted is far surpassed by that of the tempter. Intoxication weakens the sense of duty, strengthens the force of the passions, is often used as an incitement to vice, and is a fruitful source of incalculable moral, and physical evil in the individual, the family, and society (1 Samuel 25:37, 38; 2 Samuel 13:38). 5. The unsuspecting bearer of his own death warrant. "And David wrote a letter to Joab," etc. - the first letter mentioned in the Bible - telling him "that he had offended him," etc. (Josephus). And without suspecting its contents, he delivered the treacherous missive. 6. The hapless victim of his unswerving fidelity. "He assigned Uriah a place where he knew that valiant men were" (ver. 16). "Honour is pretended to poor Uriah; death is meant. He was not the first or last that perished by his friends" (Hall). "He fell unconscious of his wife's dishonour" (Stanley). "Thus fell this brave man, a sacrifice to his own heroic virtue and his prince's guilt. He fell, but not alone; some of his brave companions in arms stood by him to the last, nor deserted him in death" (Delany). The report of his fate was received by the king with the cold and commonplace reflection, "The sword devoureth one as well as another" (ver. 25). "That the sin of David was fulfilling some righteous judgment of God against Uriah and his house, I doubt not - for God often makes his enemies his instruments and, without sanctifying the means, strikes out of them good. Still, a sin it was, great and grievous and offensive to that God to whom the blood of Uriah cried from the ground" (Blunt). - D. ( M. Henry..) People Abimelech, Ammonites, Bathsheba, David, Eliam, Jerubbaal, Jerubbesheth, Joab, Uriah, UrijahPlaces Jerusalem, Rabbah, ThebezTopics Battle, Care, Death, Die, Died, Draw, Fiercest, Fight, Fighting, Forefront, Front, Hardest, Hottest, Letter, Line, Over-against, Overcome, Retire, Retreat, Saying, Severest, Smitten, Struck, Thickest, Uriah, Uri'ah, Urijah, Violent, Withdraw, Writeth, Written, WroteOutline 1. While Joab besieges Rabbah, David commits adultery with Bathsheba6. Uriah, sent for by David to cover the adultery, would not go home. 14. He carries to Joab the letter of his death 18. Joab sends the news thereof to David 26. David takes Bathsheba as his wife Dictionary of Bible Themes 2 Samuel 11:15 5391 letters Library David's Fall 2Sam 11:27… John Newton—Olney Hymns How those are to be Admonished with whom Everything Succeeds According to their Wish, and those with whom Nothing Does. The Sixth Commandment Samuel Links 2 Samuel 11:15 NIV2 Samuel 11:15 NLT 2 Samuel 11:15 ESV 2 Samuel 11:15 NASB 2 Samuel 11:15 KJV 2 Samuel 11:15 Bible Apps 2 Samuel 11:15 Parallel 2 Samuel 11:15 Biblia Paralela 2 Samuel 11:15 Chinese Bible 2 Samuel 11:15 French Bible 2 Samuel 11:15 German Bible 2 Samuel 11:15 Commentaries Bible Hub |