2 Samuel 11:8

_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._ Go down to thy house. This sudden recall, the manner of the king, his frivolous questions (2 Samuel 11:7), and his urgency for Uriah to sleep in his own house, probably awakened suspicions of the cause of this procedure. THERE FOLLOWED HIM A MESS OF MEAT FROM THE KING. A portion of meat from the royal table, sent to one's own house or lodging, is one of the greatest compliments which an Eastern prince can pay....

6-13 Giving way to sin hardens the heart, and provokes the departure of the Holy Spirit. Robbing a man of his reason, is worse than robbing him of his money; and drawing him into sin, is worse than drawing him into any wordly trouble whatever....

Verse 2 Samuel 11:8. _GO DOWN TO THY HOUSE, AND WASH THY FEET._] Uriah had come off a journey, and needed this refreshment; but David's design was that he should go and lie with his wife, that the child now conceived should pass for his, the honour of Bath-sheba be screened, and his own crime concealed. At this time he had no design of the murder of Uriah, nor of taking Bath-sheba to wife. _A MESS_ OF MEAT _FROM THE KING._] All this was artfully contrived....

A MESS OF MEAT - Compare Genesis 43:34. The word denotes the honorable portion given by the host to his chief guest....

EXPOSITION 2 SAMUEL 11:1 AFTER THE YEAR WAS EXPIRED; Hebrew and Revised Version, _at the return of the year; _that is, as Josephus paraphrases it, "the next spring." It seems quite certain that the war with Hadarezer did not take place in the same year as the defeat of the Syrians at Medeba. For the gathering of his mercenaries by Nahash would occupy a long time, and it was done so leisurely, that not only did news of it reach Jerusalem, but David was able to collect his forces, and instead of awaiting the invasion, could deliver his attack on the enemy's ground. The battle at Medeba took place in the autumn, and, as it was impossible to keep the field with winter so near, Joab marched back to Jerusalem, intending in the spring to return to the siege of Rabbah. But David quickly had information that a more serious war was impend

AND DAVID SAID TO URIAH, GO DOWN TO THY HOUSE, AND WASH THY FEET,.... For his refreshment, and to prepare for bed, which was what he wanted to get him to: AND URIAH DEPARTED OUT OF THE KING'S HOUSE; in order as it might seem to the king to go to his own: AND THERE FOLLOWED HIM A MESS [OF MEAT] FROM THE KING: no doubt a delicious dish, to eat with his wife before he went to bed, to excite him the more to desire the enjoyment of her this mess consisted, according to Abarbinel, of bread, wine, and flesh; and who also observes, after Ben Gersom, that the word may be interpreted of a torch to light him home to his house, being night....

III. DAVID'S SIN, CHASTISEMENT AND RESTORATION 1. David's Great Sin CHAPTER 11 _ 1. David's great sin (2 Samuel 11:1)_ 2. David sends for Uriah (2 Samuel 11:6) 3. The murder of Uriah (2 Samuel 11:14) 4. David makes Bath-sheba his wife (2 Samuel 11:26) We see the king once more in his house. He sent Joab, his servants and all Israel to battle again against Ammon. Was it not his business as king to go forth with Israel as he had done before? Instead he remains in ease and comfort at home. Evidently he rested all day on his couch, during the heat of the day, and when the

SAM 11. DAVID, BATH-SHEBA, AND URIAH (J). 2 SAMUEL 11:1. In the spring, at the beginning of the season suitable for military operations, Joab and the army set out to besiege Rabbah (Jeremiah 49:2 *); David stayed at home. He committed adultery with Bath-sheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite, who was in the field with Joab. Uriah would be a _ger_ (2 Samuel 1:13 *); his name, Yahweh is light, shows that he was a worshipper of Yahweh. 2 SAMUEL 11:6. David makes an unsuccessful attempt to conceal the facts. Note that the Ark was taken into the field as a talisman ...

Uriah summoned to Jerusalem 7. _David demanded_, &c. David sent for Uriah ostensibly to bring him word about the progress of the war. Uriah, as one of the "mighty men," no doubt held some command in the army. _demanded_ Rather, ASKED. The use of _demand_, like Fr. _demander_, meaning simply -to ask," is an archaism....

_David's Attempt to Cover His Sin._ 2 Samuel 11:6-11 6 And David sent to Joab, _saying,_ Send me Uriah the Hittite. 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. 9But 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 Joa