2 Samuel 11:15
And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die. And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.
The order was written by David to Joab, directing that Uriah be set in the forefront of the hottest and fiercest fighting and then abandoned by withdrawing support, so that he would be smitten by the enemy and die. Uriah himself carried the letter containing his own death warrant, Joab obeyed the order, and Uriah fell in battle to the Ammonites. The intent was to make the death appear as an ordinary battle casualty, hiding David's own guilt and preserving his royal honor, and the attempt to conceal adultery thus led him to commit murder as part of his sin against Uriah and Bath-sheba.
The crime grew out of idleness, for David's failure to occupy himself in useful work left room for thoughts leading to evil actions, and had he been engaged in worthwhile labor he would not have arranged Uriah's death. Indulgence of appetite and passion led him to this act, in turning from God's teachings and incurring God's displeasure. The order made the king responsible for the murder of his faithful soldier, illustrating how those in command can abuse power by sending subordinates into hopeless danger to get rid of them. Joab in obeying the king rather than God thereby transgressed God's law, for authority given by God must be exercised in harmony with divine law, and when a ruler commands what violates that law obedience to the ruler is sinful and must be refused.
God did not excuse or justify the heinous crime but sent Nathan to rebuke David, and though David's repentance and confession brought forgiveness and spared his life, he was still punished for his sin. His sin sullied his reputation, showing that violating God's will brings retribution. The record shows that even a man favored by God and entrusted with great responsibility could yield to temptation and commit grave wrongdoing, and it is preserved as a warning of the danger and consequences of disobedience, not as an excuse to sin, while his struggle and recovery through grace encourage others to resist evil and continue the conflict against sin.