2 Samuel 12:9, commentary and pictures

The charge is that David despised the Lord's own commandment to do evil in His sight by misusing his God-given royal power to have Uriah the Hittite put to death in battle by the sword of the Ammonites and then to take his wife, treating the killing as an ordinary casualty of war. God rebuked him through the prophet Nathan, who told a story that led David to condemn his own conduct before being shown himself to be the guilty man, so that he would see his violation and put his sins away. David meekly accepted the reproof as just and merciful without hatred toward the messenger, humbling himself in deep contrition with his transgression continually before him, confessing openly before his kingdom and later generations, trusting Christ's blood for pardon and God's mercy even after great sin. Though he repented and was forgiven, accepted and spared his life, he still reaped what he had sown in judgments upon him and his house, including that the sword would never depart from his house, showing that God does not excuse wrongdoing even in one favored and faithful, but holds accountable any who turn from obedience. The same question confronts all who teach others to transgress God's holy law, warning that turning from His Word brings retribution and that continuing in known sin against great light leaves no ground to presume on compassion without repentance and genuine conversion.

Charge and Historical Setting

The charge is that David despised the commandment of the Lord to do evil in His sight by killing Uriah the Hittite and taking his wife to be his own. That killing through the Ammonites and taking of Uriah's wife was an abuse of royal power, and to despise the commandment in this way was to despise God Himself. He slew Uriah with the sword of the children of Ammon by having him put to death in battle and then treating his death as an ordinary casualty of war.

Joab sent an account of the execution carefully worded so as not to implicate either himself or the king. He instructed the messenger to finish reporting the matters of the war and then add that Uriah the Hittite was dead also. David answered that the sword devours one as well as another, and told Joab to press the battle stronger against the city, overthrow it, and be encouraged.

David's power as king was given by God to be exercised only in harmony with the divine law. In commanding Uriah's death he departed from God and became for the time an agent of evil, while still holding the position and authority God had given him. He was still claiming an obedience that would imperil the soul of him who yielded it. Joab's part in the killing shows allegiance given to the king rather than to God. In obeying a command contrary to God's law he transgressed God's law, because when a ruler commands what is contrary to God's law it becomes sin to obey.

Rebuke, Repentance and Consequence

God sent rebuke to David through the prophet Nathan, who faithfully portrayed David's true state and made him aware that he had violated God's command and sinned against Him. Nathan did this by a story that led David to judge his own conduct before confronting him as the guilty man with "Thou art the man," so that David saw his transgression of the law and could put his sins away. David meekly accepted the reproof as just and merciful, humbling himself before God in deep contrition and fear of the divine word. He did not resist the messenger, hate him, or retaliate against the faithful reprover, but humbly acknowledged the charges and still trembled at the word of the Lord.

His bitter repentance evidenced a changed heart, with his transgression continually before him in humiliating confession. He relied on Christ's blood for pardon, kept continued confidence in God's mercy even after such great sin, and grew in wisdom through God's dealings with him, showing that strength is seen in sincere repentance. He did not hide his guilt but made his repentance and confession known to others in his kingdom and in a penitential psalm, so that later generations could learn from his history.

Though David repented and was forgiven, accepted, and spared his life, he still faced punishment for his wrongdoing, with only part of the threatened calamity averted. He reaped the baleful harvest of the seed he had sown in the sentence that the sword would never depart from his house and in judgments upon him and upon his house testifying to God's abhorrence of the sin. The history gives no excuse for sin, for God did not excuse or justify David because he was favored or had served faithfully, but rebuked him through Nathan, pronounced judgment, and held even a righteous person accountable when he turns from obedience. David was called one after God's own heart only when walking in God's counsel, and when he sinned this ceased to be true until by repentance he returned to the Lord. God's warnings and judgments in this way expose sin so it can be renounced, while His counsel leads the repentant to humility rather than despair.

Warning and Wider Application

The question why the Lord's commandment has been despised applies not only to David but to all who teach others to transgress God's holy law. That question will confront those false guides when every work is brought before God in judgment. David was steadfast so long as he kept God's Word before him, but turning from its teachings led him to despise God's command by arranging Uriah's death and taking Uriah's wife, and damaged his reputation. Violating God's will in this way brings a day of retribution.

Nathan's reproof exposed David for despising God's commandment by taking another man's wife and arranging her husband's death. David's bitter repentance after that reproof evidenced a changed heart. Continuing in known sin despite great light, warnings, and reproof brings grave guilt, so that if the offense were repeated there would be no ground to presume on God's compassion, and repentance and genuine conversion are necessary.