with meditations
by my mother, Poetess Gertrude Sanborn
April 8
II Samuel
10:5–II Samuel 13:12
AND
DAVID WALKED UPON THE ROOF
II Samuel
11:1c-2
". . . But David
tarried still at Jerusalem . . . And it came to pass in
an evening tide, that David . . . walked upon the roof
of the king’s house . . ."
When we visited
London, we were told that no matter where the Queen of
England was, her banner waved over her palace. That way
people would know that the Queen was home. So, whenever
I read today’s verse, I think of the banner that must
have flown over KING DAVID’S palace. If this be true,
everyone in the surrounding areas, included the
beautiful BATHSHEBA knew that their KING was home.
There is always the
question: Should David have been home? NEPHEW JOAB, the
main general and trusted confidant of David, had
returned to battle with all the KING’S fighting force of
Israel at his command. There was a season for such
battles. Good battle conditions would, I would think, be
under good weather conditions. And usually, the KING
went to war with his army.
For some reason, David
stayed in his house. He could not sleep. Perhaps he
couldn’t because he wondered about his men, and because
he had stayed home instead of going to war. Perhaps he
was ailing. Perhaps he was tired of such strife and
wanted some peace. We do not know. But we do know that
he walked on the roof of his house. Was he pacing? Was
he meditating? We do not know. We do know he looked
around. What did he see beside the evening sky? He saw
BEAUTIFUL BATHSHEBA sponge bathing. In theory, he
should have looked away. If the temptation to stay on
the roof was overtaking him, he should have left the
roof in search one of his many wives. But no! He thought
himself more able to bear such a temptation. But, he was
like most men. The temptation was too great, as it is
for many men. He succumbed. He wanted BATHSHEBA.
Being the powerful KING, he could have anything he
wanted. So he sent for her.
Now let’s think about
BATHSHEBA. We know five things right off. We know that
her name means "daughter of an oath." Some say it
may not be clear in Hebrew, and may be from an Hittite
derivative and/or from a Canaanite/Indo-European
language. We know her father’s name was ELIAM (AMMIEL)
and some say her grandfather was David’s counselor,
AHITHOPHEL. Also, we know she was married to an Hittite
named URIAH one of David’s mighty men.
We know that she was
beautiful. I would say she had no previous children. A
woman who has had children may be beautiful, but not as
beautiful in body as a woman who has born children.
Childbirth changes a woman in many ways. Also we know
that she took a bath in plain view of anyone who wanted
to look upon her. She did not prevent such voyeurism. We
also know that she did not hurry in her bathing, nor did
she put up a screen or a curtain to prevent prying eyes
from seeing her.
We also know that her
husband, Uriah, was out with General Joab and his
army. We know that her husband was one of David’s
mighty men, as well as a man of integrity. That was
a virtue that BATHSHEBA did not have. We know after the
death of her husband, her child with David died also.
She also was the mother (with David) of SHIMEA, SHOBAB,
NATHAN and SOLOMON, who became king.
I do not excuse David
for his adulterous eyes. Nor do I excuse BATHSHEBA,
either, for her seductive bathing within plain sight of
the King whose banner may have been floating on the very
roof on which he stood. Yes, BATHSHEBA was lonely. Many
woman whose husbands are at war are lonely. They have
sexual yearnings that are unfulfilled. But that does not
mean they should seduce a man to whom they are not
married–let alone the king of the land. In our own
United States of America, we had a beautiful
raven-haired woman seduce our president. Indirectly, his
untoward sexual actions with her caused a ruckus in our
country.
The long and the short
of the whole affair is that a child was born. Then a
brave, moral husband was killed in battle. David could
make an "honest woman" out of a "dishonest"
one. Yes, the child of that adulterous affair–for which
BATHSHEBA should have been stoned. The child’s death as
a grief to David. I am glad that he wept. Also, I think
David truly loved the woman. Besides the baby that died,
she bore four other sons to David. My personal opinion
is that David tried to make-up for the loss of URIAH and
their adulterous liaison of years ago, by promising
BATHSHEBA that SOLOMON would be the next king We read of
BATHSHEBA in future chapters of the Bible where she made
sure that Solomon reigned in his husband’s stead.
What do we learn from
this true story of passion, of sin, and of forgiveness?
We learn that sin may be forgiven, but not necessarily
out of mind. We learn that to cover-up sin, death
may happen. We also learn that David’s adultery--though
forgiven--will be remembered always. I think the saddest
summary of this is found in the COLOPHON to Psalm
51. "To the chief Musician, a Psalm of David, when
Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in
to Bathsheba." IT SAYS IT ALL! (ysw)
"SHADOW OF HIS WINGS"
(Psalm 57:1;
Psalm 91:1-4)
"For my soul
trusteth in thee:
yea, in the
shadow of thy wings
will I make my
refuge, until these calamities be overpast."
THE SHADOW OF
HIS WINGS–Psalm 91:1
MY REFUGE–Psalm
91:2
It is under His
wings we find the TRUTH, a SHIELD, and a BUCKLER.
IF EVEN THE
"SHADOW" Is a refuge,
WHAT OF THE VERY
WINGS!
GGS
And
Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.
And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he
said, Behold, in the tent. And he said, I will certainly
return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo,
Sarah thy wife shall have a son. (Genesis 18:10)
Under God's Care,
Yvonne S. Waite
Only
One Life To Offer
Bible For Today Baptist Church
Collingswood, NJ 08108
Phone: 856-854-4747
