The occasion of this grievous sin of David and Bathsheba is found in 2 Samuel 11.  I won’t read the entire chapter, but let’s look at a few key verses.  2 Samuel 11:1-5 tells us, “And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem. And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? And DAVID SENT MESSENGERS, AND TOOK HER; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house. And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child.” 

So, it was in the evening that David got out of bed and went out to the roof of his house.  There he spotted Bathsheba bathing.  We see that she “was purified from her uncleanness.”  This means that she had been bathing after finishing the time of her period.  We read in Leviticus 15:19, “And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even.”  The time of her uncleanness was now over, and she took a bath.  We have no way of knowing if she resisted David’s request, or if she was coerced because it was the king’s request.  This event could just be a classic example of a powerful man and a powerless woman. In an ancient kingdom, a king could kill anyone who disobeyed him. Bathsheba had no rights. Did she resist, beg, or comply? We just don’t know. However, we do know that David could do whatever he wanted to do.  They had relations and Bathsheba became pregnant.

David hatched a plan to make Bathsheba’s husband think she was pregnant with his child. (Verses 6-13).  When that did not work, David determined to have Uriah killed. (Verses 14-17).  David went to great lengths to hide his sin.  We then read in verse 27 of our chapter, “And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But THE THING THAT DAVID HAD DONE DISPLEASED THE LORD.”

Scripture is very clear that when a man and a woman commit adultery, they are both guilty before God.  Deuteronomy 22:22 says, “If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then THEY SHALL BOTH OF THEM DIE, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman…”  Death was the punishment for both people who committed adultery. So, why did the Lord spare David and Bathsheba from death for their sin?  Perhaps it was because of David’s repentance that God spared his life.  Let’s read 2 Samuel 12:13-19, “And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die. And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bare unto David, and it was very sick. David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead? But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.” 

It seems that God brought a greater penalty against David than taking his life.  He brought about the death of the son that he and Bathsheba created.  How tragic it is to lose a child.  It brings a heartache that can’t be explained and can’t be forgotten.  It is one of the greatest hurts we can imagine on the earth, especially if that death is a consequence of our own actions.  So, did God only punish David for this sin?  We need to remember that when David lost his son, Bathsheba lost her son, also.  The heart of a mother towards her children is immeasurable.  Yes, Bathsheba suffered greatly for her sin, as well as David.  (CC)  (687.4)