2 Samuel 11:
It is hard not to love David. Described as “Ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to” [1 Samuel 16:12]. Another translation reads, “Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome.”[1] The New English Bible describes young David as, “He was handsome, with ruddy cheeks and bright eyes.”[2] In a society of mostly darker and olive-skinned people a ruddy complexion was a rosy or reddish hue to the face and was highly valued in the Mid-eastern cultures. In addition to his good looks David had the courage to slay a bear and a lion to protect the sheep in his care in the fields of Bethlehem. In those same shepherd fields a millennium later other shepherds would hear angels announcing the birth of the Messiah who would be born through the lineage of David. It was David who was a talented musician who played the harp to sooth King Saul’s troubled soul. As a young man David was sent by his father to the Valley of Elah by the command of Saul to be Saul’s Armor-bearer. Here the armies of the Philistines were arrayed against the armies of Israel. David heard Goliath say “Am I a dog that thou comest to me with staves?” Young David responded, “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel [1 Samuel 17:44-45].
During the 40 years of Saul’s reign as king from 1095 to 1055 BC, David spent most of his time dodging spears thrown at him by Saul or hiding in caves. At times David allied himself with those among the Philistines and Moabites to find refuge from the rage and jealously of Saul. Eventually David was established as king over the territory of Judah. His capital for seven years was Hebron until he conquered the Jebusites and renamed the city as Jerusalem, the City of David. He would spend another 33 years of his reign in Jerusalem. During those 33 years David would expand the borders of his kingdom to include most if not all of Syria including Damascus to the Euphrates River, Ammon, Moab, Edom, the Amalekites and two of the five major cities of the Philistines i.e., Gath and Ekron as well as the southern lands to the borders of Egypt. As David’s kingdom expanded he became worldlier and less willing to seek the counsel of the Lord or hearken to the voice of the Prophet Nathan. David became “Unrighteous.” To be righteous means to be at the “Right Place, at the Right Time, and with the Right Intent of the Heart.”
#1. Right Place and Right Time: David’s first poor choice was not to lead the battle against the Ammonites and the city Rabbah [Great]. “When kings go forth to battle…David tarried still at Jerusalem” (1 Sam 11:1). Had David been at the Right Place and the Right Time he would have avoided seeing Bath-Sheba [Daughter of an Oath] bathing. Walking on the roof is OK.
#2. Right Intent: David’s second poor choice. The moment that David saw a naked woman other than his wife bathing on a roof top, he should have turned around and walked away, in spite of the fact that she was “very beautiful to look upon.” Asking who see was could be an innocent inquiry and OK.
#3. Right Intent and Right Place: David’s third poor choice was sending for Bath-Sheba.
#4. Right Intent and Right Place: David’s fourth poor choice was committing adultery. Because Uriah was at the battle’s front, David had to be the father of Bath-Sheba’s baby.
#5. Right Intent: Killing Uriah was first degree cold-blooded murder.
Had David “REMEMBERED” on the roof or after he saw her and before he sent for her his covenants with the Lord at any point along the way he could have repented. However because he was not at the Right Place at the Right Time and with the Right Intent in his heart and committed first degree murder, he lost his place in the kingdom of God. The good news is David will be forgiven and receive a degree of glory “but he could only get it through hell.”[3] Read Psalms 16:10.
[1] 1 Samuel 16:12, The New Oxford Annotated Bible, New Revised Standard Version, New York, Oxford Uni. Press, 1991, p. 363 OT.
[2] 1 Samuel 16:12, The New English Bible, NY, Oxford Uni. Press, 1971, p.12.
[3] Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 339.