Could've, but Didn't: 2 Samuel 11:4-5

Sin asks for compromises which seem small but are still compromises in the moment.  Few people wake up looking to commit evil on a grand scale.  We find ourselves committing evil one small bad choice at a time.  We knock down one part of our character, then the next.  Soon we find ourselves acting in ways we have no business acting.

David sends for Bathsheba.  She obeys the king’s call and comes to him.  She conceives a child.  Once she knows she is pregnant, she sends a message to David letting him know about the child.

There is a lot going on in this story and not much detail is provided.  David sent for Bathsheba, but she didn’t seem to put up much of a fight.  In fact, Bathsheba was bathing in public where she could readily be seen, especially by a king whose palace was elevated. 

Bathsheba was not bathing as we think of it, however.  Bathsheba was performing the ritual of cleansing proscribed by the Law having finished her monthly period.  She was performing a legal cleansing ritual for a very private circumstance within David’s view.

On the other hand, ancient architecture kept plumbing outside because they didn’t have water pipes to bring water in and sewers to take water out.  They may have had public wells where water could be drawn and carried to a residence.  They might have had public troughs where water could be brought so residents didn’t need to travel to the well.  The point is it was not uncommon for bathing to happen outside.

Bathsheba wasn’t necessarily doing anything unusual.  However, she certainly didn’t take many measures to keep the moment private.  It might have been an innocent yet unfortunate incident.  She might have known David was home, her husband wasn’t, and her body was beginning to prime itself for conception.  We don’t know how much Bathsheba willingly and actively contributed to David’s temptation.

What we do know is David called Bathsheba and she came to the king.  She conceived a child with him.  Both parents are complicit in the act.  The sin in David’s heart quite literally conceives.

David continues to act upon his sin rather than checking it at the door.  Bathsheba’s willingness to join the act doesn’t help.  If David genuinely cared for Bathsheba, he should have averted his eyes.  He could have watched but not asked for a meeting, which would still be lust, but at least a child wouldn’t have been conceived.  He could have set up a meeting with a chaperone to keep the meeting honest.  He could have respected the marriage of one of his soldiers, who was off fighting a battle to which he didn’t go.  He could have been content with the harem he already had. 

David could have done any of these things, but he didn’t.  Sin always longs for things just out of reach but still attainable.  Sin asks for compromises which seem small but are still compromises in the moment.