(Please read the Scripture passage before reading the homily.)
Kings and other community leaders sometimes feel that they are above the moral law, that the commandments are for the other people. Did David think of himself as above the law when he committed adultery with the wife of Uriah and had Uriah killed? The Scriptures would not allow David’s action to go unnoticed.
With what we have learned today, we would say that Bathsheba was not able to give consent, that the power and influence of the king overpowered her so that the adultery was in reality a rape. The death of her husband came about because he refused to be part of the coverup.
The mighty ones of the world have often acted as though they were above law and the moral order. Assassinations, robberies, defamation of character and other crimes have often marked the lives of the people considered important or overly rich. In our days, we have seen leading entertainers fall from grace because of how they have treated others.
Let us return to the story.
Bathsheba was bathing herself as every religious Jewish woman would do at the end of her menstrual cycle. She is, therefore, not pregnant. After the rape, she did become pregnant.
David had taken a siesta, his afternoon nap and had no other business for the day. He could rest in the afternoon, although his army was out in field, at war, and the soldiers had to sleep on the ground at night.
Uriah was not a Jewish person; he was a Hittite, and a member of the King’s special forces. Uriah’s dad may also have served in David’s army. While David could sleep in a comfortable bed, Uriah the soldier would sleep on the ground like those in the filed would.
We could accuse David of complete selfishness for not regarding the faithfulness of his Hittite friends and their loyalty to him. Our list of sins for David include, therefore, rape, murder, lack of gratitude, and a selfish lack of integrity.
As the story continues, in the next chapter, God would send Nathan the prophet to convict David of his sins. At the same time, David would learn that God does forgive.
We are all obliged to keep God’s commandments and our selfishness cannot excuse our sins. God, however, is greater than our sins and does forgive us.