YEARS LATER

“Mighty man of Israel! Welcome home, my brother.”

David embraced Uriah, who had just come from the war. In the days following Bathsheba’s message, he had decided to try and quietly salvage the situation. So he’d sent word to his commander, Joab, to briefly send Uriah home.

“Your Highness! Long live the king. I must say I was surprised but honored when Joab told me that you had summoned me.”

David gestured for him to sit. “Do not consider it a summons, Uriah. You and I have fought side by side for many years, and I know how effective you are in battle.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

“I am also aware of how much risk you take, and I knew that you would need respite. So I sent for you just to give you a break.”

Uriah seemed a little confused. “Your Highness, that truly is unusual of you. You are the mightiest of us all, and you take even more risk than any of us. Your bravery and courage has been our inspiration in this war, and we have barely suffered any loss to our ranks.”

David decided to switch topics. “Tell me of Joab and the soldiers.”

“The men are dominating, Your Highness. Joab is leading his best campaign, far greater than any other. His tactical nous gets silkier with each battle, and his direction has caused untold damage to our enemies while we have lost very few men, if any at all. The mighty men continue in their dominance, unafraid to take on the greatest of the enemy giants and leave them slain. The Lord continues to assure us of victory, and we pursue our adversaries from city to city.”

David nodded in approval. “What of the soldiers? Do they remain committed to the cause?”

Uriah nodded fervently. “Without question, Your Highness. The soldiers remain in high spirits, and the camaraderie could not be higher. They take care of each other, they watch over each other in the heat of battle, and no one despises the other. They are inspired by the strength of the mighty men and the leadership of Joab, and are unafraid in battle.”

David stood up and smiled. “My brother, you have made me glad with your report. I am pleased with the results of the campaign thus far. I am sure you must be missing your wife. Go to your house and wash your feet.”

Uriah bowed and left. David hoped to God that his plan would work.

*****

YEARS AGO

Samuel had just finished praying and decided to turn in for the night. He had gotten word of the success of Saul’s conquest, and was quite pleased with what he had heard.

His head had barely hit the bed when he heard the very familiar voice of revelation.

“I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.”

Samuel immediately lifted himself off the bed. What had he just heard? Saul was not even two years into his reign, and God was already unhappy? Saul had one job: to destroy the Amalekites. What could he possibly have done to get that wrong?

The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. He went back on his knees and cried out to God the whole night.

******

The next morning, Samuel got up and made his way to the battle to see Saul. When he got there, one of the men rushed to meet him.

“Prophet, may the Lord’s servant live long.”

Still angry, Samuel waved off the greeting and went straight to the point.

“Where is His Highness the king?”

The man responded with excitement. “Prophet, the Lord gave us favor in the battle. We conquered the Amalekites are now celebrating our victory.”

It took Saul a second to realize that the man had been drinking. He wasn’t drunk yet, but he had reached the place where the line between honor and familiarity had been severely blurred. The entire thing was making him even angrier.

“Young man, I ask you one more time. Where is the king?”

“King Saul has gone to Carmel to set up a monument to himself. From there, he has gone to Gilgal.”

Samuel turned and headed towards Gilgal.

******

YEARS LATER

David was turning in for the night when the head of the palace guards came to see him.

“Your Highness, may you live long. One of the guards just informed me that your guest is asleep in at the entrance of the palace.”

David looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “Who is this person?”

“Your Highness, it is Uriah the Hittite.”

Now both of David’s eyebrows were up. “I sent him home to wash his feet. How long has he been at the palace?”

“It appears he never left, Your Highness.”

David was shocked. It had been hours since their conversation. Uriah must have been at the entrance all day. Uriah was also messing with the plan!

“Bring him to me.”

A few minutes later, Uriah was escorted into the evening room, where David was seated and waiting.

“Uriah, have you not just come from a military campaign? Why didn’t you go home?”

“Your Highness, it would be unconscionable for me to go home. The ark of the Lord and Israel and Judah are staying in tents. My commander Joab and my lord’s men are camped in the open country. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and make love to my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!”

David remained quiet for a little while. This plan would take a little more of a push to work because Uriah was too honorable of a man to make it easy for him.

“Very well, brother. Stay here one more day, and tomorrow I will send you back.”

“As my lord wishes, I will stay.”

As the palace guards took Uriah to one of the guest rooms, David sat back and sighed. He had gone from simply lusting after Bathsheba to having a huge problem on his hands. Now he had to try to get the man drunk so he would have no choice but to go home and lay on top of his wife.

He sent for one of the servants and gave him a message.

“Uriah will be with us for a feast tomorrow. Be sure to serve him with a stronger drink than you serve me.”

Yep. You do one wrong thing, and it leads to a litany of more wrongs. Oh, King David…