David has committed adultery with Bathsheba. When she tells David she is "with child", David sends to Joab to have Uriah the Hittite (Bathsheba's husband) sent back from the war. But when David sends Uriah to his house, Uriah refuses to go, in respect to the army of Israel who is still having to fight the war.
David gets Uriah drunk, thinking then Uriah will go to his house, but Uriah does not go to Bathsheba.
So David sends a message, by the hand of Uriah, to Joab, telling Joab to put Uriah in the front of the hottest battle and have the men withdraw from Uriah, allowing him to be killed.
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God is displeased with that which David has done, and God arranges a penalty against David for these acts.
God sends his prophet Nathan to David with HIS message:
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II Samuel 12:1-9 And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him,
There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.
And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.
And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.
And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man.
Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.
Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in HIS sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
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Penalty pronounced upon David by God:
* II Samuel 12:10-12 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised ME, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.
* Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.
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.
* II Samuel 12:14 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.
15 And Nathan departed unto his house.
And the Lord struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.
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The death of the child:
16-24 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.
Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the Lord, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.
Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.
And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me, that the child may live?
But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.
And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the Lord loved him.
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Psalm 51:1-19
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to THE lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of THY tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
Hide THY face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from THY presence; and take not THY Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of THY salvation; and uphold me with THY free spirit.
Then will I teach transgressors THY ways; and sinners shall be converted unto THEE.
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of THY righteousness.
O Lord, open THOU my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth THY praise.
For THOU desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: THOU delightest not in burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, THOU wilt not despise.
Do good in THY good pleasure unto Zion: build THOU the walls of Jerusalem.
Then shalt THOU be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon THINE altar.
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