Study Guide: 2 Samuel 11
*This study guide can be used in conjunction with the message preached on September 7, 2025 during the series Imperfect Heroes.
Pray
Lord, I know how easy it is to drift when I let my guard down. Search my heart and reveal anything that dishonors You. Help me to learn and reflect as I read 2 Samuel 11.
Read
2 Samuel 11
Observe
v.1 | David stays behind from battle
In the springtime, when kings normally led their armies into battle, David sent Joab and the Israelite forces to fight the Ammonites. They defeated them and laid siege to Rabbah, but David stayed in Jerusalem. This wasn’t a minor detail—it was the moment David began to drift from where God wanted him. Traditionally, this was the season for war, since weather conditions improved. David had previously led Israel to a decisive victory, so he should’ve been with his army again. God had already shown David that his place was at the frontlines, not the palace. Galatians 5:16 reminds us: “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” David’s attention wasn’t where it should’ve been, and that left room for temptation. But this sin didn’t start here. Years earlier, David had ignored God’s design for marriage and taken multiple wives. That pattern of giving in to desire had grown unchecked and now bore bitter fruit. As Redpath once said, this sin with Bathsheba didn’t come out of nowhere—it was the result of twenty years of compromise. David’s decision to stay behind simply gave that sin the space it needed to come to life.
v.2 | David sees Bathsheba
One night, David couldn’t sleep and walked on the roof of the palace. As he paced, he saw a woman bathing. She was very beautiful, and the sight drew his attention. The Hebrew verb implies he was restless—probably because he wasn’t where God wanted him to be. Bathsheba may have been careless or even immodest in how and where she bathed, knowing her location could be seen from the palace roof. If she was careless, she still bore some responsibility for being a stumbling block, but that doesn’t excuse David’s actions. As Paul instructed in 1 Timothy 2:9, modesty matters. David’s sin wasn’t in the initial sight—it was in choosing to keep looking. Instead of turning away, he let his thoughts and desires take over. For men especially, it’s crucial not to let our eyes or thoughts rest on images that tempt us, except within the bond of marriage. The fact that David had many wives didn’t help—lust isn’t solved by options, because it’s not about satisfaction; it’s about rebellion. His son Solomon proved that—700 wives and 300 concubines couldn’t satisfy him either. The temptation wasn’t about Bathsheba’s beauty as much as David’s spiritual vulnerability. This temptation wasn’t too strong—David was too weak. Joseph faced a more direct sexual temptation and fled, but David stayed and stared. He called it “beauty,” but God called it “sin.” We often soften sin with nicer words—"affair" instead of "adultery," “romantic” instead of “ruin.” But God sees through it all.
v.3 | David acts on temptation
David sent someone to find out who she was. He learned she was Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam and wife of Uriah the Hittite. He could’ve walked away right then, but instead he leaned deeper into temptation. Learning her identity should’ve stopped him—she wasn’t just any woman. Her father Eliam was one of David’s mighty men, and her grandfather was Ahithophel, one of David’s top advisors. And she was married to Uriah, another of David’s trusted warriors who was away fighting in the war. That made the situation more dangerous but also more tempting. David began thinking he could get away with it. By this point, he had already committed adultery in his heart. Now he was on the verge of doing it in reality. Knowing her identity should’ve warned him, but he ignored it. In sinning with Bathsheba, David betrayed three men who were close and loyal to him.
v.4 | David gives in to sin
David sent messengers to bring Bathsheba to him. She came, and he slept with her. Then she returned home. In that moment, the man after God’s own heart turned against God’s will and ignored every warning. He took someone who didn’t belong to him. Commentators note there’s no evidence that Bathsheba resisted, which means she shares some responsibility. David acted on impulse, not wisdom. He didn’t stop to think about the consequences—what it would cost, who it would hurt, or how deeply it would damage his soul. If he had thought it through, he would’ve seen the high price: an unwanted pregnancy, the death of a loyal soldier, the death of a baby, sexual violence within his own family, a civil war, and a legacy of brokenness. David treated sex as a personal pleasure rather than the sacred bond God intended it to be. The mention of her cleansing shows she wasn’t already pregnant, which made David feel like he’d “gotten away with it.” But no sin is hidden from God. Just because no one saw it doesn’t mean it didn’t matter. God saw everything.
v.5 | Bathsheba’s message
Bathsheba soon sent a message to David: “I am pregnant.” David hadn’t planned for this. The news likely shook both of them—it meant their sin would be exposed. The message also served as an appeal: do something. According to God’s law in Leviticus 20:10, both David and Bathsheba could be put to death for adultery. Now the sin couldn’t be hidden. And instead of repenting, David started plotting to cover it up.
vv.6–11 | David’s first cover-up attempt
David sent for Uriah, hoping to cover the sin. When Uriah arrived, David pretended nothing was wrong, asking casual questions about Joab, the army, and the war. Then he told Uriah to go home and “wash his feet,” hoping he would sleep with his wife and think the child was his. David even sent food after him. But Uriah didn’t go home. He slept at the palace entrance with the king’s servants. When David questioned him, Uriah said, “The ark, Israel, and Judah are in tents; my commander Joab and my fellow soldiers are in the open fields. How can I go home, eat, drink, and sleep with my wife?” Uriah’s integrity was impressive—especially since he wasn’t even an Israelite by birth. He had more loyalty and honor than David in this moment. David should’ve taken this as a second chance to repent. But like many unrepentant sinners, he kept trying to hide what he had done. Hidden sin damages fellowship with God and others. It puts a barrier between us and spiritual life. Instead of confessing, David kept pretending.
vv.12–13 | David’s second attempt fails
David told Uriah to stay another day. That night, he brought Uriah to dinner, got him drunk, and hoped that lowered inhibitions would lead him home to Bathsheba. But Uriah still didn’t go. He chose to sleep with the servants again. Even under the influence, Uriah held to his convictions. David had hoped that drunkenness would make Uriah stumble as lust had made him fall. But Uriah’s sense of honor was stronger. Some commentators even think Uriah suspected something and avoided Bathsheba on purpose.
vv.14–17 | David has Uriah killed
With no other option to hide his sin, David wrote a letter to Joab with instructions to place Uriah at the front of the fiercest battle, then pull back so he would be killed. David gave this letter to Uriah himself—trusting the man’s integrity so much that he made him carry his own death sentence. Joab obeyed and placed Uriah in a dangerous spot, where he died along with other soldiers. David committed murder through manipulation and secrecy, but he was still guilty before God. Commentators describe this as one of David’s darkest moments—he went from passion to plotting a man’s death. David, who was once afraid to strike down Saul even when it was easy, now had no hesitation in killing a faithful servant.
vv.18–25 | Joab informs David of Uriah’s death
Joab sent a messenger to report the battle to David. He warned the messenger that David might be angry about the poor military strategy. But he instructed him to mention Uriah’s death last. When the messenger delivered the report, David didn’t seem angry. Instead, he responded coldly, “The sword devours one as well as another.” It was a way to cover his conscience—pretending Uriah’s death was just an unfortunate part of war. But David knew the truth. He had orchestrated the entire thing.
vv.26–27 | David marries Bathsheba
When Bathsheba heard that her husband had died, she mourned for him. After the mourning period, David brought her to the palace, married her, and she gave birth to a son. To the public, it may have looked like David was being noble—caring for the widow of a fallen soldier. But God saw everything. This is the first time in the chapter that God is directly mentioned: “But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.” Though God was silent until now, He had been watching the entire time. Psalm 32 gives us insight into David’s heart during this period. He was miserable. His joy was gone. Guilt consumed him. He had too much sin to enjoy God. Eventually, God would lead David to repentance, but not before deep sorrow. Spurgeon said it well—sin can numb our hearts and delay our confession, even when we need it most.
Credit: Guzik, David. “2 Samuel 11 - David’s Adultery and Murder.” Enduring Word, n.d., https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/2-samuel-11.
Apply
1. Small compromises can lead to major falls.
David didn’t fall into sin overnight—it began with a series of small, seemingly harmless choices. He stayed behind when he should’ve been at war, let his eyes wander, fed his desires, and ignored multiple warnings. Sin often starts with subtle compromise. We must stay spiritually alert and guard our hearts early, because unchecked temptations can spiral into life-altering consequences.
2. Trying to cover sin only makes it worse.
Instead of repenting after Bathsheba’s pregnancy, David tried to hide what he had done. His cover-up led to deception, manipulation, and even murder. Sin grows stronger in the dark. The longer we try to conceal it, the deeper it spreads. True healing begins when we bring our failures into the light and confess them to God.
3. God sees what others don’t—and He cares.
Most of this chapter unfolds without any direct mention of God, but the final verse makes it clear: “The thing that David had done displeased the Lord.” No matter how cleverly we hide our actions, God sees our hearts. His silence does not mean His approval. He loves us too much to let sin go unchecked—and He lovingly calls us back through conviction, discipline, and grace.
Pray (ACTS)
What is the ACTS prayer model?
A – Praise God for being holy, just, and all-seeing.
C – Confess the times you have allowed selfish desires and careless choices to pull you away from Him.
T – Thank God for His grace that meets you even in your failures.
S – Ask God for help to guard your thoughts, eyes, and heart.
DISCUSS
Questions for personal reflection, spiritual insight, or group interaction.
What warning signs do you see in David’s choices at the beginning of this chapter?
How might David’s decision to stay home have contributed to his fall into temptation?
In what ways can idleness or comfort become spiritually dangerous in our lives?
How do we often rationalize or minimize sin in the early stages, as David may have done?
Why do you think David kept trying to cover his sin instead of confessing it?
What are some modern ways people try to “hide” their sin rather than deal with it?
How does this chapter challenge your understanding of accountability and integrity?
What role could someone like Nathan have played earlier in David’s situation?
What does this chapter teach us about the consequences of unrepentant sin?
Why is it important to remember that “the Lord saw what David had done”?
How do you respond when God convicts you of sin—do you hide it or bring it into the light?
What steps can you take to guard your heart, your relationships, and your walk with God this week?
Resources for Further Study of 2 Samuel