Useful Bible Studies > 2 Samuel Commentary > chapter 11

David gives Uriah too much wine

2 Samuel 11:12-13

Without any knowledge of the true situation, Uriah had urged David to change his attitudes. Uriah could see that David had developed a wrong attitude towards comfort. Uriah would accept no personal comfort while Israel was at war. He wished that David too would make that decision, as in former times.

If David had confessed his wrong deed to Uriah, David might have saved himself much pain and trouble. However, David was too afraid or too ashamed to do it. He was still trying to hide what he had done.

So, instead, David pretended to be Uriah’s friend. We use the word ‘pretended’ because nothing was genuine in David’s attitudes now. Once David had cared about Uriah and all his soldiers as much as Uriah still cared for him. Now David cared only for himself, and to pretend that he had done nothing wrong.

David acted as a host did towards a very special guest. He insisted that Uriah must remain with him for another day. David gave him food and wine from the royal table. A soldier like Uriah could not often taste good wine - but David, as the king, had a plentiful supply. He urged Uriah to drink it, until Uriah had drunk too much wine.

Too much alcohol causes a person to forget his principles and his duties. In that state, the person lives for his emotions, and not his beliefs. So, David hoped that Uriah would return home to sleep with his wife. Then, when the baby was born in a few months’ time, Uriah would believe himself, and not David, to be the father. However, David’s plan failed. Even in that state, Uriah refused to go home.

Next part: The death of Uriah (2 Samuel 11:14-17)

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