2 Samuel, Chapter 11, verses 1-10, 13-17
1 While Joab besieged Rabbah, David committeth adultery with Bath-sheba, 6 Uriah, sent for by David to cover the adultery, would not go home neither sober nor drunken, 14 He carrieth to Joab the letter of his deathMark, Chapter 4, verses 26-34
26 The parable of the seed growing secretly, 30 and of the mustard seed4
4:26 So is the kingdom of God - The inward kingdom is like seed which a man casts into the ground - This a preacher of the Gospel casts into the heart. And he sleeps and rises night and day - That is, he has it continually in his thoughts. Meantime it springs and grows up he knows not how - Even he that sowed it cannot explain how it grows. For as the earth by a curious kind of mechanism, which the greatest philosophers cannot comprehend, does as it were spontaneously bring forth first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear: so the soul, in an inexplicable manner, brings forth, first weak graces, then stronger, then full holiness: and all this of itself, as a machine, whose spring of motion is within itself. Yet observe the amazing exactness of the comparison. The earth brings forth no corn (as the soul no holiness) without both the care and toil of man, and the benign influence of heaven.
4:29 He putteth in the sickle - God cutteth down and gathereth the corn into his garner.
4:33 He spake the word as they were able to hear it - Adapting it to the capacity of his hearers; and speaking as plain as he could without offending them. A rule never to be forgotten by those who instruct others.
11 David commits adultery with Bathsheba, Sa2 11:1-5.
Endeavours to father the child upon Uriah, Sa2 11:6-13.
Contrives the death of Uriah, Sa2 11:14-25.
Marries Bathsheba, Sa2 11:26-27.
11:1 After - When that year ended, and the next begun, which was in the spring time. When kings - Which is, when the ground is fit for the march of soldiers, and brings forth provision for man and beast. Tarried at Jerusalem - Had he been now in his post, at the head of his forces be had been out of the way of temptation.
11:2 Arose from off his bed - Where he had lain, and slept for some time. And the bed of sloth often proves the bed of lust.Washing herself - In a bath, which was in her garden. Probably from some ceremonial pollution.
11:3 He inquired - Instead of suppressing that desire which the sight of his eyes had kindled, he seeks rather to feed it; and first enquires who she was; that if she were unmarried, he might make her either his wife or his concubine.
11:4 Took her - From her own house into his palace, not by force, but by persuasion. Lay with her - See how all the way to sin is down hill!When men begin, they cannot soon stop themselves.