SOURCE FOR QUESTIONS
2 Samuel 10:1 through 12:31

‍KEY VERSE FOR MEMORIZATION
“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.” (2 Samuel 12:13)

BACKGROUND

The text for today’s lesson finds David involved in yet another battle. Unlike many others, this one was not initiated by David, but was in response to the indignities his servants suffered at the hands of Hanun, the new king of Ammon. Mistaking David’s offer of condolences for the recent loss of their king as nothing more than a ploy to spy out their city, the Ammonites proceeded to send David a message by mistreating his servants.

Inexperienced and vulnerable, Hanun hired mercenaries from the area north of Israel to fight for him. Their strategy was to hit Israel’s army from the rear while Israel was engaged in battle with the soldiers of Rabbath-Ammon  —  modern day Amman, Jordan. Joab, David’s trusted captain of the guard quickly realized what was happening and split their much smaller army with his brother, Abishai. While Joab and “all the choice men of Israel” fought the mercenaries, Abishai led the rest of the army in their attack against the Ammonite city. Joab and Abishai agreed that if either of them saw the other in need during the battle, they would join forces.

The phrase in the first verse of chapter 11, “at the time when kings go forth to battle,” refers to the specific time of year when armies went to war. In Biblical times, the large armies, often numbering in the hundreds of thousands, needed large quantities of food and water to simply sustain the soldiers. It was impractical or even impossible for armies to bring along enough to feed everyone. Instead of trying to bring provisions from the homeland, armies would wait until crops were ready to harvest in the territory where the conflict would be. In the ancient Near East, barley, the grain that ripened first, was ready for harvest in the spring. Spring also meant the end of the rainy season, thus making travel by foot much easier and faster.

Unlike current day battles, these men fought hand-to-hand. They typically fought during the day, and the battle lines moved depending on which side prevailed. On this occasion, the battle occurred outside the city walls of Rabbath-Ammon. Following their initial defeat by Joab, the mercenaries regrouped and met David’s forces in a place called Helam. This area was located several miles northeast of Jerusalem, a few miles east of the Sea of Galilee.

Chapter 12 records the prophet Nathan’s confrontation of David. Despite David’s steps at covering up his sin with Bathsheba, Nathan had a message from God to deliver to him. Nathan devised an allegory to show the king the error of his ways, and David passed judgment without realizing he was condemning himself. Nathan saw that the king, although angry, was also vulnerable at this point. With one direct statement, “You are the man!” David’s heart was pierced with the words of the Lord. David knew that he was guilty, so without argument, he acknowledged his sin and repented sincerely.

The consequences of sin often have their fulfillment after an individual is reconciled to God, as was the case with David. The pronouncement found in chapter 12 verse 10, “Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me,” followed David for the rest of his life.

Chapter 12 concludes with David going out to battle with his men. Joab had besieged the Ammonite city Rabbah, where Uriah had been slain, but sent word to the king requesting him to be there when they took the city so the credit would go to David and not to Joab. David went to Rabbah and led his men in the final attack that brought the city to its knees.

SUGGESTED RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS

1. Why did David desire to show kindness to Hanun, the new king of the Ammonites? 2 Samuel 10:2
   
   Hanun’s father, Nahash, had shown kindness to David; we are not told when, but possibly while King Saul threatened his life. The Ammonites were enemies of Israel, and during David’s flight from King Saul, it is likely that the Ammonite king saw advantage in forming an alliance with David. It is possible that a bond was formed due to their mutual enemy  —  King Saul.
   
2. What happened as a result of Hanun, the new king of Ammon, listening to the poor advice of his counselors? 2 Samuel 10:3-7
   
   The Ammonites humiliated David’s servants by shaving off half of each of their beards, and by cutting off the lower half of their robes so that they were exposed. Israelite men wore full beards as a sign of maturity and respect. To shave half of it off was a highly offensive act. Cutting the men’s clothes and forcing them to leave the city half naked was a serious affront. David was indignant and immediately launched his forces into battle with the Ammonites.
   
3. At times, other people may misinterpret our actions. How should we respond?
   
   Thoughts presented by your class may include: pray for the person; clarify the misunderstanding, if that is possible; show kindness to the other person; forgive; refuse to be bitter or gossip about the matter.
   
4. In the episode with Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11:1-5, what are three observations we can make about King David’s behavior?
   
   David’s behavior led him further and further into sin. Class discussion may bring out thoughts such as:
   
   • As king, he should have been with his army, instead of tarrying in Jerusalem (verse 1).
   
   • He failed to turn away from temptation (verse 4).
   
   • He attempted to “cover up” his sin (verses 6-15).
   
5. How might we learn from David’s poor choices when it comes to temptation?
   
   On a board, record your students’ responses to combating temptation. Their thoughts might include: immediately call on God to give strength to resist, be prayed up, look ahead to avoid situations that might be tempting, read the Bible every day, etc. Discuss some or all of these suggestions and possibly allow volunteers to share how they overcame a specific temptation.
   
6. David took a number of decisive steps when he heard the news that Bathsheba was pregnant (2 Samuel 11:6-27). How did his first sin lead to the next sin and the next? What can we learn from this sequence that we can apply to our lives today?
   
   David sent for Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, to come spend some time at home. David hoped that while on furlough, Uriah would sleep with his wife so no question of the child’s paternity would arise. When these attempts failed, David sent a note back to the front lines to Joab detailing how he was to put Uriah in harm’s way, with the express purpose that Uriah would be killed. Following Uriah’s death, David quickly married Bathsheba in another effort to conceal his original sin. Lessons we can learn involve how often people commit additional sins in an effort to cover up another sin. Unconfessed sin will always bring trouble. It is always best to admit the deed, seek forgiveness, and ask God for strength to never repeat it.
   
7. The name Nathan means “God has given,” and indeed God gave Nathan to David to be his prophet, counselor, and friend. Nathan was courageous and told David the truth, even when he did not know what the outcome would be. What creative means did God help Nathan utilize to make his point? 2 Samuel 12:1-4
   
   Nathan used an allegory to make his point. In his story, the “poor man” was Uriah, the “little lamb” was Bathsheba, the “traveler” was David’s lust, and the “rich man” was David himself. Once David pronounced judgment against the offending “king,” Nathan pointedly informed the King that David was the guilty man. Lead your class into discussing possible situations when it would be more prudent to be tactful versus blunt and to the point. Some examples could include: witnessing to the unsaved, dealing with unsaved teenage children, and correcting a peer in the Gospel. Comment on how necessary it is to have the guidance of the Spirit of God in difficult situations such as these.
   
8. Sin has consequences, and Nathan listed several for David (2 Samuel 12:10-12). What did God determine would happen to David and Bathsheba’s child, and what was David’s reaction to God’s judgment? 2 Samuel 12:14-23
   
   God determined that the child that had been conceived as a result of their sin would die. David reacted by fasting and praying to God to spare the child’s life. After David agonized bitterly before God for seven days, the child died.
   
9. David repented once Nathan pointed out the error of his ways. As a result of his repentance, God spared David’s life, but He did not mitigate all the judgment on David. What parallels can we draw for our own lives based on this account?
   
   When people repent, God forgives. However, all the consequences of the sin may not disappear. An object lesson would be to take a board such as a 2x4 and pound a nail into it. Compare this to committing sin. When a sinner repents and God forgives, it is like taking the nail out. However, the hole in the board will remain (show the hole). In the same way, although God forgives us, some of the consequences and the scars may remain.
   
   Consider posing a hypothetical situation and allowing your students to detail some possible good and bad results from a choice. For example, a high-school student who has been a Christian all through school attends an end-of-the-year party, and his fellow students begin drinking alcohol. What are some possible results if he stays at the party and is hung over the next morning? What if he repents? How would the results be different if he chooses to leave the party early rather than face the temptation to drink?
   
   Challenge your students to daily follow God in every area of their lives.

CONCLUSION

Living a godly life involves more than living clean while in public. God sees us wherever we are, and we place our integrity on the line when we choose to do in secret what we would not do in public. If at any point we realize we have made such an error, we can do as David did and sincerely repent. God will never turn any honest seeker away.