The United Kingdom of Israel:
Saul, David & Solomon
Foreshadow Christ the King

Lesson 15 David’s Sin & the Birth of Solomon
the Second Book of Samuel 11:1—12:31

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)*
New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE)*
Catechism of the Catholic Church
ex libris (in our library)
glossary for The United Kingdom of Israel
cross references in The United Kingdom of Israel
next lesson: Amnon, Tamar & Absalom: David’s Children

This material coordinates with Lesson 15 on pages 92–97 in The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King.

“When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever.”
—the Second Book of Samuel 7:12–13

welcome to our in-depth study of Saul, David & Solomon
We invite interested groups and individuals to check out the sample first lesson from this 28-lesson Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study. These online study pages link to our free lesson videos, as well as to a glossary and cross references in the biblical text. Other study aids include maps, additional commentary, and prayers based on the primary Scripture in each lesson. The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King has been granted an imprimatur and may be purchased from our website shop. If you have a Bible-related question or comment, click on the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” button on any study page.

open with prayer
It’s always wise to begin any Bible study with prayer, whether reading the Scriptures alone or meeting with others in a discussion study group. You can pray using your own words or use one of the opening prayers on our website. We especially like the following:

Lord Jesus, you promised to send your Holy Spirit
to teach us all things.
As we read and study your word today,
allow it to touch our hearts and change our lives. Amen.

let’s review—the Second Book of Samuel 7:1—10:19
In Lesson 14 God’s Promise to David, the LORD promises to establish David’s kingdom as one that will last forever. When Nathan tells David of God’s promise, Nathan emerges as a prophet speaking for the LORD. God’s promise is made in response to David’s plan to build a house in Jerusalem for the ark of God. David then embarks on a military campaign in which his army defeats a number of neighboring nations. He credits the victories to the LORD and dedicates the spoils of battle to God. David consolidates two rival factions of the priesthood under Zadok and Ahimelech, establishes elite bodyguards, and sets Joab over the army. David’s own sons, who aren’t in the line of Aaron, surprisingly show up in a list of David’s Inner circle of advisors. David seeks out Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth and treats him as his own child. When the king of the Ammonites dies, David sends emissaries to offer his condolences, but they’re treated disrespectfully. This leads to war with the Ammonites, who enlist aid from the Syrians. Despite being vastly outnumbered, Joab and his brother Abishai successfully rout the Ammonites. The Syrians decide to make peace with Israel. 

map notes—Rabbah & Thebez
Most of the action described in this lesson takes place in Jerusalem, but two other locations are mentioned. David’s men are besieging the Ammonites at Rabbah under the leadership of Joab, so it appears that’s where Uriah the Hittite is killed. Rabbah is situated near territory allotted to the tribe of Gad. The entire area east of the Jordan River often is referred to as the Transjordan, and the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have been allotted territory there. The Ammonites and the Amorites also dwell in that region, as do the Moabites to the south. Thebez is mentioned as the site where the traitorous son of Jerubbesheth (Gideon) died attempting to establish a monarchy. The city is located in an additional section of territory west of the Jordan River allotted to the half-tribe of Manasseh. Learn more background about Gideon and his sons in the sixth through ninth chapters in the Book of Judges. Click on the map (above right) to enlarge it. The original map is on page 95 in The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King.

David’s response to the death of his child (21:53)
In the video overview for Lesson 15, “David’s Sin & the Birth of Solomon,” Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps discusses the Second Book of Samuel 12:19–23, in which David explains to his servants why he reacts as he does to the death of his child. What do you think is most remarkable about David’s behavior? Consider why it is that God allows David’s first child with Bathsheba to die even after David’s prayerful entreaties for God to let the child live. How does God’s behavior in this instance fit or not fit with your idea of who God is and how you think that God is supposed to act? When has God surprised you by behaving in a way that you didn’t expect? How did you react to God’s behavior?


The Scripture ranges for the videos that accompany this Catholic Bible study match the Scripture ranges for the sets of questions in The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King. You can follow along as Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps discusses Lesson 15, “David’s Sin & the Birth of Solomon,” on pages 92–97 in the study book.

deja vu—there’s something familiar about this story
The way that David seeks to dispose of Uriah the Hittite is the same way that Saul tried to dispose of David. The difference is that David is a much better military strategist—not to mention that he has Joab on his side as his military commander. David’s plan is successful while Saul’s wasn’t. 

WHAT DO YOU THINK of the prophet Nathan? 
In the twelfth chapter in the Second Book of Samuel, the LORD twice sends Nathan to David—first with a message about the LORD’s displeasure with David’s sin, and later with a message that the second son born to David and Bathsheba is loved by the LORD. In the seventh chapter in the Second Book of Samuel, Nathan emerged as the person chosen by the LORD to serve as a prophet to counsel David.

?  Careful readers will notice that as important as the office of prophet is in connection with the kingship, Nathan isn’t included in David’s inner circle of advisers listed in the Second Book of Samuel 8:15–18. What might explain a possible reason for this?
?  The office of prophet requires that the person holding it maintain a line of communication with the LORD, speaking directly with God—and, most importantly, listening to what the LORD has to say and then acting on the LORD’s instructions. Priests, prophets, and kings in the Old Testament are anointed as a sign that they validly hold those offices. What does it mean to be anointed, and how does anointing aid the people who receive it?
?  Which Old Testament office do you think comes with the most power—priest, prophet, or king?
?  Which offices are hereditary and which depend on the person being called in a more direct fashion by the LORD?
?  In what ways does Jesus Christ fulfill all three Old Testament offices?
?  How is it that Christians also are able to fulfill all three of these offices in the present day?
?  Which office—priest, prophet, or king—are you most comfortable accepting as a Christian duty, and why?
?  Which office are you least comfortable accepting as part of your responsibility as a Christian?

pray with the Psalms—David’s Miserere
Psalm 51, called the Miserere from the Latin opening that translates as “have mercy,” traditionally is considered to have been written by David, reflecting his state of mind after Nathan points out David’s sin with Bathsheba. Read Psalm 51:9–13. What nine things does David entreat God to do in this passage? Which of these things do you think most sinners would want to ask of God? Consider whether any of these requests might appear to be somewhat surprising. What do you think gives David the confidence to make so many requests of the LORD? What kind of a deal does David attempt to make with God in return for God fulfilling his requests? Prayed at Friday Lauds (Weeks I and II), Psalm 51 is included as part of Lesson 12 Have Mercy on Me, O God and Lesson 26 Create a Pure Heart for Me, both in the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers.

repentance—you could look it up in our archives
In the Second Book of Samuel 12:13, David immediately repents when his behavior is called into question by the prophet Nathan. Most people have a more difficult time coming to repentance. Learn about the link between thinking and repenting by reading Lost in Translation, an online column in which Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps helps readers connect with ideas expressed in the original languages of the Scriptures. New Lost in Translation entries are posted on Mondays, and past entries are archived on our website. Contact us if you’d like to receive Lost in Translation by email every week.

WHAT DO YOU THINK about the consequences of sin?
Most men and women don’t easily accept that there are dire consequences for sin.

?  In the twelfth chapter in the Second Book of Samuel, Nathan reports to David that the LORD has said David isn’t to die for his sin. This seems unlike the same God who struck Uzzah dead for touching the ark of God to steady it during transport. Why do you suppose it is that the LORD doesn’t immediately require David’s life?
?  Compare the message that God sends David about sin and death with what Adam and Eve were told would happen to them if they ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. How do you justify the discrepancies? You can learn more about good and evil in Lesson 3 The Fall of Adam & Eve in the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis.
?  Consider why the LORD allows a second son to be born to David and Bathsheba after the death of their first son.
?  What is the meaning of the name the LORD chooses to call Solomon?
?  What does that name suggest about the LORD and his relationship with David?

it remains hard to typecast Joab
Although the biblical text doesn’t dwell on it, in the eleventh chapter in the Second Book of Samuel, Joab is complicit in the death of Uriah the Hittite. We’ve already seen that Joab has few scruples about murder. Ordinarily, this might be seen as Joab willing to take any steps necessary to get ahead. In the twelfth chapter in the Second Book of Samuel, however, Joab displays impressive loyalty to David and refuses to take the Ammonite city of Rammah until David arrives to be given credit for the conquest.

Q&A—Bathsheba’s bath; consequences of sin
A participant in this Bible study has a question concerning the timing and purpose of Bathsheba’s bath, and an excellent comment related to what’s meant by God “putting away” David’s sin.

Q: When was Bathsheba’s bath (the Second Book of Samuel 11:4)? The biblical text reads as though after having sex with David, Bathsheba went home and purified herself. But other translations make it sound like the bath she was taking when David first saw her was for purposes of purification after her menstrual cycle. Our class wondered why it was important to include that information, other than it proves that Bathsheba was fertile at the time David laid with her. After doing a little digging, however, I think it also might be providing some insight into Bathsheba because it discloses that she was following the Jewish law of purification (seven days after her period). Members of our group already had put all the blame on David, but I feel that this information helps to quiet any thoughts that Bathsheba was guilty of seducing David.

A: We’ve never encountered an interpretation suggesting that Bathsheba went home and bathed after lying with David. We can see where someone might get that idea; bathing after sex isn’t uncommon. This verse, however, is understood to refer to Bathsheba’s bath before David sent for her. The information that she was purifying herself alludes to Jewish purification laws found in the book of Leviticus 15:19–24. Admittedly, not many Christians have much interest in wading through that book of the Bible, though it provides a valuable perspective into details of Old Testament religious law. The book of Leviticus requires that a woman bathe seven days after her period. Prior to such purification, the woman would be considered unclean. Any other person also would become unclean by touching her or by touching things that had come into contact with her during that time.

You’re entirely correct that this timing would have greatly increased the chances that Bathsheba was fertile when David sent for her, and we know that she did indeed conceive a child as a result of her liaison with David. We’re given few clues about how Bathsheba felt about the situation, but because Scripture fails to condemn her, neither can we. We do know that she mourned for Uriah after he was killed. She also, along with David, suffered the loss of the first child that was born to them. In that sense, she shared in the punishment that befell David, whether she herself was guilty of anything more than being in a position in which she would be unable to resist the advances of a determined king. It shouldn’t be overlooked that Bathsheba also is one of only five women listed in the genealogy of Jesus found in the Gospel According to Matthew 1:1–17. Bathsheba isn’t named in that genealogy but rather is listed as “the wife of Uriah.”

a comment regarding ‘the LORD also has put away [David’s] sin’ (the Second Book of Samuel 12:13): We came to the conclusion that this language refers to forgiveness, even though at first some of us thought it didn’t. David did confess and own his sin, and God knew that David was truly penitent. But all sin has consequences. Just because we’re forgiven doesn’t mean those consequences disappear.

response: A clue to what’s happening here can be found by looking at the entire verse to see what’s going on before God speaks to David through Nathan, and to see how God explains the practical effect of what these words mean. In the verses immediately preceding this one, Nathan has told David that God is aware of his sin, and he’s listed some things that are going to occur as punishment. As soon as Nathan pauses, David quickly admits: “I have sinned against the LORD.” It’s only after this that Nathan tells David that the LORD also has put away his sin. It’s fair to assume that before then the jury (God) still was out concerning whether or not David’s sin would be “put away.” Things might have gone very differently had David responded in a defensive manner.

It’s worth paying attention to all of what Nathan says to David in this sentence: “The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die.” This reaffirms that basic covenant between God and humanity—if you sin, you die. Throughout the Scriptures, sin is equated with death. David’s own life isn’t to be immediately required—but a life still is owed. The Second Book of Samuel 12:14 records how that debt is to be paid in the case at hand. Although this punishment can seem harsh to present-day readers, the same Old Testament covenant being enacted here also underlies Old Testament religious sacrifices—and it forms the basis for how Jesus’ death can bring about the opportunity of salvation for all men and women.

The bottom line: You’re correct—David’s sin has been forgiven. But just as any one of us who committed sins of adultery and murder could go to the sacrament of Reconciliation and receive forgiveness from God, absolution cannot undo the consequences of sin. Though we might be genuinely repentant and be forgiven by God, the effects of sin remain. God puts away David’s sin—David is forgiven, but Uriah the Hittite still is dead. An understanding of the seriousness of sin helps Christians avoid making decisions that not only endanger our own immortal souls for all eternity but also harm other people now.

the best Catholic commentary about Scripture
To find out more about how Church teaching is supported by Scripture passages in The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King, check out the Index of Citations in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Links to the primary Scripture passages in the lesson (Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition [RSVCE*]) and relevant paragraphs in the Catechism are provided here. Not every passage in the biblical text for this Catholic study is referenced in a Catechism paragraph, however.

the Second Book of Samuel 12:1–4—paragraph 2538
the Second Book of Samuel 12:4—paragraph 2538
the Second Book of Samuel 12:7–15—paragraph 1736

ways our glossary might prove helpful
In addition to providing extra information about geographical locations, our glossary also points out persons and places mentioned in the biblical text under multiple names or spellings. If you can remember a name but aren’t sure in which lesson it shows up, you can find it in the glossary, which lists every proper noun that appears in the primary biblical text for The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King.

to learn more, read more Scripture
If you’re having difficulty with a particular passage of Scripture, it can be helpful to read the relevant cross references—but looking these up can take time. To make that easier, we’ve compiled the cross references from the Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE)—the translation that we reprint in our study books. That list can be found at the top of every online study page, and it includes links to cross references in the primary biblical text for The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King.

don’t forget about our indexes & extra online material
If you’re trying to locate information about a specific Scripture passage, you can look it up in the index at the back of the study book or sample lesson. If you want to find a particular commentary, you can look up its title in the topics index. To learn more about another book of the Bible for which there’s a Turning to God’s Word study, visit the online study directories to read the commentaries and watch any accompanying videos. Finally, if you have a question or would like to make a comment about any of our studies, you can use one of the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” buttons to email our authors.

ex libris—Church documents & books about religious topics
Link to magisterial documents referred to in our Bible studies at ex libris—magisterial documents. This listing includes significant recent encyclicals as well as a number of historical Church documents. Recommended books related to Scripture study can be found at ex libris—main bookshelf.

wondering how to pronounce some of these words?
The following link is to a reading from the New International Version (NIV) Bible. To listen, click on the audio icon above the printed text. Although not taken from the translations used in our study materials, the NIV reading provides an audio guide to pronunciation of words in this lesson’s primary biblical text. A close online version of the translation of the Bible used in Catholic liturgy in the United States as well as an audio guide for daily Mass readings for the current month can be found on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

the Second Book of Samuel 11:1—12:31 (NIV)

close with Bible-based prayer related to this lesson
Many of our Catholic study groups like to conclude their discussions with a prayer based on the round black dovescriptural focus of their lesson, and some participants include Scripture-specific prayer in their individual study. If you’re uncomfortable composing your own Bible-based prayers you can follow our four easy steps. If you prefer, you can use the following prayer based on the biblical text in this lesson in the study book The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King.

O God, your commandments exist to protect your people
from the consequences of sinful behavior.
Teach us to trust you and to base our decisions on what we know is right.
Grant us the humility to avoid rationalizing our failures
and to follow David’s example of sincere repentance for sin.
We ask this in the name of  your Son, Jesus Christ,
who underwent death on the cross
to bring us the opportunity for salvation. Amen.

Lesson 16 Amnon, Tamar & Absalom: David’s Children—the Second Book of Samuel 13:1—14:33
Lesson 14 God’s Promise to David—the Second Book of Samuel 7:1—10:19

you also may like our study of the book of Genesis
The first seven lessons of In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis, a 28-lesson Catholic Bible study with an imprimatur, provide an in-depth look at the very earliest biblical history—including the two accounts of Creation, events surrounding the Fall of Adam and Eve, the relationship between Cain and Abel, and the baptismal foreshadowing present in the account of Noah and the Flood. Remaining lessons look at lives of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Click on the book’s cover to view a sample lesson.

start a Turning to God’s Word Bible study
Thank you for your interest in The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King. Information about beginning a Turning to God’s Word Bible study can be found at start a Bible study. Tami, Matthew, and I are available to answer questions. Contact us if you’d like to start one of our studies or have your schedule listed with other TtGW study groups on our website. —Jennifer

*There are seven deuterocanonical books in the Old Testament—the Books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and First and Second Maccabees, as well as some passages in the Books of Esther and Daniel. Protestants usually refer to these works as “apocryphal,” a word that means “outside the (Protestant) canon” because they’re excluded from most Protestant Bibles. The word “deuterocanonical” means “second canon”; Catholics use that word to refer to any section of the Catholic Old Testament for which there are no extant, or existing, Hebrew manuscripts. All of the deuterocanonical books appear in the Septuagint, the earliest remaining versions of which date to the 1st century B.C. This Greek translation of the Old Testament was in common use by Jews at the time of Jesus. Learn more by reading How Do Catholic & Protestant Bibles Differ?

Turning to God’s Word printed Bible studies use the 2006 Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE) translation for all Scripture references except those to the Psalms, which are taken from The Abbey Psalms and Canticles, prepared by the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey and published in 2020 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). All Scripture links for the online study pages for The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King are to the 1966 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE) translation. The New International Version (NIV) audio recordings follow the same chapter and verse numbering as the RSV Catholic translations, but the NIV translation doesn’t include the deuterocanonical books and passages.

The 1966 RSVCE uses archaic pronouns and verb forms such as “thee,” “thou,” “didst” in the Psalms and in direct quotations attributed to God. The 2006 RSV2CE replaces these with more accessible English. The few significant translation changes in the RSV2CE include rendering almah as “virgin” in the Book of Isaiah 7:14 and restoring the term “begotten” in the Gospel According to John 3:16.

Numbering varies for some passages in this Bible study. Turning to God’s Word studies (print and digital) follow the numbering in the Revised Standard Version Catholic translations (RSV2CE and RSVCE). Discrepancies in the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) are noted in the Index of Scripture Citations in the study book and the online sample.

You can learn more about the Psalms by viewing a sample lesson from the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers. The second part of that study, Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline, is scheduled for publication in 2025. Some verse numbers may vary in different translations of the Psalms.