How Many Commandments Did David Break?

When David decided to commit adultery with Bathsheba, how many commandments did he break? The first one would have been number 10—coveting his neighbor’s wife. Perhaps, he did not know she was married at first, but when he inquired as to who she was, it was told him that she was the wife of Uriah the Hittite (2 Sam. 11:2-3). He coveted her first—without knowing if she were single or married. Had she been single, he could have taken her as a wife. When he found out she was married, however, he should have told himself that she belonged to another man and could not be his. But he coveted her still.

Then he had messengers bring her to him, and he violated command #7—the actual commission of adultery. Everyone knows that David tried to cover up his sin by bringing her husband back from the battlefront, thinking he would go to his home, enjoy his marital privileges, and then return to his fellow soldiers. But he refused to return home—twice—while his fellow soldiers were risking their lives. David’s plan failed. But he immediately thought of another one. Instruct Joab to put him in the war where the fiercest of the fighting was occurring—then draw back from him. Joab followed these instructions, and Uriah died. Thus, David became guilty of murder (command #6), also (2 Sam. 12:9).

So, is that it? Did he violate just three commands? No. That amount can be more than doubled. Which commands did he not violate? So far as we know, he did not make a graven image (#2) or violate the Sabbath day (#4). All others are a possibility.

Did David take the name of the Lord in vain (#3)? So far as we know, he never personally did so. But his actions gave “great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme…” (2 Sam. 12:14). Apparently, the sin that David committed was well-known. How did that happen? The truth of the sin was probably not spread by Nathan the prophet. Very likely, those involved in going to Bathsheba’s house (who knew what had happened) began to tell others. It does not seem to be the case that Joab, for all of his faults, would have told what had happened, either.

First, David inquired about Bathsheba, and someone gave him an answer. Then he sent messengers to bring her to the palace (2 Sam. 11:3-4). Furthermore, when Uriah was summoned to come to David, he did not go to his house, but “slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord…” (11:9). Some of the servants must have figured it out—the bringing of Bathsheba during the evening, her husband’s return without going home, her pregnancy. Hmm.

Regardless of the way people found out, the fact is that they did. But even worse is that the enemies of the Lord discovered what happened, and they blasphemed the Lord because of it. According to the Law of Moses, both David and Bathsheba were worthy of death. God, however, forgave his sin and said he should not die (2 Sam. 12:13). God did punish David with the death of the child and the promise that “the sword shall never depart from” his house (12:10, 14).

We do not know how the enemies of the Lord blasphemed, but they did. Perhaps they accused Jehovah of favoritism—or failing to keep His Word. We can only guess. Of course, this would be challenging God’s judgment as One Who knew what was best for the kingdom. The fact that David had been a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam. 13:14) may have entered into the equation—along with many other factors. God’s judgment cannot be questioned. So, David did not personally take the Lord’s name in vain, but he caused others to do so.

Did David put another God before Jehovah (#1)? If Personal Pleasure is an idol, then the answer would be, “Yes.” David knew what he was contemplating was wrong. There is no way he could not know that. But the lust of the flesh conquered his good judgment. Later, his son, Solomon, allowed his wives to turn his heart away from God to idols. He went after the goddesses of the Sidonians and the Ammonites. He even built a high place for Chemosh (1 Kings 11:4-7).

Those kinds of idols David had nothing to do with, but isn’t having a sexual relationship with a woman to whom he was not entitled idolatry? Isn’t anything we place ahead of God, His will, and His kingdom an idol? If a person takes a job which requires him to miss meeting with fellow Christians week after week, wouldn’t we consider that to be an idol? If a hobby kept us from Wednesday evening Bible study each week, wouldn’t we consider that an idol? “But David only committed this sin one time; how could that be idolatry?”

Aaron only fashioned one golden calf. Wasn’t it nevertheless a graven image? Couldn’t it be called an idol? Didn’t the people on that one occasion engage in idolatry (Ex. 32:6)? Was not God angry with this one instance of disobedience (v. 10)? Did Moses not grind the golden calf to powder, scatter it on the water, and make the people drink of it (v. 20)? Weren’t the Levites commanded to go throughout the camp “and let every man kill his brother” (32:27-28)? The point is that whether an individual puts something ahead of God once or on a continual basis, it still can be described as idolatry. Something besides God is being exalted above God.

David violated the 8th commandment, “You shall not steal” (Ex. 20:15). He took that which was not his—but which belonged to another—namely Uriah the Hittite. Bathsheba belonged to him. Her body belonged to him (as Paul would later expound on in 1 Corinthians 7:1-5). He did not give David permission to have her; in fact, such authority would not be his to grant anyway—even if he were willing—because God is witness to a couple’s marriage vows, and He would not allow such a frivolous attitude to be considered.

Although promises may not have been made, committing fornication involves the same principle. A couple submitting to sexual temptation is taking that which belongs to another, also—the future husband or the future wife. How much strife had been caused by those former “flames” once they are no longer an “item”? Couples dating have a responsibility to remain chaste.

Engaging in adulterous relationships dishonors father and mother (#5). Since they taught their offspring, people will wonder if they approve of such actions. The sin reflects poorly on one’s family. It also elicits a negative effect on the children of the current marriage. Friends are also placed in an awkward position. All these embarrassments can be avoided by abstaining from the sin.

That leaves the 9th commandment: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” Did David violate that one? It might seem like a stretch to so affirm. But he clearly lied and deceived. He pretended to Uriah that all was well; he had him return from the battle so that he would go home to visit his wife, which he refused to do. Had he done so, it might have covered up the sin David and Bathsheba had committed.

The next evening David got Uriah drunk. “Say, Uriah, I really enjoy your company. Have another drink.” Still, he refused to go home. So, David sent him back to the war with a note that bore witness against Uriah’s life. In effect, this note told Joab, “This man is worthy of death,” which was false. Joab saw to it that Uriah died.

Did David imagine, when he saw Bathsheba bathing, that he would end up violating eight of God’s ten commandments? Sin deceives all of us. Obviously, one sin often leads to another. Christians need to perfect the practice of turning away quickly from any temptation that Satan sets before us. Desirable though it may appear, it is the vehicle of shame and of possible destruction.