David gets justice?
King David's adultery with Bathsheba is told in 2 Samuel chapters 11 and 12. Much of David's army was off fighting the Ammonites, but David lingered in his palace. From his rooftop, he saw Bathsheba having a bath and lusted for her. Indeed, even though he understood she was married to Uriah, one of his soldiers, he had sex with her and Bathsheba became pregnant. David schemed and had Uriah murdered. God was annoyed with David's conduct because He had previously ordered that both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death, Leviticus 20:10. God also commanded in Exodus 21:14 that if anyone plots and schemes to kill someone, that person must be put to death.
God did not impose the required penalty for either of those indiscretions on the man after his own heart. God put to death the infant born to him by Bathsheba. He struck the child with an illness and on the seventh day he died. God neglected his commands in Deuteronomy 24:16, which specifies that a child will not be put to death for the sin of the father and Leviticus 19:15 "Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great."
2 Samuel chapter 24 tells of another incident in which King David displeased God. The story begins by stating that God's anger burned against the nation of Israel, no reason is given for his anger, and he ordered David to take a census of Israel and Judah. The purpose of the census is not explained either.
David directed that the fighting men of Israel be counted so he would know how many there were. Afterward, David had a guilty conscience for differing from a census to counting the fighting men and confessed to the Lord that he had sinned. For retribution, God granted him three options to choose from -- three years of famine in his land, three months of fleeing from his enemies or three days of plague in his land. David appealed to the mercy of God and let Him choose. God administered justice by sending a plague on the people of Israel and 70,000 men died.
Then God inspired David to write; The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love. Psalm 33:5.
Disclaimer: I didn't make this up! It's in your Bible!
Oren Piper
Siloam Springs
Editorial on 03/13/2019