MPV Commentary

14-15. David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it through Uriah himself. The instructions were to put Uriah in the front lines of the fiercest battle.

The various tactics David employed to persuade Uriah, including this one, demonstrate his increasing desperation as he sought to achieve his goal. By sending the letter through Uriah's own hands, David enlisted him in a horrific crime: murder. This act showcases the cold-blooded cruelty with which David dispatched the order, and it highlights the heartless way he involved Joab in his sin.

The subsequent events – including David's pretended mourning and hasty marriage to Bath-sheba – have left an indelible stain on David's character, serving as a painful reminder of how even the best of men can fall when they abandon God's restraining grace.