Uriah and David might be more accurately transliterated from Hebrew as “Uwriyah.” It roughly means “Yah (God) is light” or “Yahweh is my light.” We don’t know if Uriah was given this name at birth or whether he later chose it for himself. Interestingly, it is a distinctly Hebrew name, explicitly referring to Yah or Yahweh, the Hebrew name for God.
Introduction
This is of note since Uriah was a Hittite. This name suggests that despite his Hittite heritage, Uriah was a follower of Yahweh. Uriah the Hittite was one of King David’s mighty men.
The Bible depicts him as a fierce warrior and an upstanding man. However, Uriah faced an untimely end when the king lusted after Uriah’s wife. Let us draw some lessons from his life.
A Man of Fair Judgment Samuel 11:11 King David sent for Uriah after he had slept with his wife, Bathsheba, and made her pregnant. He asked Uriah how the battle was, then sent him home to freshen up.
David hoped that Uriah would sleep with his wife, and others would think he was responsible for her pregnancy. Uriah did not go home but slept at the entrance of the palace.
When the king asked him why he did not go home, he said that he could not go home while Israel and Judah stayed intent, and his commander and the fighting men were camped in open country.
Uriah was a fair and just man because he could not imagine going to enjoy himself while those he left on the battlefield were not enjoying themselves.
He considered others before considering himself. As Christians, we should not be “me” focused but always have a heart open and compassionate for others. Read more similar posts on our Bible page of the site.
A Bold Man-2 Samuel 11
Uriah’s boldness was evident when King David told him to go home, and he instead slept at the palace entrance. Even when the king got him drunk and sent him home, he did not go home.
He did not worry about what the king would say or do because he knew his intentions for not going home were noble and honourable.
We don’t always have to agree with what our employers, mentors, or others in authority over us say or do. Especially when they tell us to do questionable things or things contrary to the Word of God, we can decide not to do them and explain to them in a loving way why we will not.
We should obey the things God tells us, and when a man asks us to disobey God, we should boldly decline and give an honest explanation.
A Loyal Man-2 Samuel 11:11
Uriah’s loyalty stems from when he was one of David’s mighty men (-2 Samucl23,839). So, it was natural that when Uriah was sent back to the battlefield and told that he had to go to the frontline where the battle was hottest, he did not object to fleeing.
He knew that he had a duty to fulfil to his king(aka his friend) and country. He obliged and went to the position Joab imagined him. Unfortunately, that is where he met his death.
The last time that Uriah’s name is mentioned in the Bible is in Matthew Chapter I in the genealogy of Jesus found it curious that in this genealogy that details the line of Jesus, Uriah is the only non-blood relation mentioned.
Matthew 16 says, “And Jesse, the father of David, the king, And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah”
Uriah was focused on seeing Israel’s enemies defeated and was glad to serve wherever the king placed him on the battlefield. Even though this was a setup for his fall he remained loyal to David from when David was fleeing Saul to the very end. Yet. David did not remain faithful to Uriah.
A Man without discernment-2 Samuel11:8-11,14-17
As much as Uriah had some excellent qualities, he also had weaknesses. He never stopped to ask himself why the king desperately wanted him to go home. He may have decided to sleep in the palace entrance but never wondered what was going on with the king. He let his trust in his friend blind him.
Uriah also did not question why Joab, his commander sent him to the front of the battle, which was very risky. He obeyed without wondering why things changed after the king summoned him.
We learn from Uriah’s lack of discernment that we need to question when people around us start to act strange and out of character. Something could be going on, and we need to know before it is too late. Unfortunately for Uriah, it was too late because he had lost his life. It’s crucial as Christians to keep our eyes open and use wisdom.
Those Closest to Us-2 Samuel 11:8-10,14-17
When we think about our enemies, we usually see them as people who are out there who want to bring us down. We rarely feel that they are close to us; our employers, friends, or even family.
