Uriah, once again in his grubby military clothes, made his way through the palace and out to the same gate he had entered hours before. He was angry again. Why was the king so incessantly delaying things? Why did he insist Uriah stay the night in Jerusalem? Why did he send for word from Rabbah and yet continue to silence Uriah any time he spoke up?
“He can force me to stay in Jerusalem over night, but I certainly am not going to enjoy things. Not while my general sleeps in a tent.”
“What’s that, my lord?”
Uriah turned to see a small boy behind him, looking nearly the same as the one who had led him into the palace earlier.
“Who in God’s name are you? And why are you following me?” Uriah was not in a mood to pander to any small child who happened to be following after him.
The boy shrank back, afraid. “Sir,” he said, “I was sent to make sure you got home tonight. King David sent me.”
“Well, then you’d best be off. I’m not going home.”
“Sir?”
“You heard me. Go back to sleep, boy.”
Uriah turned and began walking along his original path.
“Sir, would you like me to fetch your donkey?”
Uriah turned to confront the boy again. “I told you, boy, go back to your bed. Your job is done. I’m not going home tonight, and you’d best be gone from my sight before I find a new use for my fist.”
With those words, the boy scampered off into the shadows of the palace like a scared little mouse caught stealing food at night. Uriah turned and continued walking. He was going to sleep with the servants tonight, in the entrance to the gate.
If my general can sleep on a cot in a hot, stinky tent, then I certainly will not sleep on a soft bed tonight, the soldier said to himself.
Uriah soon came to the gate and found himself a place to sleep. The stares of the few servants still awake did nothing to dissuade him from wrapping himself in his cloak and stretching out on the hard, dry ground. Just before he fell to sleep, Uriah could have sworn he saw the dirty child again, but every one of those servant boys looked the same to him. He fell asleep, still mulling over the strange way the king had been acting and his frustrating wait in Jerusalem. He dreamed that night of battles he could not win.
Tags: 2 Samuel, David, honor, Old Testament, sacrifice, Uriah
