The Cost of Fealty, Part 12 (2 Samuel 11)

That day passed in a haze. Uriah hardly noticed the time as it slipped away. He spoke hardly a word through the evening meal, a man long dead. He drank his fill of wine, forgot his troubles, and filled his cup again. Too drunk to care any longer, he wrapped himself in his cloak and slept once again on the dirt at the entrance to the palace.

The Cost of Fealty, Part 11 (2 Samuel 11)

By the time Uriah had reached his house, he had managed to calm himself down enough to be reasonable. His pulse still raced, and he had difficulty thinking about anything other than the task at hand, but he felt himself able to at least speak to his wife. Uriah approached the door, hand on the latch, and he suddenly stopped, frozen in place. Fear gripped his heart.

What if it was true? What if King David had taken Bathsheba into his bed? What if they…?

For the first time in a long while, Uriah shook with fear.

The Cost of Fealty, Part 10 (2 Samuel 11)

Uriah sat in the king’s gardens, his mind reeling from the recent discoveries and from the afternoon heat mingled with the exotic and foreign scents of flowers. His heart beat fast, and it was difficult to slow his mind down to think through everything. There was a lot going on, and the soldier had to act very carefully with what he knew; he had to have facts, not just feelings or worries. So he thought through what he did know.

Uriah was certain that David was involved in some relationship with a woman (or even women) that was deemed inappropriate by his own servants and that caused the king himself much torment. The poem he found and the servants’ conversation could mean nothing else. Further, Uriah was sure that it was for this reason that the king had called Uriah to meet him for the morning prayers. Perhaps the king had hoped to ask Uriah for advice, or maybe he simply wanted to confide in another, to get the burden of guilt off his chest. Uriah could not be certain exactly why the king had wanted to speak with him, but he was sure it had to be regarding this relationship. The two had been friends for many years, so it was natural that the king would confide in him.

Still, thought Uriah in worry, why not confide in Joab or in his own brothers? I’m not that close to the king. We’ve served together many years, but why confide in me?

The Cost of Fealty, Part 9 (2 Samuel 11)

I feel like a thief, Uriah nervously thought to himself as he raced through the palace halls, trying to hurry without looking hurried. I can’t believe I’m doing this.

He had carefully questioned the palace employees to learn that King David would be in council with the ambassador from Egypt until just before the noon meal. That meant he had less than an hour to find the scroll. If all went well—if he didn’t run into any unexpected visitors, if the scroll actually was where he assumed it would be—then Uriah wouldn’t even need that hour. But if he did run into unexpected trouble… He chose to consider that possibility if the need arose.

The Cost of Fealty, Part 8 (2 Samuel 11)

The soldier awoke before dawn, as had been his custom for probably the last twenty years. He stretched his sore back and rubbed his eyes. He stood up and went in search of somewhere to wash his face. Uriah found a small cistern by the kitchen, where he did his best to wash up.

“Prince Uriah,” he heard a man’s voice behind him.

Uriah wiped the water from his face and turned to face one of the palace guards, a man who looked too tired to be called one but who nonetheless wore the uniform of a guard.

“Peace, soldier,” Uriah nodded, then waited. When the man failed to continue, Uriah spoke, “Speak. Do you have a message?”

The palace guard nodded, “Yes, sir. Yes, I do. King David desires your presence immediately.”

“Good,” Uriah grunted. Finally, he could discuss business with the king, and then be gone back to his men. It had taken far too long already. “Take me to him.”