Uriah
Theme:
Integrity
Business Application:
Character decisions have consequences. Heed warnings before digging yourself in deeper.
Who he was:
Uriah was the husband of Bathsheba, the woman David took advantage of after seeing her bathing on the rooftop. He was one of thirty commanders in David’s army and listed as one of the “mighty men.” He was a Hittite, a foreigner, whose name means “my light is Yahweh,” which implies he converted to Judaism.
King David impregnated Bathsheba while Uriah was away in battle. In an attempt to cover up the incident, David recalled Uriah, hosted him for dinner and drinks, and sent him home to be with his wife. Uriah chose instead to sleep on the threshold rather than sleep with his wife while his fellow soldiers were fighting. This prompted David to secretly have him sent to the frontlines to be killed. The prophet Nathan later called David out for his sin.
Why his story matters:
Uriah kept his integrity, in stark contrast to David. The king was idle, which led to temptation. And he tried to cover up his misdeeds, which only increased his transgression.
What we can learn from him:
Uriah’s story illustrates how sin doesn’t happen in a vacuum. The act of sleeping on the threshold may have also served as a warning to David, which he chose to ignore.
Where we see his archetype today:
We see traces of Uriah in stories of whistleblowers who are punished for speaking out.
How we can learn more about him:
Uriah is introduced in 1 Chronicles 11:26, 41 and listed among the warriors in 2 Samuel 23:24, 39. The story of David’s betrayal is in 2 Samuel 11-12.