Ch. 12 - The Trials Of A King

Even though David was a king after God's own heart because he was willing to acknowledge his sin and repent, he nevertheless fell far short of the ideal king and suffered the disciplinary results of his disobedience. His sin with Bathsheba and his leniency both with the wickedness of his sons and with the insubordination of Joab led to intrigue, violence and bloodshed within his own family and the nation. However the Lord was gracious to David, and his reign became a standard by which the reigns of later kings were measured.