And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman [was] very beautiful to look upon.
Ver. 2. And it came to pass in an evening tide.] When David should have been at his devotions, as his wont was. But now, belike, the devil had caused him to come from his trench, and then did presently wound him. While Joab is busy in laying siege to Rabbah, Satan is to David, and far sooner prevailed.
That David arose from off his bed.] Somno et cibo pastas distentusque ideoque in Venerem proclivis; full feeding and being idle, two of Sodom's sins, disposed him to the other of lust and uncleanness. The rankest weeds grow out of the fattest soil. The water that hath been heated, soonest freezeth: the most active spirit soonest tireth with slacking. The earth standeth still, and is all dregs; the heavens ever move and are pure. Beware of ease and idleness: here began David's downfall. Say not of this, as Lot did of Zoar, Is it not a little one? The parvity smallness of a sin taketh not away the pravity depravity of it: and a less maketh way for a greater, as wedges do in wood cleaving. Pompey desired that all his soldiers might come into a certain city; when that was denied, he said, Let my weak and wounded soldiers come in; they did, and then soon opened the gates to all the army.
“ Principiis obsta. ”
And from the roof he saw a woman.] This was another occasion of David's foul fall, curiosa circumspectatio. His eyes had no sooner the sleep rubbed out of them, than they roved to wanton prospects. He had once prayed, "Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity"; and should have still continued his suit: that as he might keep a door in God's house, so God would keep the doors and windows of his, - those, otherwise, windows of wickedness, and loopholes of lust, the eyes; through which the old serpent easily windeth himself into the heart, and maketh himseff master of the whole man. This made good Job to step from a prayer to a vow. Job 31:1 Yea, from a vow to an imprecation, Job 31:7 as knowing the danger of irregular glancing, or inordinate gazing. Those who abuse the outward eye, are worthy to have the inward eye darkened, saith Gregory. David's eye became an inlet of lust into his soul: let them look to it who think they may look at liberty, a et se illis spectaculis non moveri. Nunquid tu fortior Davide, Solomone, sapientor? saith Augustine. Art thou stronger than David, wiser than Solomon? See therefore to thy cinque-ports, five gates to thy senses: for of looking cometh lusting, and contemplative wickedness. Valerius fitly calleth the eyes the spies, that lie in ambush for the undermining of other men's marriages. And Quintilian saith, that by the eyes way is made to manifold wickedness. b
Washing herself,] viz., From her legal uncleanness, according to the Law. Leviticus 15:19 ; Lev 18:19 David, Actaeon-like
“ vidit sine veste Dianam;
Praeda fuit canibus nec minus ille suis. ”
Lust is quick sighted: it metamorphoseth a man into a beast, and maketh him a prey to hell's huntsman. The Vulgate rendereth the text thus, Videtque mulierem se lavantem ex adverso, he saw a woman washing herself opposite him: he saw her washing either in her garden, which was near the palace, saith Adrichonius, or else in her chamber per fenestram, through a window, as Vatablus thinketh, by some casement accidentally open, he chanced to see her: he espied her, where she could espy no beholder.
And the woman was very beautiful to behold.] This was an eyesore to David, in the same sense that the Persian maids were by Alexander called oculorum dolores, eye maladies to his Macedonians. The basilisk slayeth with his sight. Circe will enchant all that behold her, having faculty attractive with the jet, and retentive with the adamant.
a Sit casus maiorum tremor minorum. - Aug.
b Ut vidi, ut perii. Oculi sunt in amore duces.