And it came to pass in an evening, 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.
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Cassiodorus Senator
AD 585
For blessed Jerome among others points out that Bathsheba manifested a type of the church or of human flesh and says that David bore the mark of Christ; this is clearly apt at many points. Just as Bathsheba when washing herself unclothed in the brook of Kidron delighted David and deserved to attain the royal embraces, and her husband was slain at the prince’s command, so too the church, the assembly of the faithful, once it has cleansed itself of the foulness of sins by the bath of sacred baptism, is known to be joined to Christ the Lord. It was indeed appropriate in those days that the future mysteries of the Lord should be manifested by a deed of this kind, and that what people considered a blameworthy act should be shown to point in a spiritual sense to a great mystery. - "Exposition of the Psalms 50 (51).1–2"
Noon. He had been reposing, according to custom, chap. iv. 7. (Calmet)
But the devil was not idle. He was meditating a temptation and crime, which involved a great part of the remainder of David's life in misery. (Haydock)
He had reigned 18 years, and lived 48, almost without blame. (Salien, the year of the world 2998.)
His house, as the Hebrew explains it. The Vulgate might insinuate that the woman was upon "the roof of her house. "But she was probably in her garden, as the Jews have their baths in the open air. They are frequently obliged to purify themselves. (Calmet)
The house must have been very near David's palace. (Salien)
But who that hears of it, not only among believers but among unbelievers themselves also, does not utterly loathe this, that David walking upon his roof lusted after Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah? Yet when he [Uriah] returns back from the battle, he bids him go home to wash his feet. Whereupon he answered at once, “The ark of the Lord dwells in tents; shall I then take rest in my house?” David receives him to his own table and delivers to him letters, through which he would die. But who does David walking upon his roof typify if not him concerning whom it is written, “He has set his tent in the sun.” And what else is it to draw Bathsheba to himself, but to join to himself by a spiritual meaning the law of the letter, which was united to a carnal people? For “Bathsheba” means “the seventh well,” surely, in that through the knowledge of the law, with spiritual grace infused, perfect wisdom is ministered to us. And whom does Uriah denote but the Jewish people, whose name is interpreted “My...
David was a man after God’s own heart, and his lips had often sung of the Holy One, the future Christ. Yet as he walked upon his housetop he was fascinated by Bathsheba’s nudity, and [he] added murder to adultery. Notice here how, even in his own house, a man cannot use his eyes without danger. Then repenting, he says to the Lord, “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done this evil in your sight.” Being a king he feared no one else. - "Letter 22.12"
