“But David tarried behind.” The scribe has chosen a subordinating conjunction (but) to conceal a negative abstraction worthy of investigation. The verb tarried is passive in its expression, and it too is hiding a secret. The scribe is trying to lead us to believe that David was tired and needed a rest; however, investigations persuade us to believe that something else was on his mind…Could it be, a few days before, David received a text message from Bathsheba to induce his probing spirit that kept him home and awake? after all, they were neighbors and David was a cat’s meow…Could it be that their attraction factors were aroused and one or the other made a gesture of willingness?…Could it be also that she had seen him up there before and lust was conceived in her heart…and she thought this a tranquil opportunity to gratify her lust?…and, if it came to light, he could sweep it under his political rug…David, turning to politics to cover his tracks was the mistake of his life, and many in religious leadership are following the same path.