Nathan, Joab, Old Testament

We are all familiar with the vision of a person with two tiny visions of him/herself, one perched on each shoulder. One sports wings, while the other has horns and a forked tale. The person in the middle must choose between opposing advice whispered into each ear by this pair.
The life of David seems to be one in which the need to decide is plainly a struggle. On one hand is the advice of Nathan, a prophet given the task of helping David makes wise choices. But his is not the only voice in David's ear. Joab, the captain of the host, doesn't make suggestions himself, but stands ready to carry out the King's orders - no matter what they are or who they might hurt. Having a man like Joab on hand to do the "dirty" work represents a great temptation for David.
On a day when he would have been better off leading his army in battle, David was struck by the sight of Bathsheba bathing on her rooftop. He didn't lack feminine company, but David nevertheless pulled a few strings, paving the way to a sexual affair and an unplanned pregnancy. But there was a problem. Bathsheba was already married to Uriah the Hittite, probably a mid-level mercenary earning a dangerous living in King David's service
When David's attempt to cover his own sin failed, he turned to Joab for a favor. Uriah was simply to be left unprotected on the battlefield in order to become the victim of the opposing Amorites. The plan is a success, with David playing the role of mourning the loss of Uriah. The widow Bathsheba soon becomes David's wife, and no one, to David, is the wiser save Joab, Bathsheba and himself.
But there is no keeping secrets from God. Nathan soon tells David the story of a man who loses his little lamb to a man who takes it simply because he can. This angers David, and he begins to plan heavy punishment for the thief, when Nathan reveals the truth with just four words: "Thou art the man."
This represents a kind of turning point for David. To his credit, he doesn't deny the truth or try to pass the blame to someone else. His punishment is kept internal. He remains king and keeps Bathsheba, who later gives birth to Solomon. His reign, though, is not what it might have been because of God's promise that the remainder of his days would not bring peace, even within his own family. Though his words of sorrow are recorded in many of the Psalms, it is not enough to earn him the divine task of finally replacing the Tabernacle with a temple as a permanent home for the Ark of the Covenant. The job instead falls to Solomon.