2 Samuel 16:22

The top of the house. The tent was pitched on the roof of the palace where David had committed his secret sin with Bathsheba. Nathan had predicted the public nature of the punishment of David’s secret crime (2 Samuel 12:11, 12), and the fulfillment was in accord with his words. Because a prophet of God had made this prediction it must not be thought that God was the one responsible for this terrible crime. God’s forecasts are not necessarily His decrees. Because of David’s sin God did not exercise His power to prevent the evil consequences. In Bible figure, however, God is often described as doing that which He does not prevent (see 2 Samuel 12:11, 12; Patriarchs and Prophets 739). As David had defiled the wife of another, so his bed was defiled. As he had done unto others, so others were permitted to do unto him. It may be that Ahithophel, as the grandfather of Bathsheba, had in mind a desire to force the banished king to drink the same bitter cup he had forced others to drink.