1 And the LORD H3068 sent H7971 Nathan H5416 unto David. H1732 And he came H935 unto him, and said H559 unto him, There were two H8147 men H582 in one H259 city; H5892 the one H259 rich, H6223 and the other H259 poor. H7326
2 The rich H6223 man had exceeding H3966 many H7235 flocks H6629 and herds: H1241
3 But the poor H7326 man had nothing, save one H259 little H6996 ewe lamb, H3535 which he had bought H7069 and nourished up: H2421 and it grew up H1431 together H3162 with him, and with his children; H1121 it did eat H398 of his own meat, H6595 and drank H8354 of his own cup, H3563 and lay H7901 in his bosom, H2436 and was unto him as a daughter. H1323
4 And there came H935 a traveller H1982 unto the rich H6223 man, H376 and he spared H2550 to take H3947 of his own flock H6629 and of his own herd, H1241 to dress H6213 for the wayfaring man H732 that was come H935 unto him; but took H3947 the poor H7326 man's H376 lamb, H3535 and dressed H6213 it for the man H376 that was come H935 to him.
5 And David's H1732 anger H639 was greatly H3966 kindled H2734 against the man; H376 and he said H559 to Nathan, H5416 As the LORD H3068 liveth, H2416 the man H376 that hath done H6213 this thing shall surely H1121 die: H4194
6 And he shall restore H7999 the lamb H3535 fourfold, H706 because H6118 he did H6213 this thing, H1697 and because H834 he had no pity. H2550
7 And Nathan H5416 said H559 to David, H1732 Thou art the man. H376 Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 I anointed H4886 thee king H4428 over Israel, H3478 and I delivered H5337 thee out of the hand H3027 of Saul; H7586
8 And I gave H5414 thee thy master's H113 house, H1004 and thy master's H113 wives H802 into thy bosom, H2436 and gave H5414 thee the house H1004 of Israel H3478 and of Judah; H3063 and if that had been too little, H4592 I would moreover have given H3254 unto thee such H2007 and such things. H2007
9 Wherefore hast thou despised H959 the commandment H1697 of the LORD, H3068 to do H6213 evil H7451 in his sight? H5869 thou hast killed H5221 Uriah H223 the Hittite H2850 with the sword, H2719 and hast taken H3947 his wife H802 to be thy wife, H802 and hast slain H2026 him with the sword H2719 of the children H1121 of Ammon. H5983
10 Now therefore the sword H2719 shall never H5704 H5769 depart H5493 from thine house; H1004 because H6118 thou hast despised H959 me, and hast taken H3947 the wife H802 of Uriah H223 the Hittite H2850 to be thy wife. H802
11 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Behold, I will raise up H6965 evil H7451 against thee out of thine own house, H1004 and I will take H3947 thy wives H802 before thine eyes, H5869 and give H5414 them unto thy neighbour, H7453 and he shall lie H7901 with thy wives H802 in the sight H5869 of this sun. H8121
12 For thou didst H6213 it secretly: H5643 but I will do H6213 this thing H1697 before all Israel, H3478 and before the sun. H8121
13 And David H1732 said H559 unto Nathan, H5416 I have sinned H2398 against the LORD. H3068 And Nathan H5416 said H559 unto David, H1732 The LORD H3068 also hath put away H5674 thy sin; H2403 thou shalt not die. H4191
14 Howbeit, H657 because by this deed H1697 thou hast given H5006 great occasion H5006 to the enemies H341 of the LORD H3068 to blaspheme, H5006 the child H1121 also that is born H3209 unto thee shall surely H4191 die. H4191
15 And Nathan H5416 departed H3212 unto his house. H1004 And the LORD H3068 struck H5062 the child H3206 that Uriah's H223 wife H802 bare H3205 unto David, H1732 and it was very sick. H605
16 David H1732 therefore besought H1245 God H430 for the child; H5288 and David H1732 fasted, H6684 H6685 and went in, H935 and lay H7901 all night H3885 upon the earth. H776
17 And the elders H2205 of his house H1004 arose, H6965 and went to him, to raise him up H6965 from the earth: H776 but he would H14 not, neither did he eat H1262 bread H3899 with them.
18 And it came to pass on the seventh H7637 day, H3117 that the child H3206 died. H4191 And the servants H5650 of David H1732 feared H3372 to tell H5046 him that the child H3206 was dead: H4191 for they said, H559 Behold, while the child H3206 was yet alive, H2416 we spake H1696 unto him, and he would not hearken H8085 unto our voice: H6963 how will he then H6213 vex H7451 himself, H6213 if we tell H559 him that the child H3206 is dead? H4191
19 But when David H1732 saw H7200 that his servants H5650 whispered, H3907 David H1732 perceived H995 that the child H3206 was dead: H4191 therefore David H1732 said H559 unto his servants, H5650 Is the child H3206 dead? H4191 And they said, H559 He is dead. H4191
20 Then David H1732 arose H6965 from the earth, H776 and washed, H7364 and anointed H5480 himself, and changed H2498 his apparel, H8071 and came H935 into the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 and worshipped: H7812 then he came H935 to his own house; H1004 and when he required, H7592 they set H7760 bread H3899 before him, and he did eat. H398
21 Then said H559 his servants H5650 unto him, What thing H1697 is this that thou hast done? H6213 thou didst fast H6684 and weep H1058 for the child, H3206 while it was alive; H2416 but when the child H3206 was dead, H4191 thou didst rise H6965 and eat H398 bread. H3899
22 And he said, H559 While the child H3206 was yet alive, H2416 I fasted H6684 and wept: H1058 for I said, H559 Who can tell H3045 whether GOD H3068 will be gracious H2603 H2603 to me, that the child H3206 may live? H2416
23 But now he is dead, H4191 wherefore should I fast? H6684 can H3201 I bring him back again? H7725 I shall go H1980 to him, but he shall not return H7725 to me.
24 And David H1732 comforted H5162 Bathsheba H1339 his wife, H802 and went in H935 unto her, and lay H7901 with her: and she bare H3205 a son, H1121 and he called H7121 his name H8034 Solomon: H8010 and the LORD H3068 loved H157 him.
25 And he sent H7971 by the hand H3027 of Nathan H5416 the prophet; H5030 and he called H7121 his name H8034 Jedidiah, H3041 because of the LORD. H3068
26 And Joab H3097 fought H3898 against Rabbah H7237 of the children H1121 of Ammon, H5983 and took H3920 the royal H4410 city. H5892
27 And Joab H3097 sent H7971 messengers H4397 to David, H1732 and said, H559 I have fought H3898 against Rabbah, H7237 and have taken H3920 the city H5892 of waters. H4325
28 Now therefore gather H622 the rest H3499 of the people H5971 together, H622 and encamp H2583 against the city, H5892 and take H3920 it: lest I take H3920 the city, H5892 and it be called H7121 after my name. H8034
29 And David H1732 gathered H622 all the people H5971 together, H622 and went H3212 to Rabbah, H7237 and fought H3898 against it, and took H3920 it.
30 And he took H3947 their king's H4428 crown H5850 from off his head, H7218 the weight H4948 whereof was a talent H3603 of gold H2091 with the precious H3368 stones: H68 and it was set on David's H1732 head. H7218 And he brought forth H3318 the spoil H7998 of the city H5892 in great H3966 abundance. H7235
31 And he brought forth H3318 the people H5971 that were therein, and put H7760 them under saws, H4050 and under harrows H2757 of iron, H1270 and under axes H4037 of iron, H1270 and made them pass H5674 through the brickkiln: H4404 and thus did H6213 he unto all the cities H5892 of the children H1121 of Ammon. H5983 So David H1732 and all the people H5971 returned H7725 unto Jerusalem. H3389
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Samuel 12
Commentary on 2 Samuel 12 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 12
2Sa 12:1-6. Nathan's Parable.
1. the Lord sent Nathan unto David—The use of parables is a favorite style of speaking among Oriental people, especially in the conveyance of unwelcome truth. This exquisitely pathetic parable was founded on a common custom of pastoral people who have pet lambs, which they bring up with their children, and which they address in terms of endearment. The atrocity of the real, however, far exceeded that of the fictitious offense.
5. the man that hath done this thing shall surely die—This punishment was more severe than the case deserved, or than was warranted by the divine statute (Ex 22:1). The sympathies of the king had been deeply enlisted, his indignation aroused, but his conscience was still asleep; and at the time when he was most fatally indulgent to his own sins, he was most ready to condemn the delinquencies and errors of others.
2Sa 12:7-23. He Applies It to David, Who Confesses His Sin, and Is Pardoned.
7. Nathan said to David, Thou art the man—These awful words pierced his heart, aroused his conscience, and brought him to his knees. The sincerity and depth of his penitent sorrow are evinced by the Psalms he composed (Ps 32:1-11; 51:1-19; 103:1-22). He was pardoned, so far as related to the restoration of the divine favor. But as from his high character for piety, and his eminent rank in society, his deplorable fall was calculated to do great injury to the cause of religion, it was necessary that God should testify His abhorrence of sin by leaving even His own servant to reap the bitter temporal fruits. David was not himself doomed, according to his own view of what justice demanded (2Sa 12:5); but he had to suffer a quadruple expiation in the successive deaths of four sons, besides a lengthened train of other evils.
8. I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives—The phraseology means nothing more than that God in His providence had given David, as king of Israel, everything that was Saul's. The history furnishes conclusive evidence that he never actually married any of the wives of Saul. But the harem of the preceding king belongs, according to Oriental notions, as a part of the regalia to his successor.
11. I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, &c.—The prophet speaks of God threatening to do what He only permitted to be done. The fact is, that David's loss of character by the discovery of his crimes, tended, in the natural course of things, to diminish the respect of his family, to weaken the authority of his government, and to encourage the prevalence of many disorders throughout his kingdom.
15-23. the Lord struck the child … and it was very sick—The first visible chastisement inflicted on David appeared on the person of that child which was the evidence and monument of his guilt. His domestics were surprised at his conduct, and in explanation of its singularity, it is necessary to remark that the custom in the East is to leave the nearest relative of a deceased person to the full and undisturbed indulgence of his grief, till on the third or fourth day at farthest (Joh 11:17). Then the other relatives and friends visit him, invite him to eat, lead him to a bath, and bring him a change of dress, which is necessary from his having sat or lain on the ground. The surprise of David's servants, then, who had seen his bitter anguish while the child was sick, arose apparently from this, that when he found it was dead, he who had so deeply lamented arose of himself from the earth, without waiting for their coming to him, immediately bathed and anointed himself, instead of appearing as a mourner, and after worshiping God with solemnity, returned to his wonted repast, without any interposition of others.
2Sa 12:24, 25. Solomon Is Born.
24, 25. Bath-sheba … bare a son, and he called his name Solomon—that is, "peaceable." But Nathan gave him the name of Jedediah, by command of God, or perhaps only as an expression of God's love. This love and the noble gifts with which he was endowed, considering the criminality of the marriage from which he sprang, is a remarkable instance of divine goodness and grace.
2Sa 12:26-31. Rabbah Is Taken.
26. Joab fought against Rabbah—The time during which this siege lasted, since the intercourse with Bath-sheba, and the birth of at least one child, if not two, occurred during the progress of it, probably extended over two years.
27. the city of waters—Rabbah, like Aroer, was divided into two parts—one the lower town, insulated by the winding course of the Jabbok, which flowed almost round it, and the upper and stronger town, called the royal city. "The first was taken by Joab, but the honor of capturing so strongly a fortified place as the other was an honor reserved for the king himself."
28. encamp against the city, and take it—It has always been characteristic of Oriental despots to monopolize military honors; and as the ancient world knew nothing of the modern refinement of kings gaining victories by their generals, so Joab sent for David to command the final assault in person. A large force was levied for the purpose. David without much difficulty captured the royal city and obtained possession of its immense wealth.
lest I take the city, and it be called after my name—The circumstance of a city receiving a new name after some great person, as Alexandria, Constantinople, Hyderabad, is of frequent occurrence in the ancient and modern history of the East.
30. he took their king's crown from off his head—While the treasures of the city were given as plunder to his soldiers, David reserved to himself the crown, which was of rarest value. Its great weight makes it probable that it was like many ancient crowns, not worn, but suspended over the head, or fixed on a canopy on the top of the throne.
the precious stones—Hebrew, "stone"; was a round ball composed of pearls and other jewels, which was in the crown, and probably taken out of it to be inserted in David's own crown.
31. he brought forth the people … and put them under saws, &c.—This excessive severity and employment of tortures, which the Hebrews on no other occasion are recorded to have practised, was an act of retributive justice on a people who were infamous for their cruelties (1Sa 11:2; Am 1:13).