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
So they spread H5186 Absalom H53 a tent H168 upon the top of the house; H1406 and Absalom H53 went in H935 unto his father's H1 concubines H6370 in the sight H5869 of all Israel. H3478
And David H1732 sent H7971 messengers, H4397 and took H3947 her; and she came in H935 unto him, and he lay H7901 with her; for she was purified H6942 from her uncleanness: H2932 and she returned H7725 unto her house. H1004 And the woman H802 conceived, H2029 and sent H7971 and told H5046 David, H1732 and said, H559 I am with child. H2030 And David H1732 sent H7971 to Joab, H3097 saying, Send H7971 me Uriah H223 the Hittite. H2850 And Joab H3097 sent H7971 Uriah H223 to David. H1732 And when Uriah H223 was come H935 unto him, David H1732 demanded H7592 of him how Joab H3097 did, H7965 and how the people H5971 did, H7965 and how the war H4421 prospered. H7965 And David H1732 said H559 to Uriah, H223 Go down H3381 to thy house, H1004 and wash H7364 thy feet. H7272 And Uriah H223 departed out H3318 of the king's H4428 house, H1004 and there followed H310 him a mess H4864 of meat from the king. H4428 But Uriah H223 slept H7901 at the door H6607 of the king's H4428 house H1004 with all the servants H5650 of his lord, H113 and went not down H3381 to his house. H1004 And when they had told H5046 David, H1732 saying, H559 Uriah H223 went not down H3381 unto his house, H1004 David H1732 said H559 unto Uriah, H223 Camest H935 thou not from thy journey? H1870 why then didst thou not go down H3381 unto thine house? H1004 And Uriah H223 said H559 unto David, H1732 The ark, H727 and Israel, H3478 and Judah, H3063 abide H3427 in tents; H5521 and my lord H113 Joab, H3097 and the servants H5650 of my lord, H113 are encamped H2583 in the open H6440 fields; H7704 shall I H589 then go H935 into mine house, H1004 to eat H398 and to drink, H8354 and to lie H7901 with my wife? H802 as thou livest, H2416 and as thy soul H5315 liveth, H2416 I will not do H6213 this thing. H1697 And David H1732 said H559 to Uriah, H223 Tarry H3427 here to day H3117 also, and to morrow H4279 I will let thee depart. H7971 So Uriah H223 abode H3427 in Jerusalem H3389 that day, H3117 and the morrow. H4283 And when David H1732 had called H7121 him, he did eat H398 and drink H8354 before H6440 him; and he made him drunk: H7937 and at even H6153 he went out H3318 to lie H7901 on his bed H4904 with the servants H5650 of his lord, H113 but went not down H3381 to his house. H1004 And it came to pass in the morning, H1242 that David H1732 wrote H3789 a letter H5612 to Joab, H3097 and sent H7971 it by the hand H3027 of Uriah. H223 And he wrote H3789 in the letter, H5612 saying, H559 Set H3051 ye Uriah H223 in the forefront H6440 H4136 of the hottest H2389 battle, H4421 and retire H7725 ye from him, H310 that he may be smitten, H5221 and die. H4191
In G1722 the mean time, G3739 when there were gathered together G1996 an innumerable multitude G3461 of people, G3793 insomuch that G5620 they trode G2662 one upon another, G240 he began G756 to say G3004 unto G4314 his G846 disciples G3101 first of all, G4412 Beware G4337 ye G1438 of G575 the leaven G2219 of the Pharisees, G5330 which G3748 is G2076 hypocrisy. G5272 For G1161 there is G2076 nothing G3762 covered, G4780 that G3739 shall G601 not G3756 be revealed; G601 neither G2532 hid, G2927 that G3739 shall G1097 not G3756 be known. G1097
Therefore G5620 judge G2919 nothing G3361 G5100 before G4253 the time, G2540 until G2193 G302 the Lord G2962 come, G2064 who G3739 both G2532 will bring to light G5461 the hidden things G2927 of darkness, G4655 and G2532 will make manifest G5319 the counsels G1012 of the hearts: G2588 and G2532 then G5119 shall every man G1538 have G1096 praise G1868 of G575 God. G2316
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).