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
This thing H1697 is not good H2896 that thou hast done. H6213 As the LORD H3068 liveth, H2416 ye are worthy H1121 to die, H4194 because ye have not kept H8104 your master, H113 the LORD'S H3068 anointed. H4899 And now see H7200 where the king's H4428 spear H2595 is, and the cruse H6835 of water H4325 that was at his bolster. H4763
And G1161 why G5101 beholdest thou G991 the mote G2595 that is in G1722 thy G4675 brother's G80 eye, G3788 but G1161 perceivest G2657 not G3756 the beam G1385 that is in G1722 thine own G2398 eye? G3788 Either G2228 how G4459 canst thou G1410 say G3004 to thy G4675 brother, G80 Brother, G80 let me G863 pull out G1544 the mote G2595 that is in G1722 thine G4675 eye, G3788 when thou G991 thyself G846 beholdest G991 not G3756 the beam G1385 that is in G1722 thine G4675 own eye? G3788 Thou hypocrite, G5273 cast out G1544 first G4412 the beam G1385 out of G1537 thine own G4675 eye, G3788 and G2532 then G5119 shalt thou see clearly G1227 to pull out G1544 the mote G2595 that is in G1722 thy G4675 brother's G80 eye. G3788
And it came to pass about three H7969 months H2320 after, that it was told H5046 Judah, H3063 saying, H559 Tamar H8559 thy daughter in law H3618 hath played the harlot; H2181 and also, behold, she is with child H2030 by whoredom. H2183 And Judah H3063 said, H559 Bring her forth, H3318 and let her be burnt. H8313
For, as the LORD H3068 liveth, H2416 which saveth H3467 Israel, H3478 though it be H3426 in Jonathan H3129 my son, H1121 he shall surely H4191 die. H4191 But there was not a man among all the people H5971 that answered H6030 him.
For as long as H3117 the son H1121 of Jesse H3448 liveth H2425 upon the ground, H127 thou shalt not be established, H3559 nor thy kingdom. H4438 Wherefore now send H7971 and fetch H3947 him unto me, for he shall surely die. H1121 H4194
Now David H1732 had said, H559 Surely in vain H8267 have I kept H8104 all that this H2088 fellow hath in the wilderness, H4057 so that nothing H3972 was missed H6485 of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited H7725 me evil H7451 for good. H2896 So H3541 and more H3254 also do H6213 God H430 unto the enemies H341 of David, H1732 if I leave H7604 of all that pertain to him by H5704 the morning H1242 light H216 any that pisseth H8366 against the wall. H7023
But G1161 he turned, G4762 and rebuked G2008 them, G846 and G2532 said, G2036 Ye know G1492 not G3756 what manner G3634 of spirit G4151 ye G5210 are of. G2075
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).