2 Samuel 12:9-19

9 Why have you despised the LORD's word by doing what is evil in his eyes? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and taken his wife as your own. You used the Ammonites to kill him.
10 Because of that, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite as your own, the sword will never leave your own house.
11 "This is what the LORD says: I am making trouble come against you from inside your own family. Before your very eyes I will take your wives away and give them to your friend, and he will have sex with your wives in broad daylight.
12 You did what you did secretly, but I will do what I am doing before all Israel in the light of day."
13 "I've sinned against the LORD!" David said to Nathan. "The LORD has removed your sin," Nathan replied to David. "You won't die.
14 However, because you have utterly disrespected the LORD by doing this, the son born to you will definitely die."
Then Nathan went home.

Bathsheba’s child dies

15 The LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne for David, and he became very sick.
16 David begged God for the boy. He fasted and spent the night sleeping on the ground.
17 The senior servants of his house approached him to lift him up off the ground, but he refused, and he wouldn't eat with them either.
18 On the seventh day, the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child had died. "David wouldn't listen to us when we talked to him while the child was still alive," they said. "How can we tell him the child has died? He'll do something terrible!"
19 But when David saw his servants whispering, he realized the child had died. "Is the child dead?" David asked his servants. "Yes," they said, "he is dead."

2 Samuel 12:9-19 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 12

Nathan is sent to David to charge him with his sin, and convince him of it by a parable, 2Sa 12:1-6; which being accommodated and applied to David's case, brought him to a conviction and acknowledgment of it, and repentance for it, which was forgiven him, 2Sa 12:7-13; though he is told the child begotten in adultery should die, and it was quickly struck with sickness and died; and David's behaviour during its sickness and at its death is recorded, 2Sa 12:14-23; after which Solomon was born to him of the same woman, and had the name of Jedidiah given him by the Lord, which signifies the beloved of the Lord, and as a token of reconciliation, and a confirmation of his sin being forgiven him, 2Sa 12:24,25; and the chapter is concluded with the taking of the city of Rabbah, and the spoil in it, and the usage of the inhabitants of it, 2Sa 12:26-31.

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. MT the LORD’s enemies—a euphemism or ancient scribal correction (cf note at 1 Sam 25:22)
  • [b]. LXXL, DSS(4QSama); MT stood over
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