2 Samuel 12:1-10

Nathan Rebukes David

1 Then the LORD sent ¹Nathan to David. And ²he came to him and said, "There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor.

2 "The rich man had a great many flocks and herds.

3 "But the poor man had nothing * except * ³one little ewe lamb Which he bought and nourished; And it grew up together with him and his children. It would eat of his bread and drink of his cup and lie in his bosom, And was like a daughter to him.

4 "Now a traveler came to the rich man, And he was unwilling to take from his own flock or his own herd, To prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him; Rather he took the poor man's ewe lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him."

5 Then David's anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As the LORD lives, surely the man who has done this ⁴deserves to die.

6 "He must make restitution for the lamb ⁵fourfold, because * he did this thing and had no compassion."

7 Nathan then said to David, "⁶You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel, '⁷It is I who anointed you king over Israel and it is I who delivered you from the hand of Saul.

8 'I also gave you ⁸your master's house and your master's wives into your care, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added to you many more things like these!

9 'Why ⁹have you despised the word of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? ¹⁰You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, ¹¹have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon.

10 'Now therefore, ¹²the sword shall never * * depart from your house, because * you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.'

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2 Samuel 12:1-10 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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 12

1. 2 Sam 7:2, 4, 17
2. Ps 51: title
3. 2 Samuel 11:3
4. 1 Samuel 26:16
5. Exodus 22:1; Luke 19:8
6. 1 Kings 20:42
7. 1 Samuel 16:13
8. 2 Samuel 9:7
9. 1 Samuel 15:23, 26
10. 2 Samuel 11:14-17
11. 2 Samuel 11:27
12. 2 Samuel 13:28; 2 Samuel 18:14; 1 Kings 2:25

Footnotes 5

[a]. Lit "said to him"
[b]. Lit "morsel"
[c]. Lit "spared"
[d]. Lit "is a son of death"
[e]. Lit "bosom"