2 Samuel 12:5

5 Certainly David was full wroth with indignation against that man, and he said to Nathan, (As) The Lord liveth, for the man that did this thing is the son of death, that is, is worthy of death, for the hideousness of the deed;

2 Samuel 12:5 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 12:5

And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man
That had done this, taking it for a real fact:

and he said to Nathan, [as] the Lord liveth, the man that hath done
this [thing] shall surely die;
which be said in the transport of his wrath and fury; otherwise a thief, according to the law of Moses, was not to be put to death, but to make restitution; and if he was not able to make it, then to be sold, but he was not to die for it; but David thought the crime was so greatly aggravated by being done by a rich man, and by the loss the poor man sustained, it being his all, and the fact, in all its circumstances, so cruel and barbarous, that the guilty person ought to die: how much more vehemently, and indeed with justice, would he have passed the sentence of death on him, or condemned him to it, had it been put in the parable, that the rich man not only took the poor man's ewe lamb, but killed the poor man himself? but this Nathan left out, that David might not take his meaning, as Abarbinel thinks, who then would have been upon his guard, and not have condemned himself; and hereby also Nathan had this advantage against him, that if this man deserved to die, who had only taken the poor man's ewe lamb, then how much more ought he to die, who had not only committed adultery with Bathsheba, but had slain Uriah?

2 Samuel 12:5 In-Context

3 and the poor man had utterly nothing, except one little sheep, which he had bought, and nourished, and which had waxed at him, (and) with his sons, and ate together (with them) of his bread, and drank of his cup, and slept in his bosom; and it was as a daughter to him. (and the poor man had utterly nothing, except one little lamb, which he had bought, and nourished, and which had grown up with him, and with his sons, and together with them ate his food, and drank from his cup, and slept in his bosom; yea, it was like a daughter to him.)

4 But when a pilgrim came to this rich man, he spared to take of his own sheep and oxen, that he should make a feast to that pilgrim, that came to him; and he took the sheep of the poor man, and prepared meats to the man that came to him. (But when a visitor came to the rich man, he would not take his own sheep and oxen to make a feast for that visitor, who came to him; but instead he took the poor man's lamb, and prepared food for the man who came to him.)

5 Certainly David was full wroth with indignation against that man, and he said to Nathan, (As) The Lord liveth, for the man that did this thing is the son of death, that is, is worthy of death, for the hideousness of the deed;

6 he shall yield the sheep into fourfold, for he did this word, and spared not. (he shall give him four sheep, for he did this thing, and yet could care less.)

7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art that man, that hast done this thing. The Lord God of Israel saith these things, I anointed thee into king on Israel (I anointed thee king upon Israel), and I delivered thee from the hand of Saul,