2 Samuel 12 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

2 Samuel 12

Nathan Rebukes David

12:1 And the LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had very many flocks and herds, 3 but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms,¹ and it was like a daughter to him. 4 Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” 5 Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, 6 and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.”

7 Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. 8 And I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. 9 Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10 Now therefore the 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.’ 11 Thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.’” 13 David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. 14 Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the LORD,² the child who is born to you shall die.” 15 Then Nathan went to his house.

David’s Child Dies

And the LORD afflicted the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and he became sick. 16 David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. 17 And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground, but he would not, nor did he eat food with them. 18 On the seventh day the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to us. How then can we say to him the child is dead? He may do himself some harm.” 19 But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David understood that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” They said, “He is dead.” 20 Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. He then went to his own house. And when he asked, they set food before him, and he ate. 21 Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.” 22 He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ 23 But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.”

Solomon’s Birth

24 Then David comforted his wife, Bathsheba, and went in to her and lay with her, and she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. And the LORD loved him 25 and sent a message by Nathan the prophet. So he called his name Jedidiah,³ because of the LORD.

Rabbah Is Captured

26 Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and took the royal city. 27 And Joab sent messengers to David and said, “I have fought against Rabbah; moreover, I have taken the city of waters. 28 Now then gather the rest of the people together and encamp against the city and take it, lest I take the city and it be called by my name.” 29 So David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah and fought against it and took it. 30 And he took the crown of their king from his head. The weight of it was a talent⁴ of gold, and in it was a precious stone, and it was placed on David’s head. And he brought out the spoil of the city, a very great amount. 31 And he brought out the people who were in it and set them to labor with saws and iron picks and iron axes and made them toil at⁵ the brick kilns. And thus he did to all the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

Footnotes

[1] 12:3 Hebrew bosom; also verse 8
[2] 12:14 Masoretic Text the enemies of the Lord; Dead Sea Scroll the word of the Lord
[3] 12:25 Jedidiah means beloved of the Lord
[4] 12:30 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms
[5] 12:31 Hebrew pass through

Commentary

v1-6: God sent Nathan with his parable, to deal with His servant David. In a few words Nathan painted the picture of the rich man with large flocks, and the poor man with just one lamb.

It seems likely that very few knew of David’s adultery. And few would dare to challenge a king. Nathan’s parable draws David in, with his sense of justice. This leads to his repentance. Had Nathan directly confronted David with his sin, it seems less likely it would have been effective.

David's response was partly correct; a person would have to restore fourfold (Ex 22.1), but should not die for theft. David's refusal to repent affected his attitude towards others, he had become like the rich man, without pity. His disproportionate attitude was triggered by his failure to deal with his own guilt.

v7-8: God had given much to David, but he had wanted something more, that God had not given, and that was improper to take. God would have given more to David. We must look to God to give us every good and perfect gift.

v9: David was also guilty of the death of Uriah; he had done evil.

v10-14: The sins of David would have consequences in his life;

the sword would never depart from his house; from this point on, David ensured rebellion and strife in his family;
calamity from within the family; esp. fulfilled in Absalom and Adonijah;
Absalom lay with David's concubines (16.22);
David's sins were in secret, and few knew anything of them, but the consequences would be in public;
the Lord God had put away David's sins, for He is ready to pardon (Neh 8.17). David made no sacrifice, for there was none, and since David was a man of faith;
the son born to Bathsheba would die.

It is in this section that Psalms 51 and 32 were written; showing David's repentance and his enjoyment of God's forgiveness.

v15-17: The Lord God struck the child, and he became ill. Although God had already told David that the child would die, he prayed constantly for him.

v18-19: David's servant saw how he responded to the child's illness, and were concerned how he would react to the child's death.

v20-23: The child having died, David worshipped God. He recognised that nothing more could be done for the child; we do not pray for those who have died. We do not grieve like those who have no hope (1 Thess 5.13).

There is something of the hand of God in these things; had the child lived, he would have borne the shame of David’s adultery throughout his life. The effects of David’s sins were manifest later, through Amnon and Absalom.

v24-25: David was married to Bathsheba (11.27), and she now bore a son, Solomon. This son reflected something of David's heart, and was therefore loved by God.

v26-31: David returned to the battle, where he should have been months before. Joab had continued to fight, throughout this period.