1Nathan's parable of the ewe lamb causeth David to pass sentence upon himself. 7Nathan applieth the parable to David; who humbleth himself, and is pardoned. 15The newborn child being stricken of God, David mourneth and prayeth for him while living, but taketh comfort after he is dead. 24Solomon is born, and named Jedidiah. 26Rabbah is taken by David, and the people thereof tortured.
1AND the LORD sent 1Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, 2There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.
1 The prophet, as 2 Sam. 7:2.
2 By means of this parable and its explanation, it has pleased the gracious God first to bring His servant David to that end that he ignorantly passed sentence against himself, and in the next place would awaken out of the sleep of his sins by the powerful working of the Holy Spirit to take to heart this atrocity, and to obtain and manifest true repentance; as it has taken place.
2The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:
3But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.
4And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.
5And David's anger was greatly kindled against 3the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall 4surely die:
3 Understand the rich man.
4 That is, he is guilty of death; he has deserved death; in regard of the circumstances of the merciless cruelty used toward that poor man. Compare with this phrase Gen. 20:3; Deut. 25 on verse 2; 2 Sam. 3 on verse 34; Eph. 2:3.
6And he shall restore the lamb 5fourfold,a because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.
5 According to the law Exod. 22:1.
a Exod. 22:1.
7¶And Nathan said to David, Thou 6art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointedb thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;
6 That is, you are like that man, having committed so much grosser and more atrocious deed, as it is a far greater crime to take away a man’s only wedded wife from him, than an only lamb, and yet besides to put the guiltless man to death.
b 1 Sam. 16:13.
8And I gave thee thy 7master’s house, and thy master’s 8wives into thy 9bosom, and gave thee the 10house of Israel and of Judah; and 11if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.
7 That is, Saul’s house. Hebr. the house of thy lords, in the plural number, which in the Holy Scripture is commonly used for the singular number. See Gen. 39 on verse 2. Some retain in the translation the plural number, thus: of thy lords, that is, of those who were greater and mightier than you; and so in the following words; understanding that the marriage between David and Saul’s wives (in respect of the relation by marriage) was unlawful. Some understand by Saul’s wives not his wedded wives, but other ladies of honor.
8 Not that God approved the plurality of wives, but tolerated it in the Old Testament without punishment.
9 See Gen. 16:5; Deut. 13 on verse 6. Others understand into thy bosom, that is, into thy power; yet so as that he might not abuse them against the law of God. Compare 1 Sam. 24:11.
10 That is, the kingdom of all My people.
11 Or, if this had seemed too little for thee, I would moreover have done such and such things for thee. Hebr. as, or, according to those and according to these things. Intimating that God, Who had done him so much good, was able further to provide for him according to his own heart’s desire, if anything would be lacking unto him; so that he had no cause at all to provoke his so good and gracious God in such a manner as he had done and to satisfy his wicked and sinful lusts by such base and shameful means.
9Wherefore hast thou despised the 12commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast 13killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the 14children of Ammon.
12 The sixth, seventh and the eighth commandment of the law of the Lord.
13 Procuring by Joab’s means that he is to be slain by the Ammonites, as in the following words is declared. See 2 Sam. 11:14, 15, 16, 17.
14 Who were uncircumcised and enemies of God and His people.
10Now therefore the sword shall 15never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.
15 That is, in a long time, or, all your lifetime, as 1 Sam. 1 on verse 22. See also Deut. 15 on verse 17.
11Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee 16out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives 17before thine eyes, and givecthem unto thy 18neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the 19sight of this sun.
16 Understand, David’s own sons, Amnon, Absalom and Adonijah, as is related in the following chapters and 1 Kings 1. By their wickedness God, in His just and faultless judgment, did severely punish and chasten David for his sins. See on the following verse.
17 That is, in your lifetime, that you shall have to hear and believe it to your grief and sorrow of heart as if you had seen it with your own eyes, as well as all Israel. See 2 Sam. 16:22.
c Deut. 28:30; 2 Sam. 16:22.
18 Namely, Absalom.
19 That is, in broad daylight, while the sun shines. Thus often mention is made of these creatures as if they had ears, eyes and had understanding. See Deut. 32 on verse 1.
12For thou didst it secretly: but I will do 20this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.
20 Mentioned in the previous verse, namely, that God would take David’s wives, and give them unto Absalom, etc. Is God then the Author of Absalom’s abominable sins? God forbid. Nevertheless He says here expressly that He will do this thing, etc. Did He then not pour this sin and wickedness into Absalom? By no means. But He so ruled and ordered Absalom’s and Ahithophel’s and the devil’s willful wickedness (which they had of themselves) by His Holy Providence that they employed and used the same to David’s grief. This does little to excuse the devil, Absalom and Ahithophel (who sought to fulfill their own hatred and wicked lusts), as God’s counsel of delivering up to death His well-beloved Son for our salvation did or could favor Judas the traitor, the Jews and Pilate. The work of Absalom, etc., is wicked and devilish, but God’s work is holy and good; for, He intended to chasten His servant David by evil instruments for His own glory and David’s good to uncover Absalom’s and Ahithophel’s wickedness and to punish them to the glory of His own righteousness. Everywhere the Holy Scripture abounds with such examples of God’s over-ruling Providence and government in and concerning evil. This David knew and acknowledged full well, and therefore did heartily humble himself before God. See Gen. 45 on verse 5.
13And David said unto Nathan, 21I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath 22put away thy sin; thou shalt not 23die.
21 See the declaration of this confession in Psalm 51.
22 Hebr. properly: caused to pass over, to pass through, to pass by, that is, forgiven, remitted. Also 2 Sam. 24:10; Job 7:21. Compare 1 Chron. 21:8; Prov. 19:11; Amos 7:8; Micah 7:18; Zech. 3:4.
23 That is, I will not punish thee with death for this sin, either temporally or eternally, although thou hast well deserved it according to thine own sentence, verse 5, and My justice.
14Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given 24great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee 25shall surely die.
24 Hebr. blaspheming hast caused to blaspheme. First, the Ammonites, who, having slain Uriah and others of thy servants, have praised their gods after the manner of the heathen, and blasphemed the God of Israel as void of power; and in the second place, generally all enemies round about who speak evil of God and His people, making much of such a king who committed such foul acts upon his good subjects. Or, thou hast given them occasion to speak blasphemously when they shall hear of this. Compare Rom. 2:24 and elsewhere.
25 Hebr. dying die.
15¶And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s 26wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.
26 That is, who had been Uriah’s wife. Compare 2 Sam. 2 on verse 2.
16David therefore 27besought God for the child; and David fasted, and 28went in, and 29lay all night upon the earth.
27 That is to say in this place: he prayed fervently unto God for the child’s health. See 2 Chron. 20:3, 4; Psalm 27:8; 34:4; 77:2; Isa. 26:16; 31:1; Jer. 50:4, etc.
28 Into his inner chamber or closet.
29 Hebr. he passed the night and lay on the ground.
17And the 30elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat 31bread with them.
30 That is, his most important officers or courtiers who in the following verses are called his servants.
31 See 2 Sam. 3 on verse 35 and elsewhere often.
18And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then 32vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?
32 That is, this might vex and grieve him more than previously.
19But when David saw that his servants 33whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.
33 They spoke secretly with each other under their breath and in quietness, in order that David might not hear it.
20Then David arose from the earth, and 34washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the 35house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required,d they set 36bread before him, and he did eat.
34 See Ruth 3 on verse 3.
35 Understand, the tent which David had caused to be made for the ark. See 2 Sam. 6:17.
d asked
36 As verse 17 and in the following verse.
21Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.
22And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I 37said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?
37 Namely, within myself; that is, I thought.
23But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I 38bring him back again? I shall go to 39him, but he shall not 40return to me.
38 Namely, into life.
39 Namely, to the child, according to the body into the grave, to the soul into heaven.
40 Into this life.
24¶And David comforted Bath-sheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she baree a son, and he called his namef41Solomon: and the LORD loved him.
e Mat. 1:6.
f 1 Chron. 22:9.
41 Hebr. Schelomoh. David gave him this name according to God’s command. See 1 Chron. 22:9.
2542And he sent by the 43hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name 44Jedidiah, 45because of the LORD.
42 Namely, the LORD. Other, he (David) sent him under the hand of Nathan the prophet (that is, to be taught and directed by Nathan in the fear of the Lord), who called his name Jedidiah.
43 That is, by the ministry.
44 That is, beloved of the Lord. Hebr. Jedidejah.
45 That is, because the Lord loved him, as is said in verse 24, and because he would be a type and figure of the Lord Christ, Who is the well-beloved Son of God, the Founder of God’s house, and the true King of peace. See 2 Sam. 7:13, etc.; 1 Chron. 22:9, 10; Psalm 45; generally in the Canticles; Isa. 9:6, etc.; Mat. 3:17; Luke 1:32, 33; Heb. 3:6.
26 ¶ 46Andg Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the 47royal city.
46 Here is now continued the history which was begun in 2 Samuel 11.
g 1 Chron. 20:1, etc.
47 Hebr. the city of the kingdom. Whereby may be understood that part of the city where was the king’s court, which perhaps was situated by the water’s side or was compassed about with waters. See the following verse.
27And Joab sent messengers to David, and 48said, I have fought against Rabbah, and have taken the 49city of waters.
48 That is, sent him word.
49 See on the previous verse.
28Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and take it: lest I take the city, and it be 50called after my name.
50 Or, named upon it, that is, that you may have the honor and not I, who would have the honor, if they would say: Joab has taken Rabbah.
29And David gathered all 51the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it.
51 The remainder of the people, as was said in the previous verse.
30Andh he took their king's crown from off his head, the 52weight whereof was a 53talent of gold with the precious stones: and it was set on David's head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city in great abundance.
h 1 Chron. 20:2.
52 Other, price or worth.
53 See Exod. 25 on verse 39. A civil talent amounted to 62 pounds and an half, the pound consisting of twelve ounces, which makes forty-six pounds (each pound consisting of sixteen ounces) and fourteen ounces.
31Andi he brought forth the 54people that were therein, and 55put them under 56saws, and under harrowsj of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the 57brickkiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem.
i 1 Chron. 20:3.
54 Understand, as many of them as were needful to be exposed to exemplary punishment. In 2 Sam. 17:27 mention is made of one Shobi, whom some perceive to have been the son of the king of Rabbah, and who was not only kept alive, but is also crowned king by David in the place of his brother Hanun.
55 David inflicted these hard and grievous punishment, customary (as it is perceived) in those eastern countries, upon the Ammonites because they had so basely misconstrued his friendly intent and act, and had treated his ambassadors so disgracefully against the law of nations, see 2 Sam. 10:2, 3, 4. Moreover, they were abominable idolaters, blasphemers and enemies of God and His people, and who, without question, had tyrannically inflicted such kinds of deaths upon the people of God. Compare 2 Sam. 8 on verse 2; Amos 1:3; Heb. 11:37, and see of the tacked harrows of iron or threshing-carts in Deut. 25 on verse 4.
56 That is, he caused them to be sawed asunder, to be bruised in pieces (like corn) with harrows of iron, or threshing-carts tacked together, to be cut in twain with axes or hatchets and to be burnt in brick-ovens or brick-kiln.
j (noun) implements used for breaking up and leveling ploughed ground
57 Other, through the furnace of Malchen (that is, of Moloch) to which idol they were wont to offer up their children, causing them to pass through the fire. See 2 Kings 16:3; 23:10. Likewise Lev. 18:21; 20:2, etc.