Chapter Twelve

God’s punishment of David for his fall with Bathsheba. The end of the war with the Ammonites.

2 Samuel 12:1. And the Lord sent Nathan [the prophet] to David, and he came to him and said to him: There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor; 2 Samuel 12:2. The rich man had very many flocks and herds, 2 Samuel 12:3. but the poor man had nothing except 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 from his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him; 2 Samuel 12:4. 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 wayfarer who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him. 2 Samuel 12:5. 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; 2 Samuel 12:6. and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no compassion. 2 Samuel 12:7. Nathan said to David: You are the man. Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I anointed you king over Israel, and I rescued you from the hand of Saul, “The prophet Nathan at first transfers the accusation to a properly imagined person, for we regard the sins of others and our own misdeeds in different ways; and therefore we do not judge ourselves and others in the same manner. Over others we pronounce a righteous judgment, – but when we transgress, either we completely drive consciousness of it from our mind, or, seeing the sin, we find an excuse for it” (Blessed Theodoret, commentary on 2 Kingdoms, question 24). “And he shall restore the lamb fourfold.” See (Exod 22:1).

2 Samuel 12:8. and I gave you the house of your master and the wives of your master into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah, and if that were too little, I would have added for you as much more. “And I gave you the house of your master (Saul) and the wives of your master into your bosom”, that is, I gave them over to your complete power.

2 Samuel 12:10. 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. “The sword shall never depart from your house forever.” This refers to the ensuing disturbances in David’s family life and in his state: the incest of Amnon with Tamar, the death of Amnon by the hand of Absalom, the revolt and death of Absalom, the revolt of Adonijah, and also misfortunes in the life of the Hebrew people under David’s successors.

2 Samuel 12:11. Thus says the Lord: Behold, I will raise up evil against you from 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; “I will raise up evil against you from your own house.” The sorrows that followed David were caused by people most dear to him (Amnon, Absalom, Adonijah). “I will take your wives” and so forth. See (2 Sam 16:20-22).

2 Samuel 12:13. 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; “And David said to Nathan: I have sinned against the Lord.” The same was said once by (1 Sam 15:24) and Saul, but, as Rambach remarks, “duo cum Saint idem, – non est idem.” The words of the king and prophet David expressed a complete consciousness of his fall, burning repentance for what he had done, and an undoubted resolve not to repeat his mistake. Saul, as we have noted above (see note to (1 Sam 15:24-31)), was conscious of his sin, but did not feel it. A striking monument to the soul’s torment of the sinful David is his 50th Psalm.

2 Samuel 12:25. and sent word by Nathan the prophet; so he named him Jedidiah * because of the Lord. “Jedidiah” – the second name of David’s son – Solomon.

2 Samuel 12:26. Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and took the royal city. 2 Samuel 12:27. And Joab sent messengers to David saying: I have fought against Rabbah; moreover, I have taken the city of waters; 2 Samuel 12:28. Now therefore 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. Having brought the capital city of the enemy to the point of surrender, Joab invited David into the field of battle so as to give him the pleasure and honor of a brilliant conclusion to the war. * * * Notes Beloved of God