2 Samuel 12:1-10

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 12:10

Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house ,.... During his life, and as appeared in the slaughter of his sons Ammon and Absalom before his death, and of Adonijah quickly after, and in his posterity through their wars with the children of Israel, and other nations: because thou hast despised me ; his commandments, and that in effect was despising him the lawgiver: and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife ; which being repeated shows that it was... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 12:1

There were two men in one city - See a discourse on fables at the end of Judges 9:56 ; (note), and a discourse on parabolic writing at the end of the thirteenth chapter of Matthew. There is nothing in this parable that requires illustration; its bent is evident; and it was construed to make David, unwittingly, pass sentence on himself. It was in David's hand, what his own letters were in the hands of the brave but unfortunate Uriah. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 12:3

And lay in his bosom - This can only mean that this lamb was what we call a pet or favourite in the family, else the circumstance would be very unnatural, and most likely would have prevented David from making the application which he did, as otherwise it would have appeared absurd. It is the only part of this parable which is at variance with nature and fact. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 12:5

The man - shall surely die - Literally מות בן ben maveth , "he is a son of death," a very bad man, and one who deserves to die. But the law did not sentence a sheep-stealer to death; let us hear it: If a man steal an ox or a sheep, he shall restore Five Oxen for an ox, and Four Sheep for a sheep, Exodus 22:1 ; and hence David immediately says, He shall restore the lamb Fourfold. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 12:7

Thou art the man - What a terrible word! And by it David appears to have been transfixed, and brought into the dust before the messenger of God. Thou Art this son of death, and thou shalt restore this lamb Fourfold. It is indulging fancy too much to say David was called, in the course of a just Providence to pay this fourfold debt? to lose four sons by untimely deaths, viz., this son of Bath-sheba, on whom David had set his heart, was slain by the Lord; Amnon, murdered by his brother... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 12:8

Thy master ' s wives into thy bosom - Perhaps this means no more than that he had given him absolute power over every thing possessed by Saul; and as it was the custom for the new king to succeed even to the wives and concubines, the whole harem of the deceased king, so it was in this case; and the possession of the wives was a sure proof that he had got all regal rights. But could David, as the son-in-law of Saul, take the wives of his father-in-law? However, we find delicacy... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 12:9

Thou hast killed Uriah - Thou art the Murderer, as having planned his death; the sword of the Ammonites was Thy instrument only. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 12:1

EXPOSITION Jehovah sent Nathan unto David. Though David had remained unrepentant for nearly a year, for we read in 2 Samuel 12:14 that the child was born, yet we are not to suppose that there had been no compunctions of conscience. A man could scarcely pass from utter callousness to a state of mind so tender as that depicted in Psalms 51:1-19 without some preparation. Assuredly David had suffered much mental distress, but he had given no outward sign of contrition, and possibly,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 12:1

( JERUSALEM .) A faithful reprover of sin. "And Jehovah sent Nathan to David." The sin Of David could not be hid. It was known to his servants ( 2 Samuel 11:4 ) and to Joab; it must have been surmised by many from his hasty marriage; and now it was fully manifest ( 2 Samuel 11:27 ). About a year had elapsed. "What a year for David to have spent! What a joyless, sunless, godless year! Were God's words still sweet to his taste? Were they still the rejoicing of his heart? or had he... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 12:1-4

( THE KING 'S PALACE .) The parable of the rich oppressor; or, the poor man's lamb. 1 . This is the first and almost the only parable contained in the Old Testament. There is one instance of a fable of earlier date ( 9:8-15 ). The former belongs to a higher order of teaching than the latter (Smith's 'Dict. of the Bible,' art. "Fable;" Trench, 'Notes on the Parables'); and it was employed most perfectly by the great Teacher. Compare his parables of the unmerciful servant,... read more

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