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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 12:1-14

It seems to have been a great while after David had been guilty of adultery with Bath-sheba before he was brought to repentance for it. For, when Nathan was sent to him, the child was born (2 Sam. 12:14), so that it was about nine months that David lay under the guilt of that sin, and, for aught that appears, unrepented of. What shall we think of David's state all this while? Can we imagine that his heart never smote him for it, or that he never lamented it in secret before God? I would... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 12:11

Thus saith the Lord ,.... For what he said was not of himself, but under a spirit of prophecy: behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house : that is, evil persons, who should be guilty of evil things, and that as a chastisement of him for the sins he had committed, and those out of his own family, as Amnon and Absalom: and I will take thy wives before thine eyes ; which is so expressed, because it was done in his lifetime, and he knowing it, but not able to... read more

John Gill

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

For thou didst it secretly ,.... Committed adultery with Bathsheba privately, and endeavoured to conceal it, by getting her husband killed in battle, and then marrying her as soon as he could to hide the shame of it: but one will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun ; as the above fact was; that is, he would suffer it to he done, and so order it in his providence, that everything should concur to the doing of it; as David's leaving his wives behind him, Ahithophel's... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 12:13

And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord ,.... Which confession, though short, was a full one, arising from a thorough conviction of the evil of the sin he had been guilty of, accompanied with real brokenness of heart, sincere humiliation, and a sorrow after a godly sort, as the fifty first psalm, that penitential psalm composed upon this occasion shows, Psalm 51:1 , and Nathan said unto David ; being fully satisfied with the sincerity and genuineness of his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 12:14

Howbeit, because by this deed ,.... This complicated wickedness, adultery with Bathsheba, and the murder of her husband, and occasioning the death of others: thou hast given great reason to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme ; to insult over Israel, and the God of Israel, and to magnify their own idols on account of the advantage they got when Uriah and other Israelites were slain; and to speak ill of God as a respecter of persons, who had cast off Saul and his family from the kingdom,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 12:11

I will take thy wives - That is, In the course of my providence I will permit all this to be done. Had David been faithful, God, by his providence, would have turned all this aside; but now, by his sin, he has made that providence his enemy which before was his friend. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 12:13

The Lord - hath put away thy sin - Many have supposed that David's sin was now actually pardoned, but this is perfectly erroneous; David, as an adulterer, was condemned to death by the law of God; and he had according to that law passed sentence of death upon himself. God alone, whose law that was could revoke that sentence, or dispense with its execution; therefore Nathan, who had charged the guilt home upon his conscience, is authorized to give him the assurance that he should... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 12:1-14

The facts are: 1. God sends Nathan the prophet to David, who tells him a story of the greed of a wicked rich man, who, to satisfy his avarice, took away and slew the pot ewe lamb of a poor man. 2 . David, accepting the story as a matter of fact, is very angry with this man, and swears that for his deed and lack of compassion he ought to die and restore fourfold. 3 . Nathan thereupon reveals the parabolic character of his narrative, by saying unto David, "Thou art the man !" 4 ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 12:10-12

( THE PALACE .) The penalties of sin. "Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house," etc. 1 . Sin is connected with suffering. The connection is real, intimate, inevitable. Nothing is more clearly manifest or more generally admitted; yet nothing is more practically disregarded. Men commit sin under the delusion that they can do so with impunity. But "they that plough iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same" ( Job 4:8 ; Galatians 6:7 ). 2 . Sin serves... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 12:11

He shall lie with thy wives. Fulfilled for political purposes by Absalom, under the advice of Bathsheba's grandfather ( 2 Samuel 16:22 ). The punishment was thus complete. For the murdered Uriah there was fourfold restitution, according to David's own sentence. First there was Bathsheba's child lately born, then Amnon, thirdly Absalom, and lastly Adonijah. For the adultery there was open disgrace wrought upon his royal dignity "before the sun," in open daylight. As he had brought shame and... read more

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