1 Kings 1:23 - Exposition

And they told the king, saying, Behold Nathan the prophet [we are scarcely justified in seeing in this "solemn announcement of his approach" an "indication of the consideration in which he was held" (Stanley). It is difficult to see how otherwise he could be announced. It is clear that he was constantly spoken of as "the prophet" ( 1 Kings 1:10 , 1 Kings 1:22 , 1 Kings 1:34 , 1 Kings 1:38 , etc. Cf. 2 Samuel 7:2 ; 2 Samuel 12:25 ]. And when he was come in before [Hebrews and he came before— three words instead of six] the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground [see on verses 16, 20; and cf. verse 31, where we have a similar expression. "In the Assyrian sculptures, ambassadors are represented with their faces actually touching the earth before the feet of the monarch" (Rawlinson). This profound reverence on the part of Nathan is the more remarkable, when we remember how he had once denounced David to his face (Samuel Hebrews 12:7 )].