Several men named Nathan are mentioned in the Bible, one of them being a son of David in the line of descent that produced the Messiah (2 Samuel 5:14; Zechariah 12:12; Luke 3:31). But the best known Nathan is the prophet who belonged to David’s court. It was he who revealed that the permanent temple David desired to build was not necessary, and that God was more concerned with building a permanent dynasty for David (2 Samuel 7:1-17). God allowed the temple to be built, though by David’s son, not by David himself (2 Samuel 7:12-13; 1 Chronicles 28:3; 1 Chronicles 28:6).

Nathan was again God’s spokesman when he announced God’s judgment on David because of his sin with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:1-15). Nathan seems also to have been the person through whom God revealed that Solomon would be David’s successor as king (2 Samuel 12:24-25; 1 Chronicles 28:5-6; 1 Kings 1:17). Significantly, Nathan came to the defence of Solomon when Adonijah challenged him (1 Kings 1:11-14; 1 Kings 1:22-24; 1 Kings 1:32-34). Like many prophets, Nathan was a court historian (1 Chronicles 29:29; 2 Chronicles 9:29; 2 Chronicles 29:25).