And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. Ver. 1. _And the Lord sent Nathan unto David._] He must be of God's sending, that shall effectually awaken conscience, and speak to the heart. Nathan the p... [ Continue Reading ]
The rich [man] had exceeding many flocks and herds: Ver. 2. _The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds._] The greater was his sin, since pressed with no necessity. What need had the angels to leave their first estate and habitation? Jdg 1:6 What need had Adam to reach after a deity? What nee... [ Continue Reading ]
But the poor [man] had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. Ver. 3. _But the poor man._] Poor Uria... [ Continue Reading ]
And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. Ver. 4. _And there came a traveller._] This was the devil,... [ Continue Reading ]
And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, [As] the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this [thing] shall surely die: Ver. 5. And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man.] Little dreaming that himself was the man, till afterwards, and then it was, - "Ye... [ Continue Reading ]
And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. Ver. 6. _And he shall restore the lamb fourfold._] Nay, twice fourfold, as some sense it; because the word is of the dual number. But what! Must he do all this, and die too? This was hard law, better bese... [ Continue Reading ]
And Nathan said to David, Thou [art] the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; Ver. 7. _And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man._] _Tu is es, de te narratur fabula._ You are the one and about you is the story told.... [ Continue Reading ]
_And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if [that had been] too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things._ Ver. 8. And I gave thee thy master's house.] What! to hire thee hereby to be th... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife [to be] thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Ver. 9. _Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment?_] Yea, n... [ Continue Reading ]
Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. Ver. 10. _Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house._] Never, that is, so long as thou livest, as 1Sa 1:22 Genesis 43:9. Or, whi... [ Continue Reading ]
Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give [them] unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. Ver. 11. _Behold, I will raise up evil against thee, &c._] God loveth to... [ Continue Reading ]
For thou didst [it] secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun. Ver. 12. _For thou didst it secretly._] As fearing men more than me; whereas an honest heathen could say, Although I were sure _homines ignoraturos, et Deos ignoscituros,_ _a_ that men knew it not, and tha... [ Continue Reading ]
And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Ver. 13. _I have sinned against the Lord._] He saith not _Perii,_ but _Peccavi; _ not I am undone, but I have done amiss. A short word, but passionate. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also [that is] born unto thee shall surely die. Ver. 14. _Howbeit, because by this deed, &c._] Thus, though the Lord was a God that forgave David, yet took he vengeance of his scandalous... [ Continue Reading ]
And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick. Ver. 15. _And the Lord struck the child._] As he might justly do, both for the corruption of nature wherein it was conceived Rom 5:14 - infants are no innocents - and for that... [ Continue Reading ]
David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. Ver. 16. _David therefore besought God._] As knowing that God doth sometimes threaten, that he may not punish: with humble submission therefore to his goodwill and pleasure he supplicateth f... [ Continue Reading ]
And the elders of his house arose, [and went] to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them. Ver. 17. _But he would not, neither did he eat bread with them._] It is easy to observe that good man, David, too passionately attached to his children: and th... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the c... [ Continue Reading ]
But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead. Ver. 19. _Is the child dead?_] This he inquired, that if so, he might put an end to his prayers, which for the dead he knew... [ Continue Reading ]
Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed [himself], and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat. Ver. 20. _Then David arose from the earth._] When God ha... [ Continue Reading ]
Then said his servants unto him, What thing [is] this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, [while it was] alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. Ver. 21. _What thing is this that thou hast done?_] _Quam absurda et insolens?_ The saints are "for si... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell [whether] GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? Ver. 22. _Whether God will be gracious to me, that the child may live?_] God was gracious to him in that the child did not live. See on 2 Samuel 12:... [ Continue Reading ]
But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. Ver. 23. _I shall go to him,_] viz, With my body I shall go to him into the grave, with my soul into heaven. For in answer to his prayers for the child's life, David had a secr... [ Continue Reading ]
And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him. Ver. 24. _And David comforted Bathsheba his wife._] Till now she was called the wife of Uriah: but now that God had pardoned their sin, ratifie... [ Continue Reading ]
And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD. Ver. 25. _And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet._] Who was Solomon's _educator et pedagogus,_ tutor and monitor to fit him for the kingdom, saith Lyra: and by whom God would comfort David, a... [ Continue Reading ]
And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city. Ver. 26. _And took the royal city._] He had well nigh taken it after a twelve month's siege. David's sin at home had hindered Joab's good success abroad, and retarded the conquest of this city of Rabbah, which now is... [ Continue Reading ]
And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and have taken the city of waters. Ver. 27. _The city of waters,_] _i.e., _ _a_ The palace royal encompassed with waters, both for safeguard and delight. Or, The city of waters, that is, the waters of the city; _b_ so that i... [ Continue Reading ]
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 after my name. Ver. 28. _Lest I take the city, and it be called by my name._] _Mirare hic modestiam et fidelitatem dueis Ioab,_ saith one; the modesty and fidelity... [ Continue Reading ]
And David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it. Ver. 29. _And David gathered all the people together._] He had made his peace with God, for else he durst not have looked the enemy in the face: howbeit, that he had not yet recovered his former tend... [ Continue Reading ]
And he took their king's crown from off his head, the weight whereof [was] a talent of gold with the precious stones: and it was [set] on David's head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city in great abundance. Ver. 30. And he took their king's crown from off his head.] After that it had been f... [ Continue Reading ]
And he brought forth the people that [were] therein, and put [them] under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brickkiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem. Ver. 31. _A... [ Continue Reading ]