Commentaries Dictionaries Concordances

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

2 Samuel 12:1

2 Samuel 12:1-6. Nathan's Parable

1. theLord sent Nathan A year had passed, and Bath-sheba's child had been born, before Nathan was sent to rouse the king's slumbering conscience.

To this crisis belong Psalms 51. and 32. See Introd. ch. VIII. § 5, p. 47.

and said unto him Some MSS of the Vulg. add Give me a judgment. The words cannot be regarded as part of the original text, though they are a correct gloss. The prophet asks for the king's decision, as though he were consulting him about a case which had really happened. Compare the plan adopted by the widow of Tekoah (ch. 2 Samuel 14:4-7); and by the prophet sent to rebuke Ahab (1 Kings 20:35-41). Other parables are found in the O.T. in Judges 9:7-15; 2 Kings 14:9; Isaiah 5:1-2.

Continues after advertising

See also 2 Samuel 12:1 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    CHAPTER XII _The Lord sends Nathan the prophet to reprove David; which he_ _does by means of a curious parable_, 1-4. _David is led, unknowingly, to pronounce his on condemnation_, 5, 6. _Nathan...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    Nathan came to David as if to ask his judicial decision on the case about to be submitted to him (compare 2 Samuel 14:2; 1 Kings 20:35). The circumstances of the story are exquisitely contrived to hei...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    2. THE MESSAGE OF GOD AND DAVID'S CONFESSION AND THE BEGINNING OF THE CHASTISEMENT CHAPTER 12 _ 1. The Lord's message through Nathan (2 Samuel 12:1)_ 2. David's anger (2 Samuel 12:5) 3. Thou art t...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    2 SAMUEL 12. DAVID'S REPENTANCE. CAPTURE OF RABBAH (J). The section concerning Nathan (2 Samuel 12:1_ a_) is sometimes regarded as a later addition by some one who was anxious to point out and emphasi...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    THE _ LORD._ Hebrew. _Jehovah_. App-4. SENT. See 2 Samuel 11:27. NATHAN. Septuagint and Syriac read "Nathan the prophet". he came. Compare title of Psalms 51. MEN. Hebrew. _'ish._ App-14....

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 316 NATHAN’S PARABLE 2 Samuel 12:1. 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. The rich...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    THERE WERE TWO MEN, &C.— See Judges 9:7. It is not easy to conceive any thing more masterly and exquisite than the present parable. It places Nathan's character in a fine point of view, and at the sam...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    3. David's Repentance, 2 Samuel 12:1-31. _Nathan's Parable._ 2 Samuel 12:1-6 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 ric...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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._ The Lord sent Nathan unto David. The use of parables...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    DAVID'S REPENTANCE AND PARDON. THE CAPTURE OF RABBAH 4. To dress for the wayfaring man] We may notice Eastern ideas of hospitality: cp. Genesis 18:3....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    DAVID, THE GREAT KING OF ISRAEL 2 SAMUEL _HELEN POCOCK_ CHAPTER 12 NATHAN’S MESSAGE TO DAVID V1 The *Lord sent Nathan to David. Nathan went to David and he said, ‘Two men lived in a city. One ma...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    SENT NATHAN. — Nathan was already on intimate terms with David, and recognised by him as a prophet (2 Samuel 7:1)....

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יִּשְׁלַ֧ח יְהוָ֛ה אֶת ־נָתָ֖ן אֶל ־דָּוִ֑

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER XV. _ DAVID AND NATHAN._ 2 Samuel 12:1; 2 Samuel 12:26. IT is often the method of the writers of Scripture, when the stream of public history has been broken by a private or personal inciden...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THOU ART THE MAN 2 Samuel 12:1 A year followed on his sin, but David gave no sign. He describes his condition during that awful time in Psalms 32:3. Conscience scourged him incessantly, but he did no...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    A year passed away. The child of Bathsheba was born. We can imagine what that year had been to David. Bathsheba, whom in all probability he truly loved, was with him as his wife; but it is inevitable...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And the LORD sent (a) 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. (a) Because David lay now drowned in sin, the lovin...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Unto him, after the birth of the child. A whole year had nearly elapsed, and David continued blind and impenitent. The spirit of prophecy had left him; and, though he was clear-sighted, and equitable...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (1) В¶ 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. (2) The rich man had exceeding many flocks and he...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    CONTENTS This chapter is a continuation of the same subject as the former; and relates the method the Lord was pleased to adopt for the recovery of David after his fall. Nathan the prophet is sent fr...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    We have seen the sorrowful circumstances out of which arose the first desire to have a king in Israel, and the remarkable fact that, although it was a sin, God nevertheless did not put the people back...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 11, 12, AND 13. The history of David and the wife of Uriah follows. David is no longer acting by faith in God's service. When the time comes at which kings go...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND THE LORD SENT NATHAN UNTO DAVID,.... Quickly after the child was born begotten on Bathsheba, and when it was known and became the public talk of people, and the enemies of religion were full of it...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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...

  • Jonathan Edwards' Notes On The Scriptures

    2 Sam. 12. It may be worth the while to observe the analogy there was between David's sin in the matter of Uriah, and the judgments after. He was guilty of shedding of blood, and he was punished with...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _The Lord sent Nathan unto David_ When the ordinary means did not awaken David to repentance, God takes an extraordinary course. Thus the merciful Lord pities and prevents him who had so horribly fors...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Nathans parable of the Ewe lambe, causeth Dauid to be his owne Iudge. 7 Dauid, reproued by Nathan, confesseth his sinne and is pardoned. 15 Dauid mourneth and prayeth for the childe, while it liue...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And the Lord, almost a year after the first transgression, 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. Nathan chose...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Nathan's Reproof and its Success...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    David did not immediately confess his sin to God, andPsalms 32:3 shows that the Lord waited for some time at least before sending the prophet Nathan to him, likely over nine months, for a son had been...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-14 God will not suffer his people to lie still in sin. By this parable Nathan drew from David a sentence against himself. Great need there is of prudence in giving reproofs. In his application, he...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    2 SAMUEL CHAPTER 12 Nathan by a parable reproveth and threateneth David, 2 SAMUEL 12:1. He confesseth his sin, and is pardoned, but the child must die, 2 SAMUEL 12:13,14: David mourneth and prayeth fo...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    2 Samuel 12:1 LORD H3068 sent H7971 (H8799) Nathan H5416 David H1732 came H935 (H8799) said H559 ...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    2 Samuel 12:1 The chief devotional exercise which turns religion into a personal thing, which brings it home to men's business and bosoms, is self-examination. A man's religion cannot well be one of...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: David's rebuke and repentance. Birth of Solomon. Ammonite victory. CHARACTERS: God, David, Nathan, Bathsheba, Joab. CONCLUSION: If the believer, brought face to face with his sins sincerel...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    2 Samuel 12:1. _The Lord sent Nathan to David._ The substance of the mission, the visitations he foretold, the perfect accomplishment of them, as well from that very day as in future ages, leaves not...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _And the Lord sent Nathan unto David._ NATHAN REPROVING DAVID I. David’s sin. David, it appears, to avenge the outrage which bad been perpetrated on his ambassadors by Hanun, the king of the Ammonite...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 2 SAMUEL 12:1 Through the prophet NATHAN, God calls David to account for his sins of adultery and murder (ch. 2 Samuel 11:1)....

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXPOSITORY NOTES 2 Samuel 12:3. “WAS UNTO HIM,” etc. “The custom of keeping pet sheep in the house, as we keep lap-dogs, is still met with among the Arabs.” (_Keil_.) “As a poor man he...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION 2 SAMUEL 12:1 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...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    David thought that things were just going great until the prophet Nathan came to him. Nathan said to David, There is a man in your kingdom who is very wealthy, had many herds, many flocks many servant...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Kings 13:1; 1 Kings 18:1; 1 Kings 20:35; 2 Kings 1:3; 2 Samuel

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    The Lord sent — When the ordinary means did not awaken David to repentance, God takes an extraordinary course. Thus the merciful God pities and prevents him who had so horribly forsaken God. He said —...

Continues after advertising