History · Chapter 12 of 24

2 Samuel 12

God sends Nathan, who tells David a parable of a rich man who steals a poor man's only lamb. David condemns the man, and Nathan declares, You are the man. He announces judgment on David's house, yet when David confesses, Nathan says the LORD has put away his sin. The child born to Bathsheba dies despite David's fasting. Later she bears Solomon, whom the LORD loves.

What happens in 2 Samuel 12

The LORD sends the prophet Nathan to David with a story: a rich man with many flocks spares his own and takes a poor man's single beloved ewe lamb to feed a traveler. David burns with anger and declares the man deserves death. Nathan answers, You are the man, and delivers God's word: David despised the LORD, killed Uriah, and took his wife, so the sword will never depart from his house and evil will rise against him from within it. David confesses simply, I have sinned against the LORD, and Nathan replies that the LORD has put away his sin so he will not die, though the child will.

The infant sickens; David fasts and lies on the ground pleading, but on the seventh day the child dies. David rises, washes, and worships, explaining he will go to the child though the child cannot return. He comforts Bathsheba, who bears Solomon, whom the LORD loves and names Jedidiah.

2 Samuel 12 in context

Nathan's confrontation is the moral center of David's story and the direct sequel to chapter 11. A prophet risking his life to rebuke a king who has already killed to hide sin shows the courage God's word demands. The parable's genius is that it leads David to condemn himself before he knows he is judging his own case.

David's psalm of repentance, Psalm 51, traditionally belongs to this moment, deepening the account's plain confession.

Main themes of 2 Samuel 12

2 Samuel 12 (KJV)

1And 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. 2The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: 3But 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. 4And 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. 5And 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: 6And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. 7And 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; 8And 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. 9Wherefore 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. 10Now 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. 11Thus 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. 12For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun. 13And 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. 14Howbeit, 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. 15And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bare unto David, and it was very sick. 16David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. 17And 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. 18And 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 child is dead? 19But 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. 20Then 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. 21Then 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. 22And 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? 23But 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. 24And 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. 25And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD. 26And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city. 27And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and have taken the city of waters. 28Now 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. 29And David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it. 30And 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. 31And 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 brick-kiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem.

Verses to carry from 2 Samuel 12

“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;”2 Samuel 12:7

“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.”2 Samuel 12:13

“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.”2 Samuel 12:23

Reflection

It is easy to burn with anger at another's wrong and miss the same fault in ourselves. Ask whether there is a Nathan's parable you need to hear, some sin you condemn in others but excuse in yourself. And when convicted, follow David: confess plainly, receive mercy, and turn to worship.

A prayer from 2 Samuel 12