Introduction

Events following David taking Bathsheba as his own wife.

Verses
1The LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, “There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.
2The rich man had very many flocks and herds,
3but the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and raised. It grew up together with him, and with his children. It ate of his own food, drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was like a daughter to him.
4A traveller came to the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to prepare for the wayfaring man who had come to him, but took the poor man’s lamb, and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”
5David’s anger burnt hot against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die!
6He must restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity!”
7Nathan said to David, “You are the man. This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul.
8I gave you your master’s house, and your master’s wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that would have been too little, I would have added to you many more such things.
9Why have you despised the LORD’s word, to do that which is evil in his sight? You have struck Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
10Now therefore the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised me, and have taken Uriah the Hittite’s wife to be your wife.’
11“This is what the LORD says: ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes, and give them to your neighbour, and he will lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.
12For you did this secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.’ ”
13David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.”
Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin. You will not die.
14However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the LORD’s enemies to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you will surely die.”
15Nathan departed to his house.
The LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it was very sick.
16David therefore begged God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night on the ground.
17The elders of his house arose beside him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, and he didn’t eat bread with them.
18On the seventh day, the child died. David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he didn’t listen to our voice. How will he then harm himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?”
19But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; and David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?”
They said, “He is dead.”
20Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his clothing; and he came into the LORD’s house, and worshipped. Then he came to his own house; and when he requested, they set bread before him, and he ate.
21Then his servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child was dead, you rose up and ate bread.”
22He said, “While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows whether the LORD will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?’
23But now he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”
24David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her, and lay with her. She bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. The LORD loved him;
25and he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and he named him Jedidiah, for the LORD’s sake.
26Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city.
27Joab sent messengers to David, and said, “I have fought against Rabbah. Yes, I 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 by my name.”
29David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it.
30He took the crown of their king from off his head; and its weight was a talent of gold, and in it were precious stones; and it was set on David’s head. He brought a great quantity of plunder out of the city.
31He brought out the people who were in it, and put them under saws, under iron picks, under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brick kiln; and he did so to all the cities of the children of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

Questions

1. How does Nathan say that David has despised God's word and what will be the consequences?

v 9 and 10 Why have you despised the LORD’s word, to do that which is evil in his sight? You have struck Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised me, and have taken Uriah the Hittite’s wife to be your wife.’

2. What does David say in reply to Nathan's accusation and how does Nathan respond?

v 13 David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.”
Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin. You will not die. 

3. How does Nathan say that the LORD's enemies will be affected by what David has done?

v 14 However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the LORD’s enemies to blaspheme, ...

Summary Points

  • v 1 to 4 Nathan the prophet tells David about a rich man, who takes his neighbour’s only lamb to feed his guest, when he has many sheep of his own
  • v 5 to 12 When David’s anger is aroused, he tells Nathan that the man deserves to die. Nathan tells David that he is the man, and, as a result, he will have problems for the rest of his life
  • v 13 to 23 David confesses his sin and is forgiven, but is told that the child will die
  • v 24 and 25 David and Bathsheba have another son, whom the LORD loves
  • v 26 to 31 The city of Rabbah is captured by Joab and David

Timeline 1050 BC

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