12:1 Nathan A court prophet during the reign of David.

Two men were in a certain city Nathan tells David a parable, but he acts as though he is presenting him with a legal dispute. This presentation is effective as it causes David to pronounce judgment upon himself (see vv. 5–6).

12:2 The rich man Refers to David.

12:3 poor man Refers to Uriah (see 11:3 and note).

one small ewe lamb Refers to Bathsheba.

12:4 he took The point of the parable: Nathan describes how the greedy, lustful King David stole Bathsheba from Uriah.

12:5 the man who has done this deserves to die The king unwittingly pronounces his own death sentence (see Exod 20:14; Lev 20:10).

12:6 He shall restore the ewe lamb fourfold Aligns with the requirements of the Law (see Exod 22:1). David was well acquainted with the Law, but he failed to apply it to himself in his affair with Bathsheba.

12:7 You are the man God charges David with the sins recounted in the parable.

12:8 the women of your master David inherited Saul’s harem, symbolizing that he had seized the throne (compare 2 Sam 3:7 and note; 16:22).

12:9 Why have you despised the word of Yahweh by doing evil in his eyes? See v. 6 and note.

Uriah the Hittite you have struck down Even though the Ammonites killed Uriah, David was as responsible for Uriah’s death as he would have been if he had done the deed himself.

12:10 a sword will not turn away from your house forever Refers to internal strife among the royal family.

12:11 I will take See v. 8 and note.

he shall sleep This second judgment happens via Absalom in 16:22.

12:12 in broad daylight This will occur in plain sight of all Israel.

12:13 I have sinned against Yahweh David acknowledges his wrongdoing (see Psa 51).

you shall not die Death was the usual penalty for adultery (Lev 20:10).

12:14 the son born for you will certainly die According to the Law, the consequence for David’s sin was death. However, rather than requiring the life of the king (which would destroy the nation; see 2 Sam 11:1 and note; 21:17), his child dies. This third judgment seems to be an example of intergenerational punishment (Exod 20:5; 34:7; Deut 5:9) and may align with the curse the Law prescribed for a woman found to be adulterous—that she would be barren (Num 5:22), although Bathsheba is not barren forever (see 2 Sam 12:24–25).

12:15 the wife of Uriah Like the widow of Nabal (Abigail), the text frequently describes Bathsheba as belonging to someone else (compare 1 Sam 27:3 and note). She is called David’s wife in 2 Sam 12:24, indicating that legitimacy has been granted to their marriage after judgment on David’s sin is carried out.

12:16 to spend the night and lay upon the ground A shameful act meant to communicate the depth of his sorrow and repentance.

12:18 He may do something evil David’s servants fear that the king will harm himself because it was his sin that caused the child to die.

12:20 the house of Yahweh Refers to the tabernacle.

worshiped David’s response is astonishing and pious—though it was Yahweh who had demanded the life of the child (v. 14), David still worships him.

12:21 What is this thing that you have done? David’s servants consider his response to the situation to be incongruous. His actions before the child’s death resemble the mourning ritual following a death. His actions after the child’s death suggest that the period of mourning is over, when it should have just begun.

12:22 I fasted and I wept David grieved over his sin and the punishment against his child. He demonstrated his remorse and repentance to Yahweh in the hope that He might spare the child.

12:23 return him Since David could not bring the child back from the dead, he saw no point in continuing to mourn for him.

I am going to him Reflects David’s conviction that he will be reunited with his departed child after his own death. This reality appears to comfort David (v. 20). He is therefore able to console his wife in v. 24.

12:24 , and he called him Solomon Even in judgment, Yahweh is merciful. He gives David and Bathsheba another son who will be as great as his father.

Yahweh loved him Solomon is the only person in the ot of whom it is said, “Yahweh loved him.”

12:25 Jedidiah To commemorate His love for Solomon, Yahweh instructs David to give him the name Jedidiah (“beloved of Yahweh”).

12:26 Joab David’s nephew and the commander of his army. See 2:13 and note.

Rabbah of the Ammonites See Ezek 21:20 and note; 2 Sam 11:25.

12:27 the city of the waters If Joab had taken their water supply, the inhabitants of the city could only survive for a short time.

12:28 encamp against the city By following Joab’s instructions, the king will receive the honor of a military victory rather than his general. Joab’s message contains an urgent tone, suggesting that the inhabitants of Rabbah will not last much longer.

my name be proclaimed See 5:7 and note.

12:30 their king The Hebrew text may refer to the king of the Ammonites, whose name is not mentioned here. Alternatively, the Hebrew word used here, malkum, could refer to Milcom (Molech), the primary Ammonite deity (see 1 Kgs 11:5,33; Jer 49:1 and note). This may have been a statue or idol of Milcom upon which a crown was set.

12:31 put David enslaves the inhabitants of Ammon because of their rebellion (see 2 Sam 10:1–19 and note).