1Protož poslal Hospodin Nátana k Davidovi. Kterýž přišed k němu, řekl jemu: Dva muži byli v městě jednom, jeden bohatý a druhý chudý. 2Bohatý měl ovec i volů velmi mnoho, 3Chudý pak neměl nic, kromě jednu ovečku malou, kterouž byl koupil a choval, až i odrostla při něm a při dětech jeho tolikéž. Chléb jeho jedla a z číše jeho pila, a v lůnu jeho spávala, a tak byla mu jako za dceru. 4Když pak přišel pocestný k tomu bohatému člověku, líto mu bylo vzíti z ovcí aneb z volů svých, což by připravil pocestnému, kterýž k němu přišel, ale vzav ovečku toho chudého člověka, připravil ji muži, kterýž byl přišel k němu. 5Tedy rozhněval se David na muže toho náramně a řekl Nátanovi: Živť jest Hospodin, že hoden jest smrti muž, kterýž to učinil. 6Ovečku také tu zaplatí čtvernásobně, proto že učinil věc tu, a nelitoval ho. 7I řekl Nátan Davidovi: Ty jsi ten muž! Takto praví Hospodin Bůh Izraelský: Já jsem tě pomazal, abys králem byl nad Izraelem, a vytrhl jsem tebe z ruky Saulovy. 8A dal jsem tobě dům pána tvého, i ženy pána tvého v lůno tvé, dalť jsem také dům Izraelský a Judský, a bylo-liť by to málo, byl bych přidal mnohem více. 9Pročež jsi sobě zlehčil slovo Hospodinovo, čině to, což se nelíbí jemu? Uriáše Hetejského zabil jsi mečem, a manželku jeho pojals sobě za ženu, samého pak zamordoval jsi mečem Ammonitských. 10Protož nyní neodejdeť meč z domu tvého až na věky, proto že jsi pohrdl mnou, a vzal jsi manželku Uriáše Hetejského, aby byla žena tvá. 11Takto praví Hospodin: Aj, já vzbudím proti tobě zlé z domu tvého, a vezma ženy tvé před očima tvýma, dám je bližnímu tvému, kterýž spáti bude s ženami tvými, an na to každý hledí. 12A ačkoli ty učinil jsi to tajně, já však učiním to zjevně přede vším Izraelem a všechněm známě. 13Tedy řekl David Nátanovi: Zhřešilť jsem Hospodinu. Zase řekl Nátan Davidovi: Tentýž Hospodin přenesl hřích tvůj, neumřeš. 14Ale však, poněvadž jsi tou věcí dal příčinu nepřátelům Hospodinovým, aby se rouhali, protož ten syn, kterýž se narodil tobě, jistotně umře. 15Potom odšel Nátan do domu svého. V tom Hospodin ranil dítě, kteréž byla porodila manželka Uriášova Davidovi, tak že pochybili o něm. 16I modlil se David Bohu za to dítě a postil se, a všed, ležel přes noc na zemi. 17A ačkoli starší domu jeho přišli k němu, aby ho zdvihli z země, on však nechtěl, aniž s nimi co jedl. 18Stalo se pak dne sedmého, že umřelo dítě. I nesměli služebníci Davidovi toho oznámiti jemu, že by umřelo dítě; nebo pravili: Aj, když ještě bylo dítě živo, mluvili jsme jemu, a nechtěl slyšeti hlasu našeho, což pak když jemu díme: Umřelo dítě. Ovšem to tíže ponese. 19Ale vida David, an služebníci jeho k sobě šepcí, srozuměl, že by umřelo dítě. I řekl David služebníkům svým: Co již umřelo dítě? Kteříž řekli: Umřelo. 20Tedy vstav David s země, umyl se a pomazal se, a změnil roucho své, a všed do domu Hospodinova, pomodlil se. Potom vrátiv se do domu svého, rozkázal sobě dáti jísti a jedl. 21Služebníci pak jeho řekli jemu: Co jsi to učinil? Pro dítě, když živo bylo, postils se a plakal, ale jakž dítě umřelo, vstal jsi a přijal jsi pokrm. 22Kterýžto řekl: Pokudž ještě dítě živo bylo, postil jsem se a plakal, nebo jsem řekl: Kdo ví? Můžeť se smilovati nade mnou Hospodin, aby živo bylo dítě. 23Nyní pak, poněvadž umřelo, proč se mám postiti? Zdaliž budu moci zase je vzkřísiti? Jáť půjdu k němu, ale ono se nenavrátí ke mně. 24Potom David potěšiv Betsabé manželky své, všel k ní a spal s ní. I porodila syna, a nazval jméno jeho Šalomoun, a Hospodin miloval jej. 25Protož poslal byl Nátana proroka, a nazval jméno jeho Jedidiah pro Hospodina. 26Bojoval pak Joáb proti Rabba Ammonitských, a vzal město královské. 27A poslav posly k Davidovi, řekl: Dobýval jsem Rabba a vzal jsem město vod. 28Protož nyní sebera ostatek lidu, polož se proti městu a vezmi je, abych já nevzal města toho, a bylo by mně připisováno vítězství nad ním. 29Tedy sebrav David všecken lid, vytáhl proti Rabba, kteréhož dobýval a vzal je. 30A sňal korunu krále jejich s hlavy jeho, kteráž vážila centnéř zlata, a bylo v ní kamení drahé, a vstavena byla na hlavu Davidovu. Vyvezl též kořisti města velmi veliké. 31Lid pak, kterýž v něm byl, vyvedl a dal jej pod pily a pod brány železné a pod sekery železné, a vehnal je do peci cihelné. A tak činil všechněm městům Ammonitským. Potom navrátil se David se vším lidem do Jeruzaléma.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 NATHAN'S PARABLE. (
2Sam 12:1-6)
the Lord sent Nathan unto David--The use of parables is a favorite style of speaking among Oriental people, especially in the conveyance of unwelcome truth. This exquisitely pathetic parable was founded on a common custom of pastoral people who have pet lambs, which they bring up with their children, and which they address in terms of endearment. The atrocity of the real, however, far exceeded that of the fictitious offense.
5 the man that hath done this thing shall surely die--This punishment was more severe than the case deserved, or than was warranted by the divine statute (
Exod 22:1). The sympathies of the king had been deeply enlisted, his indignation aroused, but his conscience was still asleep; and at the time when he was most fatally indulgent to his own sins, he was most ready to condemn the delinquencies and errors of others.
7 HE APPLIES IT TO DAVID, WHO CONFESSES HIS SIN, AND IS PARDONED. (
2Sam 12:7-23)
Nathan said to David, Thou art the man--These awful words pierced his heart, aroused his conscience, and brought him to his knees. The sincerity and depth of his penitent sorrow are evinced by the Psalms he composed (
Ps 32:1-
Ps 32:11; Psa. 51:1-19; Psa. 103:1-22). He was pardoned, so far as related to the restoration of the divine favor. But as from his high character for piety, and his eminent rank in society, his deplorable fall was calculated to do great injury to the cause of religion, it was necessary that God should testify His abhorrence of sin by leaving even His own servant to reap the bitter temporal fruits. David was not himself doomed, according to his own view of what justice demanded (
2Sam 12:5); but he had to suffer a quadruple expiation in the successive deaths of four sons, besides a lengthened train of other evils.
8 I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives--The phraseology means nothing more than that God in His providence had given David, as king of Israel, everything that was Saul's. The history furnishes conclusive evidence that he never actually married any of the wives of Saul. But the harem of the preceding king belongs, according to Oriental notions, as a part of the regalia to his successor.
11 I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, &c.--The prophet speaks of God threatening to do what He only permitted to be done. The fact is, that David's loss of character by the discovery of his crimes, tended, in the natural course of things, to diminish the respect of his family, to weaken the authority of his government, and to encourage the prevalence of many disorders throughout his kingdom.
15 the Lord struck the child . . . and it was very sick--The first visible chastisement inflicted on David appeared on the person of that child which was the evidence and monument of his guilt. His domestics were surprised at his conduct, and in explanation of its singularity, it is necessary to remark that the custom in the East is to leave the nearest relative of a deceased person to the full and undisturbed indulgence of his grief, till on the third or fourth day at farthest (
John 11:17). Then the other relatives and friends visit him, invite him to eat, lead him to a bath, and bring him a change of dress, which is necessary from his having sat or lain on the ground. The surprise of David's servants, then, who had seen his bitter anguish while the child was sick, arose apparently from this, that when he found it was dead, he who had so deeply lamented arose of himself from the earth, without waiting for their coming to him, immediately bathed and anointed himself, instead of appearing as a mourner, and after worshiping God with solemnity, returned to his wonted repast, without any interposition of others.
24 SOLOMON IS BORN. (
2Sam 12:24-25)
Bath-sheba . . . bare a son, and he called his name Solomon--that is, "peaceable." But Nathan gave him the name of Jedediah, by command of God, or perhaps only as an expression of God's love. This love and the noble gifts with which he was endowed, considering the criminality of the marriage from which he sprang, is a remarkable instance of divine goodness and grace.
26 RABBAH IS TAKEN. (
2Sam 12:26-31)
Joab fought against Rabbah--The time during which this siege lasted, since the intercourse with Bath-sheba, and the birth of at least one child, if not two, occurred during the progress of it, probably extended over two years.
27 the city of waters--Rabbah, like Aroer, was divided into two parts--one the lower town, insulated by the winding course of the Jabbok, which flowed almost round it, and the upper and stronger town, called the royal city. "The first was taken by Joab, but the honor of capturing so strongly a fortified place as the other was an honor reserved for the king himself."
28 encamp against the city, and take it--It has always been characteristic of Oriental despots to monopolize military honors; and as the ancient world knew nothing of the modern refinement of kings gaining victories by their generals, so Joab sent for David to command the final assault in person. A large force was levied for the purpose. David without much difficulty captured the royal city and obtained possession of its immense wealth.
lest I take the city, and it be called after my name--The circumstance of a city receiving a new name after some great person, as Alexandria, Constantinople, Hyderabad, is of frequent occurrence in the ancient and modern history of the East.
30 he took their king's crown from off his head--While the treasures of the city were given as plunder to his soldiers, David reserved to himself the crown, which was of rarest value. Its great weight makes it probable that it was like many ancient crowns, not worn, but suspended over the head, or fixed on a canopy on the top of the throne.
the precious stones--Hebrew, "stone"; was a round ball composed of pearls and other jewels, which was in the crown, and probably taken out of it to be inserted in David's own crown.
31 he brought forth the people . . . and put them under saws, &c.--This excessive severity and employment of tortures, which the Hebrews on no other occasion are recorded to have practised, was an act of retributive justice on a people who were infamous for their cruelties (
1Sam 11:2;
Amos 1:13).