This Week with the Word

The Uniform Lesson for February 8
Background & Commentary by Sam E. Stone

Some people think, “The king can do no wrong.” Nathan was not among them. When Israel’s King David sinned, God’s prophet confronted him directly. The details about David’s wicked action are found in 2 Samuel 11:1-25. From a distance he saw the beautiful Bathsheba bathing. He had her brought to him, had sex with her, and then arranged to have her husband killed. Through these events he broke the sixth, seventh, ninth, and tenth commandments (Exodus 20:13-17).

Nathan has been introduced briefly earlier in 2 Samuel 7:2. In his first recorded encounter with the king, Nathan gave his opinion about David’s building a temple, but he neglected to consult the Lord first. In today’s text, we see just the opposite. This time God sent Nathan to David to deliver his message of judgment.

Sin/2 Samuel 11:26, 27

Verse 26. When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. She went through the motions of grieving, presumably for the customary seven days (see Genesis 50:10; 1 Samuel 31:13).

Verse 27. After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. With inappropriate haste, David arranged for their wedding. A. M. Renwick considers her “a willing partner in his guilt” (New Bible Commentary). He notes, “She was ambitious, and her ascendancy over David continued to the end” (see 1 Kings 1:11-31).

Confrontation/2 Samuel 12:1-7a

Verses 1-3. The Lord sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.” After nearly a year, the Lord sent his prophet to confront David with the enormity of his sins. The prophet Nathan told one of the most striking parables in all of Scripture.

Verse 4. “Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.” By using a story, the prophet was able to have David pronounce judgment on himself. The king quickly became angry at the thought of such an obvious injustice.

Verses 5, 6. David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die! He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.” Although David was blind to the enormity of his own guilt, he could quickly recognize the terrible actions of another. Most of us are more like David in this than we want to admit! Repaying “four times over” fit with the Old Testament law’s requirement (Exodus 22:1).

Verse 7a. Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man!” Checkmate! David was cornered, trapped by his own words. God was especially angry with David because of his failure to appreciate his role as king. The Lord himself had taken the kingdom from Saul and given it to David. David’s actions suggest he felt that he was “above the law.” He thought he could do as he pleased, with no thought of divine retribution.

Punishment/2 Samuel 12:13-15

Verse 13. Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” David immediately made a full confession, showing true repentance. No wonder he was a person after God’s own heart. This is in marked contrast to Saul who, when confronted with his sin, still sought to justify himself and shift the blame (see 1 Samuel 15:24).

David’s punishment for murdering Uriah was, “The sword will never depart from your house” (2 Samuel 12:10). In addition, there would be evil arising within David’s family. Another would take his wives and lie with them in full public view. Nathan did bring comfort also, however. Although David’s sins were deserving of death, in light of his confession and repentance (Psalm 32, 51), Nathan told him, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die” (2 Samuel 12:13).

Verse 14. “But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the Lord show utter contempt, the son born to you will die.” Sin can be forgiven, but sin still has its consequences. These cannot be changed, even with sincere repentance (Galatians 6:7).

Verse 15. After Nathan had gone home, the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became ill. Innocent people often suffer because of the sins of others. The following verses report the child’s death (2 Samuel 12:16-23). |L

Sam E. Stone is the former editor of Christian Standard. He continues his writing and speaking ministry from his home in Cincinnati, Ohio.