2 Samuel 12:2

¹Then the LORD sent Nathan to David, and when he arrived, he said, “There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor.²The rich man had a great number of sheep and cattle, ³but the poor man had nothing except one small ewe lamb that he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food and drank from his cup; it slept in his arms and was like a daughter to him.

Summary

In this verse, Nathan the prophet confronts King David with a parable about a rich man who took a poor man's only beloved lamb, illustrating David's sin of taking Bathsheba, Uriah's wife. Nathan's wise approach leads David to recognize his guilt and repent of his wrongdoing. This passage demonstrates the importance of accountability and the role of prophets in speaking truth to power, even to kings. It also showcases God's justice and mercy in convicting David of his sin while offering him a path to forgiveness through genuine repentance.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds. In which the wealth of men lay in those times and countries; these in the parable signify David's wives and concubines, which were many; he had six wives in Hebron, and he took more wives and concubines out of Jerusalem, when he was come from Hebron, Sa2 3:2; and besides his master's, or Saul's wives, given to him, Sa2 12:8. . 2 Samuel 12:3 sa2 12:3 sa2 12:3 sa2 12:3But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb,.... Uriah had but one wife, who was much younger than he, called a lamb, an ewe lamb, a little one. Abarbinel thinks Uriah had been a widower; and had children by another wife, supposed in the parable, and was much older than Bathsheba: which he had bought; for men in those times and countries did not receive portions with their wives, but gave dowries to them, and for them: and nourished up; as his own flesh, as husbands should their wives, Eph 5:29, and it grew up together with him, and with his children; which Kimchi also supposes Uriah had by a former wife: it did eat of his own meat, and drink of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter; all which are expressive of the care, kindness, love, and tenderness of a loving husband, whose affections are endeared to his wife, making her partaker of all he has, and to share in whatever he eats and drinks, and in his dearest embraces; and as there were instances of creatures, lambs and others, particularly tame or pet lambs, used in this way in a literal sense, to which the reference in the parable is, David had no suspicion of its being a parable. Bochart (q) has given many instances of creatures nourished and brought up in such a familiar manner. (q) Hierozoic. par. 1. l. 2. c. 46. col. 521, 522.