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2 Samuel 12:23
Verse
Context
Sermons
William MacDonald
Favell Lee Mortimer
John WesleySummary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me - It is not clear whether David by this expressed his faith in the immortality of the soul; going to him may only mean, I also shall die, and be gathered to my fathers, as he is. But whether David expressed this or not, we know that the thing is true; and it is one of the most solid grounds of consolation to surviving friends that they shall by and by be joined to them in a state of conscious existence. This doctrine has a very powerful tendency to alleviate the miseries of human life and reconcile us to the death of most beloved friends. And were we to admit the contrary, grief, in many cases, would wear out its subject before it wore out itself. Even the heathens derived consolation from the reflection that they should meet their friends in a state of conscious existence. And a saying in Cicero De Senectute, which he puts in the mouth of Cato of Utica, has been often quoted, and is universally admired: - O praelarum diem, cum ad illud divinum animorum concilium coetumque proficiscar, cumque ex hac turba et colluvione discedam! Proficiscar enim non ad eos solum viros de quibus ante dixi; sed etiam ad Catonem meum quo nemo vir melior natus est, nemo pietate praestantior: cujus a me corpus crematum est; quod contra decuit ab illo meum. Animus vero non me deserens, sed respectans, in ea profecto loca discessit, quo mihi ipsi cernebat esse veniendum: quem ego meum catum fortiter ferre visus sum: non quod aequo animo ferrem: sed me ipse consolabar, existimans, non longinquum inter nos digressum et discessum fore. Cato Major, De Senectute, in fin. "O happy day, (says he), when I shall quit this impure and corrupt multitude, and join myself to that divine company and council of souls who have quitted the earth before me! There I shall find, not only those illustrious personages to whom I have spoken, but also my Cato, who I can say was one of the best men ever born, and whom none ever excelled in virtue and piety. I have placed his body on that funeral pyre whereon he ought to have laid mine. But his soul has not left me; and, without losing sight of me, he has only gone before into a country where he saw I should soon rejoin him. This my lot I seem to bear courageously; not indeed that I do bear it with resignation, but I shall comfort myself with the persuasion that the interval between his departure and mine will not be long." And we well know who has taught us not to sorrow as those without hope for departed friends.
John Gill Bible Commentary
And David comforted Bathsheba his wife,.... Which is the first time she is so called, Uriah being dead, and David having married her; which though at first displeasing to the Lord, because the circumstances attending it, was afterwards confirmed by him. Bathsheba no doubt was very much distressed, and greatly disconsolate, on account of the sin she had committed, and because of the wrath and displeasure of God, and because of the death of the child, which was a token of it; and she might have some scruples in her mind whether it was lawful to continue cohabiting with David. Now David comforted her, by telling her that God had pardoned that iniquity they had been guilty of, and that he would give them another son, who should succeed him in the throne, and build an house for his name: and went in unto her, and lay with her, as his wife: and she bare a son; at the proper time: and he called his name Solomon; either the Lord called him so, or David by his direction; for this name was given before his birth, Ch1 22:9; the Keri or marginal reading is, "and she called his name", &c. that is, Bathsheba, who had been informed by David that this was the name the Lord would have him called by, which signifies "peaceable"; and the birth of this son was a confirmation of the peace and reconciliation between God and them, and which his name carried in it; as well as pointed to the peaceable times that should be during his reign, and in which be was a type of Christ, the Prince; of peace; who is the author of peace between God and men by the blood of his cross, and from whom spiritual peace flows, and by whom eternal peace and happiness is: and the Lord loved him; and was to him a father, and he to him a son, as was promised, Sa2 7:14. This love and affection of the Lord to Solomon was signified to David by Nathan, as follows.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
12:23 Can I bring him back again? I will go to him one day: The irreversibility of his son’s death forced David to face his own mortality. But he also showed his confidence in the afterlife.
2 Samuel 12:23
David’s Loss and Repentance
22David answered, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let him live.’23But now that 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.”
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Mourning Over the Past
By William MacDonald0Embracing ChangeMoving On1SA 16:12SA 12:23PSA 30:5ECC 3:1ISA 43:18MAT 6:34JHN 16:22ROM 8:282CO 5:17PHP 3:13William MacDonald emphasizes the necessity of moving on from mourning over the past, as illustrated by God's command to Samuel to stop grieving for Saul, whom He had rejected as king. Samuel's prolonged sorrow hindered his ability to fulfill God's plan, which included anointing David as Saul's successor. MacDonald draws parallels to our own lives, where we may mourn lost opportunities, relationships, or dreams, but stresses that while mourning is natural, it should not paralyze us from embracing the present and future. He encourages a timely recovery from grief, reminding us that God has a purpose beyond our disappointments.
Matthew 2:16-18. the Slaughter of the Babies.
By Favell Lee Mortimer02SA 12:23PSA 127:3JER 31:15MAT 2:16MAT 19:14MRK 10:13ROM 3:23ROM 5:12REV 14:3Favell Lee Mortimer reflects on the dreadful cruelty of Herod, who ordered the slaughter of innocent babies in Bethlehem, causing unimaginable anguish to their mothers. Despite the selfish and cruel nature of ungodly men like Herod, the infants who died in place of the Savior are considered martyrs, known as the Innocents. These babies, though sinless in their actions, had a sinful nature and would have eventually sinned. The scene on earth was filled with sorrow, but in heaven, a multitude of happy spirits entered into glory, bringing comfort to grieving parents who can have hope of being reunited with their children in the presence of Christ.
On Mourning the Dead
By John Wesley0GriefHope in Resurrection2SA 12:23PSA 30:5PSA 116:15ECC 3:1MAT 5:4JHN 11:25ROM 8:181CO 15:551TH 4:13REV 21:4John Wesley preaches on the theme of mourning the dead, using the example of King David's response to the death of his son. He emphasizes the futility of excessive grief, arguing that it neither brings back the deceased nor serves any purpose, and instead encourages a focus on the hope of reunion in the afterlife. Wesley highlights that grief can lead to sin and that true comfort comes from understanding God's plan and the promise of eternal life. He urges the living to reflect on their own mortality and to find solace in the belief that they will one day be reunited with their loved ones in heaven. Ultimately, he calls for a balance between acknowledging sorrow and embracing the hope of resurrection.
- Adam Clarke
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me - It is not clear whether David by this expressed his faith in the immortality of the soul; going to him may only mean, I also shall die, and be gathered to my fathers, as he is. But whether David expressed this or not, we know that the thing is true; and it is one of the most solid grounds of consolation to surviving friends that they shall by and by be joined to them in a state of conscious existence. This doctrine has a very powerful tendency to alleviate the miseries of human life and reconcile us to the death of most beloved friends. And were we to admit the contrary, grief, in many cases, would wear out its subject before it wore out itself. Even the heathens derived consolation from the reflection that they should meet their friends in a state of conscious existence. And a saying in Cicero De Senectute, which he puts in the mouth of Cato of Utica, has been often quoted, and is universally admired: - O praelarum diem, cum ad illud divinum animorum concilium coetumque proficiscar, cumque ex hac turba et colluvione discedam! Proficiscar enim non ad eos solum viros de quibus ante dixi; sed etiam ad Catonem meum quo nemo vir melior natus est, nemo pietate praestantior: cujus a me corpus crematum est; quod contra decuit ab illo meum. Animus vero non me deserens, sed respectans, in ea profecto loca discessit, quo mihi ipsi cernebat esse veniendum: quem ego meum catum fortiter ferre visus sum: non quod aequo animo ferrem: sed me ipse consolabar, existimans, non longinquum inter nos digressum et discessum fore. Cato Major, De Senectute, in fin. "O happy day, (says he), when I shall quit this impure and corrupt multitude, and join myself to that divine company and council of souls who have quitted the earth before me! There I shall find, not only those illustrious personages to whom I have spoken, but also my Cato, who I can say was one of the best men ever born, and whom none ever excelled in virtue and piety. I have placed his body on that funeral pyre whereon he ought to have laid mine. But his soul has not left me; and, without losing sight of me, he has only gone before into a country where he saw I should soon rejoin him. This my lot I seem to bear courageously; not indeed that I do bear it with resignation, but I shall comfort myself with the persuasion that the interval between his departure and mine will not be long." And we well know who has taught us not to sorrow as those without hope for departed friends.
John Gill Bible Commentary
And David comforted Bathsheba his wife,.... Which is the first time she is so called, Uriah being dead, and David having married her; which though at first displeasing to the Lord, because the circumstances attending it, was afterwards confirmed by him. Bathsheba no doubt was very much distressed, and greatly disconsolate, on account of the sin she had committed, and because of the wrath and displeasure of God, and because of the death of the child, which was a token of it; and she might have some scruples in her mind whether it was lawful to continue cohabiting with David. Now David comforted her, by telling her that God had pardoned that iniquity they had been guilty of, and that he would give them another son, who should succeed him in the throne, and build an house for his name: and went in unto her, and lay with her, as his wife: and she bare a son; at the proper time: and he called his name Solomon; either the Lord called him so, or David by his direction; for this name was given before his birth, Ch1 22:9; the Keri or marginal reading is, "and she called his name", &c. that is, Bathsheba, who had been informed by David that this was the name the Lord would have him called by, which signifies "peaceable"; and the birth of this son was a confirmation of the peace and reconciliation between God and them, and which his name carried in it; as well as pointed to the peaceable times that should be during his reign, and in which be was a type of Christ, the Prince; of peace; who is the author of peace between God and men by the blood of his cross, and from whom spiritual peace flows, and by whom eternal peace and happiness is: and the Lord loved him; and was to him a father, and he to him a son, as was promised, Sa2 7:14. This love and affection of the Lord to Solomon was signified to David by Nathan, as follows.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
12:23 Can I bring him back again? I will go to him one day: The irreversibility of his son’s death forced David to face his own mortality. But he also showed his confidence in the afterlife.