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The LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to David and said to him, “There were two men in a city: one was rich, and the other poor.
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The rich man had very many sheep and cattle;
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but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and raised. It grew up with him and with his children; it ate from his portion and drank from his cup and lay in his arms, like a daughter to him.
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At a certain time the rich man received a guest; and he was unwilling to take one of his sheep or cattle to prepare for the traveler who had come to him. So he took the poor man’s ewe lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”
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Then David became very angry at the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die.
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And he must pay for the ewe lamb four times over, because he has done this thing and because he had no pity.”
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Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul.
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I gave you your master’s house, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added this and that to you.
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Why have you despised the LORD by doing what is evil in His sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and him you have caused to be killed by the sword of the Ammonites.
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Therefore the sword shall never depart from your house forever, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.
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Thus says the LORD: Behold, I will bring disaster upon you from your own household. I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to another; and that man shall lie with your wives in broad daylight.
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For you did it secretly, but I will do this before all Israel openly.”
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Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” And Nathan said to David, “The LORD has taken away your sin: you shall not die.
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Nevertheless, because by this deed you have greatly despised the LORD, the child who is born to you shall surely die.”
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Then Nathan went to his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s former wife had borne to David, so that he became sick.
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Then David pleaded with God for the child; he fasted earnestly and went in and lay on the ground all night.
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And the elders of his house came to him to raise him up from the floor, but he would not; neither did he eat with them.
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On the seventh day the child died. And David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead. For they said, “While the child was still alive, we spoke to him, but he would not listen to our voice. How can we say to him, ‘The child is dead’? He may do himself harm.”
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When David saw that his servants were whispering together, he understood that the child was dead. Then David asked his servants, “Is the child dead?” They answered, “He is dead.”
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Then David arose from the floor, washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the LORD and bowed down in worship. After that he returned to his house, and at his request food was set before him, and he ate.
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Then his servants said to him, “What does this thing you have done mean? For the child was alive, you fasted and wept; but when the child died, you arose and ate.”
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He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I thought, ‘Who knows whether the LORD may be gracious to me, that the child may live.’
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But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.”
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Then David comforted Bathsheba his wife; he went in to her and lay with her, and she bore a son, and David named the child Solomon. The LORD loved this child
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and through the prophet Nathan he sent word to name the child Jedidiah, because of the LORD.
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Joab fought against Rabbah, the city of the Ammonites, and captured the royal city.
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Then Joab sent messengers to David, saying, “I have fought against Rabbah and have also captured the city of waters.
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Now therefore gather the rest of the army, encamp against the city, and capture it, lest I capture the city and my name be called over it.”
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So David gathered all the army, went to Rabbah, fought against it, and captured it.
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He took the crown of their king from his head; its weight was a talent of gold, set with a precious stone, and it was placed on David’s head. He also brought out a very great amount of spoil from the city.
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The inhabitants of the city he took away and put to work with saws, iron picks, and axes; and he also set them to labor at the brickworks. Thus he dealt with all the cities of the sons of Ammon. After that David returned with all the army to Jerusalem.
💔🗣️🕊️ Summary of 2 Samuel 12 – The Prophet Nathan’s Rebuke and David’s Repentance
2 Samuel 12 is a turning point in David’s life. After his sin with Bathsheba and the killing of Uriah, the Lord sent the prophet Nathan to rebuke him through a parable. David finally realized his sin and repented, yet the consequences still came: his child died. Even so, the Lord still used David, and from Bathsheba came Solomon, a sign of the restoration of God’s grace. This is an important chapter about sin, justice, repentance, and grace.
📌 1. The Parable of the Rich Man and the Ewe Lamb (verses 1–6)
➡️ Nathan tells the story of a rich man who took the one lamb belonging to a poor man
➡️ David became angry and said that the man must be put to death and pay back fourfold
➡️ Then Nathan said:
“You are that man!”
🎯 Sin is easier to condemn when seen in another person — until God opens our own eyes.
📌 2. A Direct Rebuke from God (verses 7–14)
➡️ The Lord reminded David: He was the one who had raised him up as king and given him victory
➡️ But David despised the word of the Lord by committing adultery and murder
➡️ The Lord spared David’s life, but the consequences still came:
- The sword would not depart from his family
- His wives would be shamed in public (to be fulfilled in the following chapters)
- The child born of that sin would die
➡️ David finally said:
“I have sinned against the LORD.”
🎯 True repentance comes from full confession, not self-defense.
📌 3. David’s Child Becomes Sick and Dies (verses 15–23)
➡️ David prayed, fasted, and mourned that his child might be healed
➡️ But after 7 days, the child died
➡️ David accepted the will of God, rose, washed, and worshiped
➡️ He said:
“I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”
🎯 God forgives, yet sin still brings wounds and consequences.
📌 4. The Birth of Solomon – A New Gift (verses 24–25)
➡️ David comforted Bathsheba, and they had another child: Solomon
➡️ The LORD loved this child, and Nathan named him Jedidiah (“beloved of the LORD”)
🎯 In the midst of ruin, God can raise up new hope.
📌 5. Victory over Rabbah (verses 26–31)
➡️ Joab conquered the Ammonite city and asked David to complete the assault
➡️ David put on the golden crown and took much spoil
➡️ Yet all this stood in contrast to his inner conflict and personal suffering
🎯 Outward success does not always show peace within the heart.
📖 Main Teaching
- Hidden sin remains clearly seen before God
- God uses a righteous man (Nathan) to reprove in love
- True repentance begins with confession, not rationalization
- Forgiveness does not mean freedom from consequences
- God can bring forth new grace from old ruin
✨ Spiritual Meaning (New Testament)
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, so that He forgives…”
➡️ David confessed his sin and was immediately forgiven, though the consequences of sin remained.
📖 Psalm 51 (written by David after Nathan rebuked him)
“A broken and contrite heart You will not despise…”
➡️ A clear sign of David’s deep and sincere repentance.
“The Lord disciplines the one He loves…”
➡️ Nathan’s rebuke was God’s love, not blind punishment.
“There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
➡️ The Lord’s forgiveness is absolute, and His grace is still greater than sin.
🕊️ “You are the man!” – 2 Samuel 12:7
🕊️ “I have sinned against the LORD.” – 2 Samuel 12:13
🕊️ “The LORD has taken away your sin — you shall not die.” – 2 Samuel 12:13
🕊️ “I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” – 2 Samuel 12:23
🕊️ “He named him Solomon, and the LORD loved him.” – 2 Samuel 12:24
