2 Samuel 12:14
Ver. 14. Howbeit, because by this deed,.... This complicated wickedness, adultery with Bathsheba, and the murder of her husband, and occasioning the death of others:
thou hast given great reason to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme; to insult over Israel, and the God of Israel, and to magnify their own idols on account of the advantage they got when Uriah and other Israelites were slain; and to speak ill of God as a respecter of persons, who had cast off Saul and his family from the kingdom, and yet established David in it, guilty of crimes the other was not; and of the word, ways, and worship of God, and of the true religion, as all hypocrisy and deceit, when men that made such pretensions to it were guilty of such atrocious crimes; wherefore to let such see and know that the Lord did not approve of and countenance such actions, but abhorred and resented them:
the child also [that is] born unto thee shall surely die; which would be a visible testimony of God's displeasure at his sin, to all men that should hear of it, and know it; and being taken away in such a manner would be a great affliction to him, and the more as his affections were much towards the child, as appears by what follows; or otherwise the removal of it might have been considered as a mercy, since its life would have kept up the remembrance of the sin, and have been a standing reproach to him. 2 Samuel 12:15Ver. 15. And Nathan departed unto his house,.... His own house, which probably was in the city of Jerusalem, having delivered his message, and brought David to a sense of his sin, and declared to him from the Lord the forgiveness of it; yet for the honour of religion, and the stopping of the mouths of blasphemers, the death of the child is threatened and foretold, and then Nathan took his leave of him, having nothing more from the Lord to say to him:and the Lord struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David; for so she was, and not David's wife, when this child was begotten of her; and, as a mark of God's displeasure at the sin of adultery, the child was struck with a sore disease by the immediate hand of God:and it was very sick; even unto death, as the event showed. 2 Samuel 12:16Ver. 16. David therefore besought God for the child,.... Perhaps went into the tabernacle he had built for the ark, and prayed to the Lord to restore the child, and spare its life; for though the Lord had said it should die, he might hope that that was a conditional threatening, and that the Lord might be gracious and reverse it, 2Sa 12:22;and David fasted: all that day:and went in; to his own house from the house of God:and lay all night upon the earth; would neither go into, nor lie upon a bed, but lay on the floor all night, weeping and praying for the child's life, and especially for its eternal welfare: he having through sin been the means of its coming into a sinful and afflicted state. 2 Samuel 12:17Ver. 17. And the elders of his house arose, [and went] to him, to raise him up from the earth,.... To persuade him to rise up, and sit upon a seat, and go to bed, after having taken some food; these were some of the chief officers at court, and had the management of the affairs of his household:but he would not; they could not persuade him to it:neither did he eat bread with them; that evening, as he had used to do; they being the princes of his court, who were wont to sit at table with him. 2 Samuel 12:18Ver. 18. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died,.... Not the seventh day from its being taken ill, but from its birth; for it cannot be thought that David should fast seven days:and the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead; lest he should be overwhelmed with too much sorrow:for they said, behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him; to rise from the ground, and eat food:and he would not hearken unto our voice; we could not prevail upon him to do the one nor the other:how will he then vex himself if we tell him that the child is dead? or should we acquaint him with it, "he will do mischief" {w} to himself, to his body; he will tear his flesh to pieces, and cut and kill himself; this they were afraid of, observing the distress and agony he was in while it was living, and therefore they concluded these would increase upon hearing of its death.{w} her hvew kai poihsei kaka, Sept. "faciat malum", Pagninus, Montanus; "malum [sibi] inferet", Syr. Ar. 2 Samuel 12:19Ver. 19. And when David saw that his servants whispered,.... For they said the above to one another with a low voice, that he might not hear them, though in the same room with them:David perceived the child was dead; he guessed it was, and that this was the thing they were whispering about among themselves:therefore David said unto his servants, is the child dead? and they said, he is dead; for putting the question to them so closely, they could not avoid giving the answer they did, and which he was prepared to receive, by what he had observed in them. 2 Samuel 12:20Ver. 20. Then David arose from the earth,.... From the floor on which he lay:and washed, and anointed [himself], and changed his apparel; neither of which he had done during his time of fasting:and came into the house of the Lord, and worshipped; went into the tabernacle he had built for the ark of God, and then in prayer submitted himself to the will of God, and acknowledged his justice in what he had done; gave thanks to God that he had brought him to a sense of his sin, and repentance for it, and had applied his pardoning grace to him, and given him satisfaction as to the eternal welfare and happiness of the child, as appears from 2Sa 12:23;then he, came to his own house; from the house of God, having finished his devotion there:and when he required; ordered food to be brought in:they set bread before him, and he did eat: whereas before, while the child was living, he refused to eat. 2 Samuel 12:21Ver. 21. Then said his servants unto him, what thing [is] this that thou hast done?.... Or what is the reason of such conduct and behaviour? they knew what was done, but they did not know the meaning of it, which is what they inquired after:thou didst fast and weep for the child, [while it was] alive; prayed with fasting and weeping for it, that it might live and not die:but when the child was dead thou didst rise and eat bread; and appeared cheerful; this seemed strange to them, when they expected his sorrow would be increased. 2 Samuel 12:22Ver. 22. And he said, while the child was yet alive,.... And so there was hope it might be continued:I fasted and wept; or sought the Lord by prayer, and fasting, and weeping, that the threatening might not take place, that the child's life might be spared:for I said; within himself, thus he reasoned in his own mind:who can tell [whether] God will be gracious to me, that the child may live? and in hope of this he kept praying, fasting, and weeping; he could not tell but God might repent of the evil he had threatened, as in some cases he has done; see Joe 2:13. Abarbinel thinks that David fasted and wept to hide this matter from his wife, and his servants, and did not let them know that this was in his punishment, that the child should die. 2 Samuel 12:23Ver. 23. But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast?.... And pray; it is to no purpose, no end can be thought to be answered by it:can I bring him back again? from the state of the dead, bring him to life by fasting, and praying, and weeping; that is not to e expected:I shall go to him; to the state of the dead, to the grave, where his body was, or would be; to heaven and eternal happiness, where his soul was, as he comfortably hoped and believed: from whence it appears, that the Old Testament saints did not suppose an annihilation at death; but believed the immortality of the soul, a future state after death of eternal life and bliss:but he shall not return to me; in the present mortal state, though at the resurrection they should meet again. 2 Samuel 12:24Ver. 24. 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, 1Ch 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, 2Sa 7:14. This love and affection of the Lord to Solomon was signified to David by Nathan, as follows. 2 Samuel 12:25Ver. 25. And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet,.... Either David did; he sent by him to Bathsheba, to acquaint her with the name of the child, that it was to be Solomon; which is not so likely: or "he, David, delivered it into the hand of Nathan the prophet"; to educate it, instruct it, and bring it up in the nurture of the Lord; or rather the Lord sent a message by Nathan the prophet to David, that he loved Solomon:and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the Lord: that is, David also called him by this name, because of the love of the Lord unto him; for Jedidiah signifies "the beloved of the Lord"; a name and character which well agrees with the Messiah, Solomon's antitype, Mt 3:17. 2 Samuel 12:26Ver. 26. And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon,.... Of his being sent against it, and of his besieging it, we read in2Sa 11:1; but it can hardly be thought that he had been so long besieging it, as that David had two children by Bathsheba; but the account of the finishing of it is placed here, that the story concerning Bathsheba might lie together without any interruption:and took the royal city; or that part of it in which the king's palace was, and which, as Abarbinel observes, was without the city, as the palaces of kings now usually are. 2 Samuel 12:27Ver. 27. And Joab sent messengers to David,.... To acquaint him how he had proceeded, and what success he had had:and said, I have fought against Rabbah; laid siege to it, and skirmished with parties that sallied out upon them:and have taken the city of waters; the same with the royal city, and so the Targum here renders it; so called because situated by the waterside; Adrichomius says {x} the river Jabbok flowed round about it: or it abounded with fountains of water, from whence the other part of the city, or what was properly the city Rabbah, was supplied with water; and which communication being cut off, it could not hold out long, which Joab being sensible of, therefore sent for David. Junius and Tremellius render the words, "I have intercepted the water from the city"; with which the account of Josephus {y} agrees, who says, that he cut off the water from them, and precluded other supplies, so that they were in great distress for want of food and drink; and in like manner it was taken by Antiochus some hundreds of years later; for that; historian says {z} the siege by him lasted long, and they could not prevail, because of the multitude of men it, until one of the prisoners showed them a subterraneous passage, through which they came and fetched water; which they stopped up with stones and such like things, and then through want of water yielded.{x} Theatrum T. S. p. 34. {y} Antiqu. l. 7. c. 7. sect. 5. {z} Polyb. Hist. l. 5. p. 414. 2 Samuel 12:28Ver. 28. Now therefore gather the rest of the people together,.... The rest of the soldiers in the land of Israel, and come to Rabbah:and encamp against the city; invest it in form:and take it; upon a surrender or by storm; for it could not hold out long:lest I take the city, and it be called after my name; so great a regard had Joab, though an ambitious man, to the fame and credit of David his king: so Craterus {a} at the siege of Artacacna, being prepared to take it, waited the coming of Alexander, that he might have the honour of it.{a} Curt. Hist. l. 6. c. 6. 2 Samuel 12:29Ver. 29. And David gathered all the people together,.... The soldiers that were with him, or near him; which was done partly to recruit Joab's troops, who, by the continuance of the siege, and the sallies of the enemy on them, might be greatly diminished; and partly to make conquests of other cities of the Ammonites, and to carry off the spoil of them:and went to Rabbah; which must be after the death of Uriah, and very probably during the time of Bathsheba's mourning for him:and fought against it, and took it; by assault. 2 Samuel 12:30Ver. 30. And he took their king's crown from off his head,.... The crown of Hanun the king of the Ammonites, who now fell into his hands, and whom he stripped of his ensigns of royalty, who had so shamefully abused his ambassadors, 2Sa 10:4:(the weight whereof [was] a talent of gold with the precious stones): or, "and a precious stone"; there might be more, as our version suggests, but there was one in it remarkably large and valuable; Josephus {b} says it had in it a very precious stone, a sardonyx; and this, according to the Talmud {c} was of the value of a talent of gold. A talent was equal to three thousand shekels, as appears fromEx 38:25; and was in value, according to Brerewood {d} of our money, 4500 pounds; but according to Bishop Cumberland {e} 5067 pounds, three shillings and ten pence. This crown was of the same value with the golden candlestick in the tabernacle, Ex 25:39; and some think that value here is meant, and not the weight, a talent of gold being very heavy; according to Bishop Cumberland {f}, ninety three and three quarter pounds; some say an hundred thirteen pounds ten ounces, and more; too great a weight to be borne on the head by Hanun or David; but, what with the gold and precious stones about it, it might be equal in value to a talent of gold; but weight is expressly mentioned, and the crowns of the eastern princes were of great bulk and weight, as well as value: Athenaeus {g} makes mention of one made of ten thousand pieces of gold, placed on the throne of King Ptolemy, and of some of two cubits, of six, yea, of sixteen cubits. Some {h} are of opinion that this crown was not the crown of the king of Ammon, but of Milcom or Molech, their idol, and that the proper name should be retained in the version, and that David had a crown made of it he could bear; but if, as others {i}, the Syriac talent is meant, which was but the fourth part of an Hebrew one, the difficulty is greatly lessened; for it seems to be the same crown David afterwards wore, as follows:and it was [set] on David's head; to show that the kingdom was translated to him, or was become subject to him; as Alexander, on the conquest of Darius, put the Persian diadem on his own head {k}, in token of that monarchy being translated to him: though, after all, the phrase, "from off", may be rendered "from above" or "over" {l} his head, and so it was set "above" or "over" the head of David, being supported by some means or other, that its weight did not bear thereon however, Paschalius, who wrote a learned work, "De Coronis", must be mistaken when be says {m} this seems to be the first use of a crown in the kingdom of Judah, there being no mention of a crown before, either of Saul or David, only of anointing; since express mention is made of Saul's crown, 2Sa 1:10; though his observation may be just, that this crown, allowed to be worn by David, was a pledge of the renewal of his royal dignity, and of his acceptance with God upon his repentance for his above sins:and he brought forth the spoil of the city in great abundance; which, or at least part of it, was dedicated to the building of the sanctuary, 2Sa 8:11.{b} Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 7. c. 7. sect. 5.) {c} T. Bab. Avodah Zarah, fol. 44. 1. {d} De Ponder. & Pret. Vet. Num. c. 4. {e} Of Scripture Weights and Measures, c. 4. p. 121. {f} Ib. p. 119. {g} Apud Paschalium de Coronis, l. 9. c, 8. p. 587. {h} Vid. Hieron. Trad. Heb. in 2 Reg. fol. 78. H. & in Paralipom. fol. 83. M. Weemse of Jewish Weights, p. 141. {i} Pfeiffer. Difficil. Script. Loc. cent. 2. loc. 87. {k} Diodor. Sic. l. 17. p. 549. {l} lem "desuper", Montanus, "supra caput David", Munster. {m} Ut supra, (Apud Paschalium de Coronis) l. 10. c. 10. p. 695. 2 Samuel 12:31Ver. 31. And he brought forth the people that [were] therein,.... Not all the inhabitants of the place, but the princes of the children of Ammon, the counsellors of Hattun, who advised him to use David's ambassadors in so shameful a manner, and others that expressed their pleasure and satisfaction in it:and put [them] under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron; whereby they were cut asunder, as some were by the Romans and others {n}, or their flesh torn to pieces, and they put to extreme pain and agony, and so died most miserably; see 1Ch 20:3;and made them pass through the brickkiln; where they burnt their bricks, by which they were not only scorched and blistered, but burnt to death; so the word in the "Keri", or margin, signifies, which we follow; but in the text it is, they caused them to pass through Malcem, the same with Milcom or Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon, 1Ki 11:5; unto which they made their children pass through the fire, and burnt them; and now in the same place they themselves are made to pass through, and be burnt, as a righteous punishment of them for their barbarous and wicked idolatry. The word used in the Greek version, according to Suidas {o}, signifies an army, or a battalion of men drawn up in a quadrangular form, like a brick; and in the same sense Josephus {p} uses it; hence a learned man {q} conjectures that David's army was drawn up in the like form, through which the Ammonites were obliged to pass, and as they passed were assailed with darts, and killed; a like punishment to which is what the Italians call "passing through the pikes":and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon; to the inhabitants of them; that is, the chief, who bad expressed their joy at the ill usage of his ambassadors: this he did to strike terror into other nations, that they might fear to use his ambassadors in such like manner. This action of David's showing so much severity, is thought by most to be done when under the power of his lust with Bathsheba, in an hardened and impenitent state, when he had no sense of mercy himself, and so showed none; which is too injurious to his character; for this was a righteous retaliation of this cruel people, 1Sa 11:2. Which may be observed in other instances, Jud 8:6; but the charge of cruelty in David will be easily removed by following the translation of a learned {r} man, and which I think the words will bear, "and he obliged the people that were in it to go out, and put them to the saw", to cut stones; "and to the iron mines", to dig there; "and to the axes of iron", to cut wood, with; "after he had made them to pass with their king" out of the city.So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem; in triumph, and with great spoil.{n} Suetonius in Vita Caii, c. 27. Vid. Herodot. l. 2. c. 139. {o} In voce plinyion. {p} Antiqu. l. 13. c. 4. sect. 4. {q} Menochius de Repub. Heb. l. 8. c. 3. col 752. {r} Danzii Commentat. de miligat. David in Ammon. crudel. Jenae 1710, apud Michael. in 1 Chron. xx. 3. Vid. Stockium, p. 392.
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.