Nathan by a parable reproveth and threateneth David, 1-12. He confesseth his sin, and is pardoned, but the child must die, 13, 14: David mourneth and prayeth for it whilst life was in it; after is satisfied and cheered: the reason, 15-23. He goeth in to Bath-sheba: Solomon is born of her, and is called Jedidiah, 24, 25. David taketh Rabbah, and tortureth the people thereof, 26-31.
William Gurnall's Christian in Complete Armor: 'Mercy gives the greatest aggravation to sin, and therefore must needs be the most powerful instrument to break the heart for sin. With this God doth reproach sinning Israel, "Do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people and unwise?" Deut 32:6. They could not have been evil to such a height if God had not been so good to them. When God would break the sore of his people's sin, he compounds a poultice with his choicest mercies and lays this warm to their hearts. David had sat many months under the lectures of the law, unhumbled for his bloody complicated sin; but Nathan is sent to preach a rehearsal sermon to hi…
William Gurnall's Christian in Complete Armor: 'This may reprove such as wrestle; but against whom? against God, not against sin and Satan. These are bold men indeed, who dare try a fall with the Almighty; yet such there are, and a woe [is] pronounced against them, Isa 45:9 "Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker." It is easy to tell which of these will be worsted. What can he do but break his shins that dasheth them against a rock? A goodly battle there is like to be, when thorns contest with fire, and stubble with flame. But where live those giants that dare enter the list with the great God? What are their names, that we may kno…
Jonathan Edwards' Notes on Scripture: 'It may be worth the while to observe the analogy there was between David's sin in the matter of Uriah, and the judgments after. He was guilty of shedding of blood, and he was punished with this in his own family, one of his own children shedding the blood of another. Absalom's shedding Amnon's blood, and afterwards he, though his own son, seeking to shed his blood, and with Absalom the greatest part of his subjects that used to be loyal and have a good affection for him, had their hearts turned against him, and became his enemies, and sought to shed his blood, and afterwards Absalom's blood was shed, greatly to the grief o…
Thomas Boston's Miscellaneous Questions: ''The sins of believers are of two sorts. First, some such as they having fallen into, do lie in, at least for a time, through the growing power of corruption, not having risen there from by the renewed acts of grace. In this case was David when Nathan came unto him, 2 Sam 12. Secondly, Some they have fallen into; but, by the influences of the Spirit upon the principles of grace in their hearts, putting grace in exercise, they have recovered there from, having renewed their faith and repentance. In this case find we David, Ps 51.
Matthew Henry: 'The foregoing chapter gave us the account of David's sin; this gives us the account of his repentance. Though he fell, he was not utterly cast down, but, by the grace of God, recovered himself, and found mercy with God. Here is, I. His conviction, by a message Nathan brought him from God, which was a parable that obliged him to condemn himself (ver. 1-6), and the application of the parable, in which Nathan charged him with the sin (ver. 7-9) and pronounced sentence upon him, ver. 10-12. II. His repentance and remission, with a proviso, ver. 13-14. III. The sickness and death of the child, and his behaviour while it was sick and when it was dea…