2 Samuel 12:1-7a, 10-17
Chapter 12
David’s Penance
So the Lord sent the prophet Nathan to David. Nathan told the king: “There were two men in a city: one was rich; the other, poor.The rich man had many sheep and cattle,
but the poor man had only one little ewe lamb he had bought. He fed it, and it grew with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup, and slept on his lap. It was like a daughter to him.
A traveler came to the rich man, but he would not take from his own flock or herd to prepare food for the traveler. Instead, he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared that for his visitor.”
David was furious because of this man and told Nathan: “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves death!
He must return the lamb fourfold for acting like this and showing no compassion.”
Nathan said to David: “You are this man! The Lord, God of Israel, speaks: ‘I anointed you king over Israel and saved you from Saul’s hands;
Now, the sword will never be far from your family because you have despised me and taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite for yourself.
Thus says the Lord: Your misfortune will rise from your own house! I will take your wives from you and give them to your neighbor, who shall lie with them in broad daylight.
What you did was done secretly, but what I do will be done before Israel in broad daylight.”
David told Nathan: “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan answered: “The Lord has forgiven your sin; you shall not die.
However, because you have dared to despise the Lord by doing such a thing, the child that is born to you shall die.”
Then Nathan went to his home.The Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and the child became very ill.
David entreated God for the child. He kept a strict fast and lay on the ground the whole night.
The elders of his house asked him to rise from the ground, but he refused. Nor did he join them to eat.
Commentaries
David’s Penance.
When silence falls, God’s Word rises to demand justice. Rumors of malicious, reproachful, or indulgent comments about the king’s actions may have been spreading in Jerusalem. The prophet who made the promise of a dynastic line now must deliver God’s accusation and judgment. It’s a dangerous task, and he does so through a parable. The parable is short yet powerful. David views it as a case he must judge with his ultimate authority, and he does so without inquiring about the names. Then the prophet reveals the rich man in the parable and identifies the poor man and his ewe lamb. Verses 7-12 contain the primary oracle, which strongly personalizes the offense against the Lord (see Ps 51:6).
Strictly speaking, some might say that David has offended Uriah, but the Lord takes the offense upon himself, emphasizing its ultimate seriousness. This introduces a new system of relationships: David becomes the wicked rich man in the parable; about God, he was the chosen lamb, cared for with special affection like a daughter. By abandoning that role, he assumes the position of the rich man and offends his Lord, who then becomes the protector of the poor man and his little lamb. Humanity’s openness to God and God’s interest in humanity give greatness and seriousness to human charity and justice. David’s response (13ff) is very brief: enlightened by the Word, he recognizes himself before God and admits his sin against the Lord without elaboration. God forgives him by removing the death sentence. However, He still imposes a penalty. In legal terms, his death sentence is reduced to the loss of his son due to sin. The father suffers the loss of his son; the son is not punished.