聖書注解書

And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.

And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. — He must be of God’s sending, that shall effectually awaken conscience, and speak to the heart. Nathan the prophet 2 Samuel 7:2 - a man so highly esteemed by David, that he called one of his sons by his name (say some), made him tutor to his son Solomon, and had him of his Cabinet Council 1 Kings 1:1-53 - is here purposely sent to let good David feel the bruise of his fall; to be unto him as Paul’s sister’s son was to the chief captain; as the cock, or rather as Christ’s look, was to Peter; to arouse him out of that dead lethargy wherein he had lain for three quarters of a year together; and to convert him from the error of his way. If God’s best children have been sometimes suffered to sleep in sin, at last he hath awakened them in a fright. Now because men that are awakened hastily out of a deep and sweet sleep are apt to take it ill, and to brawl with their best friends, wise Nathan, non aperte, sed per ambages, beginneth his reproof, not in plain terms, but by fetching about a form of speech - as she saith, 2 Samuel 14:20 ; by an allegory or apologue, he first fisheth out of David what the law was, and then forceth him to pronounce sentence of death against himself. Velut prudens medicus ferrum tegebat. - Aug. Ut secantem gladium sentiret aeger antequam cerneret. - Greg. David was a prophet, yet needed he a prophet to be sent unto him; as one physician to another; but the sound to the sick, as Chrysostom saith. Tanquam medicus ad medicum, sed sanus ad aegrotum. - Chrys.

And he came unto him — In conclave Davidis, into David’s closet; for whereas some have thought that Nathan dealt now with David in the hearing of his courtiers and captains, it is more likely that he did it privately, that he might the more easily work and win upon him. Hitherto all the king’s care had been to conceal his sin from the world, - which yet he could not do with all his skill, for the enemies had got it by the end, 2 Samuel 14:1-33 - and although his conscience had galled him betwixt whiles, when he heard the lectures of the law, and groaned under a great fit of sickness, as some gather from Psalms 32:3-4 Psalms 6:1-10 Psalms 38:1-22 , yet he turned the deaf ear, and continued in the hardness of his heart till the prophet came home to him, and dealt plainly and privately with him. Great is the benefit of conference and private admonition. Luther was much helped this way by Staupicius; Galeacius by Peter Martyr; Junius by a countryman of his not far from Florence; Senarclaeus by John Diazins; Latimer by blessed St Bilney, as he styleth him; Dr Taylor by that angel of God, John Bradford, who counted that hour lost wherein he had not done some good with his hand, pen, or tongue. Private admonition, saith one, is the pastor’s privy purse, as princes have theirs, besides their public disbursements. It repented good Mr Hiron, and troubled him on his death bed, that he had been so backward to it, and barren of it.

There were two men in one city. — By this pretty parable, Nathan maketh David self-condemned, or ever he was aware; and useth his own tongue as a lance to rip up and heal his own heart. Aug., Hom. 21.

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The rich [man] had exceeding many flocks and herds:

The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds. — The greater was his sin, since pressed with no necessity. What need had the angels to leave their first estate and habitation? Judges 1:6 What need had Adam to reach after a deity? What need had Ahab to covet Naboth’s vineyard? … It is no small aggravation of a man’s sin to fall into it without a strong temptation; to be led to it with a wet finger, as we say.

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But the poor [man] had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.

But the poor man. — Poor Uriah; poor in comparison of David, who had all that heart could wish.

Save one little ewe lamb. — This was his Bathsheba, he had no more wives but her: as Isaac never had more than Rebecca, whom therefore he loved tenderly and entirely.

And it grew up together with him, and with his children. — Which he had by a former wife, as some think.

It did eat of his own meat. — Heb., Morsel; he spared it out of his own belly for his favoured lamb; neither was anything good to him, whereof his wife had not part.

And lay in his bosom. — Where he nourished and cherished her, Ephesians 5:29 as the hen doth her chickens, or as the cock pigeon doth the eggs.

And was unto him as a daughter. — Yea, much dearer. The greater was her disloyalty against so loving a husband, and so gallant a man: the more heinous also was David’s offence in wronging and robbing him of such an only jewel.

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And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.

And there came a traveller. — This was the devil, say some, whom David feasted by abusing Bathsheba; and indeed he is a great traveller and trudge-over-the-world. Job 1:7 1 Peter 5:8 Others - and better - understand it of fleshly lust, which beareth the name of the mother, called in general concupiscence or corruption; this to good David was but a stranger, and not a home dweller: and it must be our care, that though corruption enter, it may not be entertained - "How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?" Jeremiah 4:14 - lest the traveller become the man of the house, lest the Lurdan (Lord-Dane) play rex in the soul.

And he spared to take of his own flock. — While Nathan was querulously discoursing of the cruel rich man, how he spared to take of his own flock, …, how willingly doth David listen to the story, and how sharply - even above law - doth he censure the fact!

But took the poor man’s lamb. — So sweet are stolen waters, and so pleasant is bread of secrecies, or eaten in hugger-mugger. Proverbs 9:17

“ Quod licet ingratum est, quod non licet acrius urit:

Sic interdietis imminet roger aquis. ” - Ovid.

And dressed it for the man that was come to him. — This was for lack of true charity, doubtless, which biddeth a man to make bold with his own, and not to meddle with others’ goods. Nevertheless that saying of Gul. Parisiensis hath a great deal of truth in it, Charitas est fur fidelissimus et innocentissimus: quia omnia bona proximoram sua facit, neque tamen illi adimit. Charity is a most faithful and most innocent thief: for why? it maketh all another man’s good its own, without taking anything away from him.

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And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, [As] the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this [thing] shall surely die:

And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man. — Little dreaming that himself was the man, till afterwards, and then it was, - "Yea, what indignation!" 2 Corinthians 7:11 Men usually favour themselves too much when they are chancellors in their own cause, and measure all things by their own private interest; as David could allow himself another man’s wife, and judge another to death for taking away a poor man’s lamb. So Augustus caused Proclus to die for adultery, when himself was a great adulterer. Tiberius was the like: and yet he banished the adulteress two hundred miles out of the city, and expelled the adulterer out of Italy and Africa. How much better Zaleuchus the Locrensian, who made a law that the adulterer should loose both his eyes: and it so falling out that his son was taken in adultery, he, to satisfy the law, caused one of his son’s eyes to be put out, and one of his own! Aelian., lib. lii. And Saletus the Crotonian, who made a law that adulterers should be burned alive; and being himself detected of adultery, having by an oration in his own defence almost persuaded the people to have compassion toward him, he voluntarily leaped into the fire. Lucian. But self-love is partial, and teacheth men to turn the glass to see their own faults lesser than they are, and other men’s bigger; to hate and persecute that in others which they favour and foster in themselves: as it is noted of Crassus the Roman, that he hated the covetous, but not covetousness: Plutarch, in Crasso. and of Sulla - the like is storied of our Richard III - that he commanded others under great penalties to be virtuous and modest, when himself walked the clean contrary way. How easy is it to detest those evils in others, which we flatter in ourselves! Witness Judah in his dealing with his daughter-in-law Tamar. The Pope was angry with the French king for using moderation toward the Protestants, at the request of the Swiss, whose assistance he had used in his wars with Spain, A.D. 1557: he had forgotten that in the time of his own wars, the cardinals of the Inquisition, complaining that the Protestant Grisons, brought to his pay for the defence of Rome, used many scorns against the churches and images, his holiness did reprehend them, saying, they were angels sent by God for the custody of the city and of his person, and that he had a strong hope that God would convert them. This was Pope Paul IV. Hist. of Counc. of Trent, 407.

Shall surely die. — Our Henry I punished his courtiers’ thefts with death: and fornication with the loss of their eyes, and other parts peccant. Speed, 467. The King of Persia punisheth theft and manslaughter so severely, that in an age a man shall not hear of the one or the other. But by God’s law, the thief was to restore, and not to die for that offence. Exodus 22:1

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And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.

And he shall restore the lamb fourfold. — Nay, twice fourfold, as some sense it; because the word is of the dual number. But what! Must he do all this, and die too? This was hard law, better beseeming a Draco to pronounce, than a David: but he was transported and biassed, as above said. Prompte et fervide sententiam pronunciat.

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And Nathan said to David, Thou [art] the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;

And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. — Tu is es, de te narratur fabula. You are the one and about you is the story told. This was downright plain dealing indeed. See the like, 1 Kings 20:35 ; 1 Kings 20:41 Genesis 40:18-19 Daniel 5:22 Matthew 14:4 . Truth must be spoken, however it be taken: it is a treacherous flattery in divine errands to regard greatness. If prophets must be mannerly in the form, yet in the matter of reproof they must be resolute. What brave and bold preachers of old were Athanasius, Ambrose, Chrysostom! and since that, Ode Severus, Johannes Sarisburiensis - who reproved the Pope to his teeth, and then wrote his "Polycraticon," - Lambertus Trajectinus Episcopus - who stoutly reproved King Pipin for his adulteries, A.D. 798, and lost his life for so doing! Godw. Catal. Revius, De Vit. Pontif. Hist. Gal. Epit. To come nearer to our own times, what brave and undaunted spirits were Luther, Farell, Latimer, Lever, Gilpin, Deering, Perkins, Stock! of which last, Mr Gataker giveth this true testimony, that as he could speak his mind fitly, so he durst do it freely. I myself once heard him say to some that slept before him, If ye will not rouse up yourselves, I will pull you up by the poll.

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And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if [that had been] too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.

And I gave thee thy master’s house. — What! to hire thee hereby to be thus wicked? Shouldst thou again, after such deliverances and benefices, break my commandments, Ezra 9:13-14 kick against my bowels, fight against me with mine own weapons, …

And thy master’s wives into thy bosom. — That is, Into thy subjection: for David could never have married the wives of Saul, since that had been incest: though some think that he might lawfully have married any of them save Michal’s mother; but yet never actually did, because they were too old.

And gave thee the house of Israel. — Qui exprobat reposcit. If God upbraid any man, it is a sign of great anger, and of a danger that he will ere long take his own again and be gone. Hosea 2:2-3

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