John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 5. And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man , etc.] That had done this, taking it for a real fact: and he said to Nathan, [as] the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this [thing] shall surely die ; which be said in the transport of his wrath and fury; otherwise a thief, according to the law of Moses, was not to be put to death, but to make restitution; and if he was not able to make it, then to be sold, but he was not to die for it; but David thought the crime was so greatly aggravated by being done by a rich man, and by the loss the poor man sustained, it being his all, and the fact, in all its circumstances, so cruel and barbarous, that the guilty person ought to die: how much more vehemently, and indeed with justice, would he have passed the sentence of death on him, or condemned him to it, had it been put in the parable, that the rich man not only took the poor man’s ewe lamb, but killed the poor man himself? but this Nathan left out, that David might not take his meaning, as Abarbinel thinks, who then would have been upon his guard, and not have condemned himself; and hereby also Nathan had this advantage against him, that if this man deserved to die, who had only taken the poor man’s ewe lamb, then how much more ought he to die, who had not only committed adultery with Bathsheba, but had slain Uriah?
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-14 - God will not suffer his people to lie still in sin. By this parabl Nathan drew from David a sentence against himself. Great need there is of prudence in giving reproofs. In his application, he was faithful. He says in plain terms, Thou art the man. God shows how much he hates sin even in his own people; and wherever he finds it, he will not let it go unpunished. David says not a word to excuse himself or make light of his sin, but freely owns it. When David said, I have sinned, and Natha perceived that he was a true penitent, he assured him his sin wa forgiven. Thou shalt not die: that is, not die eternally, nor be for ever put away from God, as thou wouldest have been, if thou hadst no put away the sin. Though thou shalt all thy days be chastened of the Lord, yet thou shalt not be condemned with the world. There is thi great evil in the sins of those who profess religion and relation to God, that they furnish the enemies of God and religion with matter for reproach and blasphemy. And it appears from David's case, that eve where pardon is obtained, the Lord will visit the transgression of his people with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. For one momentar gratification of a vile lust, David had to endure many days and year of extreme distress.
Original Hebrew ויחר2734 אף639 דוד1732 באישׁ376 מאד3966 ויאמר559 אל413 נתן5416 חי2416 יהוה3068 כי3588 בן1121 מות4194 האישׁ376 העשׂה6213 זאת׃2063
