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2 Samuel 12:1
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Nathan’s Parable and David’s Confession

1 Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And ahe came to him, and bsaid to him: “There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor.  
2 The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds.
3 But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him.
4 And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”
5 So David’s anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this1 shall surely die!  
6 And he shall restore afourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity.”  
7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I aanointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul.  
8 I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more!
9 aWhy have you bdespised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight? cYou have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon.  
Commentaries:
Forerunner Commentary
What is the Forerunner Commentary?
<< 2 Samuel 11:27   2 Samuel 12:2 >>

What Does 2 Samuel 12:1 Mean?

Nathan taught David the seriousness and repulsiveness of his concealed sins by having David see them mirrored in someone else. God often uses the negative behaviors of others to reflect the hideousness of one's own sins. The faults noticed in others frequently mirror one's own shortcomings and failings. Yet a danger exists in using others' proverbial specks as mirrors for one's own planks: failing to heed the warning etched on the bottom, "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear."




2 Samuel 12:1-7

Nathan had to teach David the seriousness and repulsiveness of his concealed sins by seeing it mirrored in someone else. God often uses negative behaviors in people with whom we come in contact to reflect the hideousness of our sins. Like so many faults I see in others, they are often mirrors of my own shortcomings and failings. The problem when I use others' proverbial specks as mirrors of my planks is that I fail to reflect upon the warning etched on the bottom: “Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.”

David F. Maas
Specks as Mirrors

Related Topics: David's Adultery | Human Nature Contains Self-Deception | Image Projection | Nathan | Physical Blindness Mirrors Spiritual Blindness | Secret Faults | Self Deception | Sin of Self Deception | Speck in Brother's Eye and Plank in Your Eye | Specks as Mirrors




Other Forerunner Commentary entries containing 2 Samuel 12:1:

Amos 3:13-14
Romans 2:1-3
James 3:2-10


 
<< 2 Samuel 11:27   2 Samuel 12:2 >>

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