2 samuel 11 and 12

Read 2 Samuel 11 and 12 at Bible Gateway.

The Hebrew paragraph divisions:

2 Sam 11:1 {s} David did not go out to battle with Israel’s army, but remained in Jerusalem
2 Sam 11:2-15 {s} Adultery with Bathsheba + commanded the murder of Uriah her husband
2 Sam 11:16-24 {s} The murder of Uriah the Hittite by the Ammonites accomplished
2 Sam 11:25-27 {p} Bathsheba mourned but then became David’s wife + bore him a son
2 Sam 12:1-6 {s} Nathan’s parable of of the rich + poor man, and David’s judgment
2 Sam 12:7a {s} Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man!
2 Sam 12:7b-10 {s} The LORD’s judgment on David and his house
2 Sam 12:11-12 {s} Adversity from David’s house, publicly, in the sight of the sun
2 Sam 12:13a {s} So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”
2 Sam 12:13b-25 {p} Bathsheba’s child died + she bore another son, Solomon, beloved of Yehovah
2 Sam 12:26-31 {p} Joab subdued the Ammon + David completed the victory + the Ammonites Israel’s slaves

The strong themes:

2 Sam 11:1-27 {sx3+p} Adultery with Bathsheba + murder of Uriah + birth of David’s son
2 Sam 12:1-25 {sx5+p} The LORD confronts David + his repentance, death of the child, birth of Solomon
2 Sam 12:26-31 {p} Joab subdued the Ammon + David completed the victory + the Ammonites Israel’s slaves

The chiastic structure:

1a) 2 Sam 11:1 {s} Israel went to war with Ammon, but David stayed in Jerusalem;

1b) 2 Sam 11:2-27a {s+s} The death of Uriah the Hittite/ Bathsheba mourned + birth of David’s son:

1) 2 Sam 11:2-25 {s+s} The adultery of David + Bathsheba/ The death of Uriah the Hittite;
2) 2 Sam 11:26-27a, Bathsheba mourned for her husband/ She became David’s wife + bore him a son;

1c) 2 Sam 11:27b {p} But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord;

1d) 2 Sam 12:1-6 {s} Nathan’s parable and David’s judgment;

1) 2 Sam 12:1-4, Nathan’s parable of the rich man + poor man and his ewe lamb;
2) 2 Sam 12:5-6 {s} David pronounces the king’s judgment against the rich man who had no pity;

central axis) 2 Sam 12:7a {s} Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man!”

2d) 2 Sam 12:7b-12 {s+s} The Lord confronts David/ His judgment against him;

1) 2 Sam 12:7b-10 {s} The word of the Lord confronted what David had done;
2) 2 Sam 12:11-12 {s} The Lord pronounces His judgment against David who had no pity;

2c) 2 Sam 12:13a {s} So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord;”

2b) 2 Sam 12:13b-25 {p} The death of David’s son/ Bathsheba comforted by the birth of Solomon;

1) 2 Sam 12:13b-23, The death of David’s son;
2) 2 Sam 12:24-25 {p} Bathsheba comforted/ bore David a son named Solomon [beloved of Yehovah];

2a) 2 Sam 12:26-31 {p} Israel overcame Ammon + the Ammonites put to forced labor.

Psa 51 is the psalm of repentance David wrote after confessing his sin against Bathsheba and Uriah (and here).

The thing that I noticed today, though: David is going to suffer severe consequences because of this sin. As king, he pronounced a four-fold judgment of restitution against the rich man, which David will pay, for the murder of Uriah the Hittite. But the Lord forgave his sin, even as severe a sin as this, and when Solomon was born, the Lord told Nathan that he was ‘beloved of Yehovah,’ therefore Nathan called him Jedidiah. What a comfort this must have been to Bathsheba’s heart, after the death of her first son by David. Consequences for sin are a reality (therefore do not transgress the commandment of the Lord!) but God does not hold grudges. Aren’t you glad! ♥