What does 2 Samuel 12:13 mean?
ESV: David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord." And Nathan said to David, "The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.
NIV: Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord." Nathan replied, "The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.
NASB: Then David said to Nathan, 'I have sinned against the Lord.' And Nathan said to David, 'The Lord also has allowed your sin to pass; you shall not die.
CSB: David responded to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord." Then Nathan replied to David, "And the Lord has taken away your sin; you will not die.
NLT: Then David confessed to Nathan, 'I have sinned against the Lord.' Nathan replied, 'Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin.
KJV: And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
NKJV: So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.
Verse Commentary:
In Psalm 51, David also confesses guilt regarding Uriah and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:7–9). In both instances, he frames his error as a sin against God. The psalm indicates that his sin is against God alone (Psalm 51:4). This distinction can be difficult for modern readers to understand—didn't David also sin against Uriah and Bathsheba?
David immorally harmed both Bathsheba and Uriah (2 Samuel 11). But God frames the sin (2 Samuel 12:7–9) the same way in which David understands it: in the context of the larger picture. If David had obeyed God as he should have, Bathsheba and Uriah wouldn't have suffered. David's rebellion against God is at the core of his sin against Bathsheba and Uriah. Violating other people is morally corrupt. But our obligations to God, the Creator, are infinitely greater. Therefore, defying His will is the greater sin.
David isn't a random farmer who steals a sheep (2 Samuel 12:1–4). He is the God-ordained king of God's people Israel. He lives in a theocracy where God is the authority over the nation, and His Law is the foundation on which His people are to live. God specifically placed David on the throne. God expects David to honor Him and serve His people by following His law. Yet David has broken four of the Ten Commandments, two of which are punishable by death (Exodus 21:14; Deuteronomy 22:22).
But David repents, and God has the right to accept that repentance. David's sin is covered by the future blood of Christ. Jesus' sacrifice pays for David's sin. God will not demand David's death, but He will take the life of his son (2 Samuel 12:14).
The confession recorded here sounds flat. Psalm 51 is David's full confession. He admits he has done evil, and that God's judgment is just. He begs God to cleanse him and give him a clean heart. His greatest wish is that he can remain in God's presence. He knows that sacrifices mean nothing without "a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart" (Psalm 51:17).
God is the authority and judge. He accepts David's repentance and forgives him. But God still wants David to give Uriah and Bathsheba a measure of earthly justice. Uriah is dead. God can't restore what David took from him. But He can make David experience parallels to what he did to Uriah. David's life will continue to be filled with violence. Another man near to him will publicly sleep with David's wives. And he will take Bathsheba's first child, the child that should have been Uriah's (2 Samuel 12:10–12).
For Bathsheba, God will restore to her what David took. She will have a husband who sees to her needs and who cares for her enough to give her the comfort he can (2 Samuel 12:24). God will also give her the potential blessings David took: four sons (1 Chronicles 3:5). Even more: one of those sons will be king of Israel, restoring to her the honor David stole.
Verse Context:
Second Samuel 12:7–14 records the repercussions to come from David's sin. He thought no one who mattered knew he had taken Bathsheba and murdered Uriah (2 Samuel 11). Nathan told a parable describing David's sin, revealing that David's secret is out. The boy who faithfully followed God's will has now defiled God's law. David repents and will be spared. But Uriah and Bathsheba still deserve justice. David will experience versions of his own crimes against Uriah: loss of a child, violence, and humiliation.
Chapter Summary:
In 2 Samuel 12, David learns the consequences of his sins against Bathsheba and Uriah (2 Samuel 11). David thought no one of consequence knew what he'd done. Nathan the prophet reveals that God knows; the Lord demands justice for David's victims. David's household will rebel, and Bathsheba's son will die. David humbly repents, and Bathsheba later conceives Solomon, the future king. Joab, about to defeat the Ammonites, calls David to finish the fight. In 2 Samuel 13, the seeds of the promised rebellion are sown. Psalm 51 is David's expression of remorse for his sins.
Chapter Context:
David begins to lose control of his seemingly perfect situation. While the respected soldier Uriah was fighting Ammonites with Joab (2 Samuel 10), David slept with Uriah's wife, Bathsheba. To cover her pregnancy, David arranged for Uriah to die in battle (2 Samuel 11). Nathan, the prophet, confronts David over his crimes. God takes the child's life and will allow David's household to rebel against him. This begins when David's son rapes his own half-sister, Tamar (2 Samuel 13), starting a series of events that will result in another son, Absalom, taking the throne from his father (2 Samuel 14—16).
Book Summary:
Second Samuel continues the story of David, who will become king over Judah. The other tribes of Israel are resistant, eventually sparking a civil war. David wins and makes Jerusalem his capital. Early success is followed by moral failure and controversy in David's house. The book of 1 Kings will begin by detailing David's decline and death.
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