CHAP. XII.
Vers. 1. THere were] The scope of this parable was to awaken David out of his deep ••leep of security and sin, by causing him unknowingly to passe an unpartiall sentence against himself, in the person of another, that so he might be brought to unfeigned repentance.
V. 3. own meat] Heb. morsell; That is, though he had lit∣tle, and as it were but a bit, yet he gave his lamb part of it.
was unto him] That is, he dearly and tenderly loved it, as if it had been his childe.
V. 5. shall surely die] Heb. is the son of death, or, is worthy to die; That is, deserveth to die. So Ephes. 2. 3.
V. 6. fourfold] According to the law, Exod. 22. 1. And this penalty was inflicted on David▪ who for slaying Uriah, lost four sons, the young infant, Amnon, Absalon, and Adonijah; and for his defiling Uriahs wife, had his own concubines defiled by Absalon.
V. 7. the man] That is, who hath committed this sin, and on whom thou hast passed this sentence of death.
anointed thee king over Israel] 1 Sam. 16. 13.
V. 8. thy masters house] That is, the kingdom of Saul, who was thy lord and master.
thy masters wives] Not to marry with them (for that had been incest, Levit. 18. 15. having married Michal his daughter; neither do we read, that David ever took any of them to be his wives) but to be in his power, and at his disposing in any law∣full way, being their king. Others understand it not of wives married to Saul, but of other women, widdows, and maids, in Sauls court and kingdom; neither doth God herein approve of polygamy, for it was not a gift of allowance, but of provi∣dence, tolerating for a time this plurality of wives. Though we may here by wives, understand those things which were most neer and deer to Saul his master.
I would] That is, I was able, and would have been willing to have satisfied thy hearts desire, by giving unto thee in a law∣full way, and by lawfull means, more and greater things then all these, Psal. 37. 4.
V. 9. the commandment] That is, by transgressing the ••e∣cond table of the law; the sum whereof is, That we should love our neighbour as ourselves, give every one his own, and do to others, as we would have them to do unto us.
thou hast killed] For David was the chief contriver of his death, who betrayed him into the hands of his enemies, Joab an accessary, and the Ammonites but onely, and that unknow∣ingly, their instruments.
V. 10. shall never] That is, for a long time, or all thy life time. See 1 Sam. 1. 22. Deut. 15. 17.
despised me] To wit, by thy wilfull violating of my law.
V. 11. I will raise] That is, for these thy sins I will afflict thee with many evils, by means of thy own children, g••ving them over to commit rapes, murthers, and unnaturall rebellions.