Chapter 12: Dovid is chastised for his sin

1.      The curse of Nassan the prophet:

• G-d sends Nassan the prophet to chastise Dovid using a fabricated case of judgment: [In response to the sin,] Hashem sent Nassan the prophet to visit Dovid [and chastise him]. Nassan [did so using a metaphor and] arrived to Dovid and told him as follows: In a certain city there lived a poor and rich man. The rich man owned an abundance of flock and cattle, while the poor man was destitute and owned nothing other than a small lamb which he purchased and raised and it lived together with him and his children. The lamb would eat from his bread and drink from his cup and would lie in his chest and was to him like a daughter. A guest arrived by the home of the wealthy man, and the wealthy host felt stingy in taking from his own flock and cattle to make a meat meal for his guest that arrived and thus [instead of taking from his own herd,] he stole the poor man’s sheep and used it to make the meat meal for his guest. [The purpose of this fable, was so Dovid give his own ruling on his own crime, and be judged accordingly.^[1]]
• Dovid becomes infuriated and passes judgment on the fictitious rich man which really refers to him: Dovid became infuriated at the wealthy man, and he responded to Nassan saying that the wealthy man who did this is liable for death, and he should pay 40 sheep to the poor man in exchange for the sheep that he stole. All this should happen to the man due to him having done this and over the fact that he did not have mercy on the poor man.
• Nathan reveals to Dovid the true identity of the wealthy man as non-other than him: Nassan then turned to Dovid and told him, “You are the [wealthy] man [in the story, and all that he said will happen to him^[2] and he will lose four sons in exchange for the 40 sheep^[3]]. So said Hashem the G-d of Israel, “I have anointed you king over the Jewish people, and I have saved you from the hand of Shaul. I have granted you the palace of your master, and the wives of your master [i.e. Michal the daughter of Shaul[4]] I have placed in your chest, and I have given you the house of Israel and Judea and if this is too little I will add to you more and more. Now, why have you belittled the word of Hashem to perform evil in His eyes through arranging the death of Uriah Hachiti to die by the sword, and to take his wife for yourself as a wife, and him you have killed by the sword of the nation of Amon [which adds insult to the arranged death as you arranged for him to die through the enemies of Israel[5]]. Now, you will receive the following curses: Battle will never cease from within your family, due to that you have belittled Me and taken the wife of Uriah Hachiti to be for you as a wife. So says G-d: I will arouse evil upon you from amongst your own home [i.e. Avshalom your son[6]], and I will take your wives from before your eyes and give them to your friend [i.e. Avshalom, your son, who was also a king at the time[7]], and he will sleep with your wives in the open opposite the eyes of the sun. While you did your sin in secret, I will do all the above in face of the public eye, in front of all Israel and opposite the sun.”
• Dovid expresses remorse for his sins: Dovid replied to Nassan, “I have sinned to G-d.” Nassan replied to Dovid that also G-d had forgiven his sin and that he will not die. “However, since you have angered G-d with this matter, and caused that the enemies of G-d will use this against him to blaspheme Him, therefore the child that will be born to will die.”

[1] Metzudos Dovid 12:1

[2] Metzudos Dovid 12:1

[3] Rashi 12:6; Ralbag 12:6

[4] Rashi 12:8

[5] See Metzudos Dovid 12:9

[6] Metzudos Dovid 12:11

[7] Metzudos Dovid ibid