2 Samuel 12:27

_AND JOAB SENT MESSENGERS TO DAVID, AND SAID, I HAVE FOUGHT AGAINST RABBAH, AND HAVE TAKEN THE CITY OF WATERS._ The city of waters. Rabbah, like Aroer, was divided into two parts-one, the lower town, insulated by the winding course of the Jabbok, which flowed almost round it, and the upper and stronger town, called the royal city, from its being the seat of the Ammonite Government, and containing the palace of the king. Here was kept the iron bedstead of Og, as an antique relic, indicating the stature and strength of the gigantic king of Bashan. The first was taken by Joab, but the honour of capturing so strongly a fortified place as the other was an honour reserved for the king himself....

26-31 To be thus severe in putting the children of Ammon to slavery was a sign that David's heart was not yet made soft by repentance, at the time when this took place. We shall be most compassionate, kind, and forgiving to others, when we most feel our need of the Lord's forgiving love, and taste the sweetness of it in our own souls....

Verse 2 Samuel 12:27. _AND HAVE TAKEN THE CITY OF WATERS._] The city where the _tank_ or _reservoir_ was that supplied the city and suburbs with water. Some think that the original, לכדתי את עיר המים _lachadti_ _eth ir hammayim_, should be translated _I have intercepted, or cut_ _off, the waters of the city_: and Houbigant translates the place, _et aquas ab urbe jam derivavi_; "And I have already drawn off the waters from the city." This perfectly agrees with the account in _Josephus_, who says ων τε ὑδατων αυτους αποτεμνομενος, _having_ _cut off their waters_, Antiq., lib. vii., cap. 7. This was the reason why David should come speedily, as the citadel, _deprived of_ _water_, could not long hold out....

THE CITY OF WATERS - The lower town of Rabbah (the modern Ammam), so called from a stream which rises within it and flows through it. The upper town with the citadel lay on a hill to the north of the stream, and was probably not tenable for any length of time after the supply of water was cut off....

EXPOSITION 2 SAMUEL 12:1 JEHOVAH SENT NATHAN UNTO DAVID. Though David had remained unrepentant for nearly a year, for we read in 2 Samuel 12:14 that the child was born, yet we are not to suppose that there had been no compunctions of conscience. A man could scarcely pass from utter callousness to a state of mind so tender as that depicted in Psalms 51:1 without some preparation. Assuredly David had suffered much mental distress, but he had given no outward sign of contrition, and possibly, but for Nathan's message, he might have overpowered his conscience, and his self-reproaches have become less frequent and agitating. More probably he was slowly ripening for re

AND JOAB SENT MESSENGERS TO DAVID,.... To acquaint him how he had proceeded, and what success he had had: AND SAID, I HAVE FOUGHT AGAINST RABBAH; laid siege to it, and skirmished with parties that sallied out upon them: AND HAVE TAKEN THE CITY OF WATERS; the same with the royal city, and so the Targum here renders it; so called because situated by the waterside; Adrichomius says x the river Jabbok flowed round about it: or it abounded with fountains of water, from whence the other part of the city, or what was properly the city Rabbah, was supplied with water; and which communication being cut off, it could not hold out long, which Joab being sensible of, therefore sent for David. Junius and Tremellius render the words, "I have intercepted the water from the city"; with which the account of Josephus y agrees, who says, that he cut off the water from them, and precluded other supplies,...

2. THE MESSAGE OF GOD AND DAVID'S CONFESSION AND THE BEGINNING OF THE CHASTISEMENT CHAPTER 12 _ 1. The Lord's message through Nathan (2 Samuel 12:1)_ 2. David's anger (2 Samuel 12:5) 3. Thou art the man! (2 Samuel 12:7) 4. The chastisement (2 Samuel 12:10) 5. David's confession (2 Samuel 12:13) 6. The death of the child announced (2 Samuel 12:14) 7. The death of the child and David's grie

2 SAMUEL 12. DAVID'S REPENTANCE. CAPTURE OF RABBAH (J). The section concerning Nathan (2 Samuel 12:1_ a_) is sometimes regarded as a later addition by some one who was anxious to point out and emphasize the moral; but this view is not generally held. Only 2 Samuel 12:10 need be regarded as editorial. The chapter is important because it shows that the primitive ideas as to the morality of Yahweh were very real, though they might be defective in some directions. 2 SAMUEL 12:1. Nathan, by parable and admonition, brings David's guilt home to him; he makes penitent confession. Yahweh puts away his sin, which is thought of as a kind of disease, which would of itself kill the sinner, if it were n

CITY OF WATERS. Figure of speech _Hypallage._ App-6. waters of the city: i.e. the lower waters or town, cutting off the citadel, which David came and took....

Capture of Rabbah = 1 Chronicles 20:1-3...