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Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

2 Samuel 12:23

I shall go to him. — As far as the mere words themselves are concerned, this might be taken as the expression of a Stoic’s comfort, “I shall go to the dead, but the dead will not come to me;” but David, in his whole nature and belief, was as far as possible from being a Stoic, and these words in his mouth can scarcely be anything else than an expression of confidence in a life of consciousness beyond the grave, and of the future recognition of those loved on earth.

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See also 2 Samuel 12:23 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 2 Samuel 12:23. _I SHALL GO TO HIM, BUT HE SHALL NOT RETURN TO ME._] It is not clear whether David by this expressed his faith in the _immortality of the soul; going to him_ may only mean, _I a...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    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 t...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    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 emphasi...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    I SHALL GO TO HIM. I shall die and be buried (Compare 2 Samuel 12:19): i, e.. shall go to the (not "a ") grave _(Sheol)._ On the use of this Figure of speech _Euphemy_ (App-6) as denoting death and bu...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _I shall go to him_ Cp. Genesis 37:35. A belief in the continued existence of the soul after death in a state of consciousness is necessarily implied though not expressly stated: but how far this fall...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The Death of the Child 15. _strake_ An archaism for _struck._Cp. ch. 2 Samuel 20:10....

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    NOW HE IS DEAD, WHEREFORE SHOULD I FAST? &C.— If David meant only that he should die, and go to the grave like his son, as some commentators explain this passage, the consolation which it conveys woul...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    _God's Judgment._ 2 Samuel 12:7-23 7 And Nathan said to David, Thou _art_ the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; 8...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _DAVID THEREFORE BESOUGHT GOD FOR THE CHILD; AND DAVID FASTED, AND WENT IN, AND LAY ALL NIGHT UPON THE EARTH._ No JFB commentary on these verses....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    DAVID'S REPENTANCE AND PARDON. THE CAPTURE OF RABBAH 4. To dress for the wayfaring man] We may notice Eastern ideas of hospitality: cp. Genesis 18:3....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    I SHALL GO TO HIM] There is a suggestion here of belief in some form of continued existence beyond the grave....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    DAVID, THE GREAT KING OF ISRAEL 2 SAMUEL _HELEN POCOCK_ CHAPTER 12 NATHAN’S MESSAGE TO DAVID V1 The *Lord sent Nathan to David. Nathan went to David and he said, ‘Two men lived in a city. One ma...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וְ עַתָּ֣ה ׀ מֵ֗ת לָ֤מָּה זֶּה֙ אֲנִ֣י צָ֔ם

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER XVI. _ PENITENCE AND CHASTISEMENT._ 2 Samuel 12:13. WHEN Nathan ended his message, plainly and strongly though he had spoken, David indicated no irritation, made no complaint against the pro...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    ACCEPTING THE LORD'S JUDGMENT 2 Samuel 12:15 When Nathan had gone, David beat out his brief confession into Psalms 51:1. He knew that he was clean, because purged with hyssop, Exodus 12:22; that he w...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    A year passed away. The child of Bathsheba was born. We can imagine what that year had been to David. Bathsheba, whom in all probability he truly loved, was with him as his wife; but it is inevitable...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? (n) can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. (n) By this consideration he appeased his sorrow....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _To me. No instance of any one being raised from the dead had yet occurred; though David did not disbelieve its possibility. (Menochius)_...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (19) But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead. (20) Then David aros...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    We have seen the sorrowful circumstances out of which arose the first desire to have a king in Israel, and the remarkable fact that, although it was a sin, God nevertheless did not put the people back...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _FOUR DOCTRINES IN FIVE WORDS_ ‘I shall go to him.’ 2 Samuel 12:23 Few, but big with meaning, are these words of the inspired prophet. No less than four scriptural and heart-cheering doctrines are...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 11, 12, AND 13. The history of David and the wife of Uriah follows. David is no longer acting by faith in God's service. When the time comes at which kings go...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    BUT NOW HE IS DEAD, WHEREFORE SHOULD I FAST?.... And pray; it is to no purpose, no end can be thought to be answered by it: CAN I BRING HIM BACK AGAIN? from the state of the dead, bring him to life b...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. Ver. 23. _I shall go to him,_] viz, With my body I shall go to him into the...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Wherefore should I fast_ Seeing fasting and prayer cannot now prevail with God for his life. _I shall go to him_ Into the state of the dead in which he is, and into heaven, where, I doubt not, I shal...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Nathans parable of the Ewe lambe, causeth Dauid to be his owne Iudge. 7 Dauid, reproued by Nathan, confesseth his sinne and is pardoned. 15 Dauid mourneth and prayeth for the childe, while it liue...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? Can I bring him back again? He humbled himself under the mighty hand of God without giving way to fruitless grief. I SHALL GO TO HIM, BUT HE SHALL NOT RETU...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The Death of David's Child...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    David did not immediately confess his sin to God, andPsalms 32:3 shows that the Lord waited for some time at least before sending the prophet Nathan to him, likely over nine months, for a son had been...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    15-25 David now penned the 51st Psalm, in which, though he had been assured that his sin was pardoned, he prays earnestly for pardon, and greatly laments his sin. He was willing to bear the shame of...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    WHEREFORE SHOULD I FAST, seeing fasting and prayer cannot now prevail with God for his life? I SHALL GO TO HIM;_ into the state of the dead, in which he is, and into heaven_, where I doubt not I shall...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    2 Samuel 12:23 dead H4191 (H8804) fast H6684 (H8802) Can H3201 (H8799) again H7725 (H8687) go...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    2 Samuel 12:23. The doctrine of our future meeting and recognition is intimated in the earlier records of Scripture. We are told of Abraham, Jacob, Aaron, and Moses that each was gathered to his peopl...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: David's rebuke and repentance. Birth of Solomon. Ammonite victory. CHARACTERS: God, David, Nathan, Bathsheba, Joab. CONCLUSION: If the believer, brought face to face with his sins sincerel...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    2 Samuel 12:1. _The Lord sent Nathan to David._ The substance of the mission, the visitations he foretold, the perfect accomplishment of them, as well from that very day as in future ages, leaves not...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me._ RECOGNITION OF FRIENDS IN HEAVEN The doctrine of our future meeting and recognition is intimated in the earlier records of Scripture. We are told t...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _While the child was yet alive I fasted and wept._ THE LOSS OF CHILDREN I. His affliction was the death of his child. The death of a child is by no means an uncommon event. If our offspring are spare...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _The child also that is born unto thee shall surely die._ GREAT TROUBLES FOLLOWING GREAT TRANSGRESSIONS David became a backslider. Men sometimes speak, not of David’s great sins, but of his great sin...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 2 SAMUEL 12:1 Through the prophet NATHAN, God calls David to account for his sins of adultery and murder (ch. 2 Samuel 11:1)....

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 2 SAMUEL 12:15 When the child falls ill, David hopes that the Lord might change his mind and let him live, so he petitions him with fasting. When the child died, David WASHED AND ANOI...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 2 SAMUEL 12:23 I SHALL GO TO HIM seems to indicate that David expects a future personal reunion with the child. ⇐...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXPOSITORY NOTES 2 Samuel 12:14. “THE ENEMIES OF THE LORD TO BLASPHEME.” “Transgression of God’s command by the king himself must lead the heathen to heap shame and reproach on Israel a...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    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...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    David thought that things were just going great until the prophet Nathan came to him. Nathan said to David, There is a man in your kingdom who is very wealthy, had many herds, many flocks many servant...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Genesis 37:35; Job 30:23; Job 7:8; Luke 23:43...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    I fast — Seeing fasting and prayer cannot now prevail with God for his life. I shall go to him — Into the state of the dead in which he is, and into heaven, where I doubt not I shall find him....

  • When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties, Norman L. Geisler and Thomas Howe, 1960

    How could a loving God take the life of David’s child because of the sin of David? PROBLEM: As a result of David’s sin with Bathsheba, the life of the child that Bathsheba bore to David was taken. Ho...

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