King David is now a known adulterer and murderer, and Nathan gets the unenviable task of confronting him. Nathan, in addition to being obedient, must believe that deep down David is still a man who fears God, who is redeemable. A normal king, who was given to murder, wouldn’t tolerate a challenge; he would literally “shoot the messenger.” But Nathan counts on David’s tender heart by telling him a story:

But GOD was not at all pleased with what David had done, and sent Nathan to David. Nathan said to him, “There were two men in the same city—one rich, the other poor. The rich man had huge flocks of sheep, herds of cattle. The poor man had nothing but one little female lamb, which he had bought and raised. It grew up with him and his children as a member of the family. It ate off his plate and drank from his cup and slept on his bed. It was like a daughter to him. One day a traveler dropped in on the rich man. He was too stingy to take an animal from his own herds or flocks to make a meal for his visitor, so he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared a meal to set before his guest.” (2 Samuel 12.1 – 4, MSG)

Nathan got the response he desired and turned the tables on David:

David exploded in anger. “As surely as GOD lives,” he said to Nathan, “the man who did this ought to be lynched! He must repay for the lamb four times over for his crime and his stinginess!” “You’re the man!” said Nathan. (2 Samuel 12.5 – 7, MSG)

“You’re the man,” and you will suffer consequences:

And now, because you treated God with such contempt and took Uriah the Hittite’s wife as your wife, killing and murder will continually plague your family. This is GOD speaking, remember! I’ll make trouble for you out of your own family. I’ll take your wives from right out in front of you. I’ll give them to some neighbor, and he’ll go to bed with them openly. You did your deed in secret; I’m doing mine with the whole country watching! (2 Samuel 12.10 – 12, MSG)

Confrontation, consequences, but thankfully, David confesses:

Then David confessed to Nathan, “I’ve sinned against GOD.” (2 Samuel 12.13, MSG)

David understands that he has sinned against God. It’s the perspective he should have thought of before he acted. Joseph did. (Genesis 39.1 – 9) Job did. (Job 31.1 – 4) Here’s part of David’s confession as recorded in Psalm 51:

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
    blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
    and cleanse me from my sin!

For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
    and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
    and blameless in your judgment.

And there are more consequences:

Nathan pronounced, “Yes, but that’s not the last word. GOD forgives your sin. You won’t die for it. But because of your blasphemous behavior, the son born to you will die.” (2 Samuel 12.13 – 14, MSG)

The child does die (2 Samuel 12.15 – 23), but the story has a surprise ending:

David went and comforted his wife Bathsheba. And when he slept with her, they conceived a son. When he was born they named him Solomon. GOD had a special love for him and sent word by Nathan the prophet that GOD wanted him named Jedidiah (God’s Beloved). (2 Samuel 12.24 – 25, MSG)

Surprising…the wife David stole after committing adultery with her and murdering her husband becomes his legal wife and the mother of the next king. It’s all recorded without apology in the genealogy of Jesus, the true king and ultimate “son of David:”

Jesse had David, and David became king. David had Solomon (Uriah’s wife was the mother). (Matthew 1.6, MSG)

And there’s one more paragraph: Joab gets David back into the battle (contrast 2 Samuel 11.1):

Joab, at war in Rabbah against the Ammonites, captured the royal city. He sent messengers to David saying, “I’m fighting at Rabbah, and I’ve just captured the city’s water supply. Hurry and get the rest of the troops together and set up camp here at the city and complete the capture yourself. Otherwise, I’ll capture it and get all the credit instead of you.” So David marshaled all the troops, went to Rabbah, and fought and captured it. (2 Samuel 12.26 – 29, MSG)

It’s a good ending…but it’s not an ending. Nathan promised consequences, and we’ll be reading about those beginning in chapter 13.