The Poor Man's Ewe

With utmost ingenuity, Nathan does not directly confront David about his crime but resorts to the parable of the poor man's ewe.

There were two men in the same city, one rich and one poor. The rich man had very large flocks and herds, but the poor man had only one little ewe lamb that he had bought. He tended it and it grew up together with him and his children: it used to share his morsel of bread, drink from his cup, and nestle in his bosom; it was like a daughter to him. One day, a traveler came to the rich man, but he was loathe to take anything from his own flocks or herds to prepare a meal for the guest who had come to him; so he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him. (2 Samuel 12:1-4)

Nathan presents a legal case which is in actuality a veiled reproof of David. The prophet knows full well that as a seasoned judge David will issue his own verdict.

A careful reading of the parable makes it clear that it is not directly parallel to the crimes, which David has committed. There is nothing reminiscent of David's murder of Uriah, arguably the greater crime. The opaque character of the parable keeps the actual intent deliberately disguised until Nathan lowers the boom. Nathan's subtle presentation manages to capture David's full attention and lead him to self-awareness, confession and contrition.

By highlighting the brazenness of the rich man – and David – in taking what is not theirs merely to satisfy a whim, Nathan is pointing to what makes David's crime so alarming. He has abused the power granted to him by God, the gift of kingship, to gratify his lust. This is far worse than if the crime had been committed by a commoner. Nathan is trying to bring David to understand that he has compromised not only his personal morality but the divinely granted kingship which is not only his but the entire nation's as well.