Nathan

For more information on Nathan, visit Britannica.com.

View more Religion & Spirituality videos

Prophet at the time of kings David and Solomon. Nathan was involved in three events related to the life of David. In the first (II Sam. 7; II Chr. 17), God appears to David, through Nathan the prophet, telling him not to build the Temple, and adding that His favor will not depart from the House of David.

In the second event, after David sins with Bathsheba and causes the death of her husband, Uriah the Hittite, Nathan comes to David and relates to him the parable of a poor man whose lamb is stolen. After David rules that the person who stole the lamb from the poor man merits the death penalty, Nathan bravely rebukes David and says, "You are the man." David responds with humility, "I have sinned to God" (II Samuel 12).

The third event takes place when David is old and weak. Nathan, who hears that Adonijah, David's eldest son, has anointed himself king, urges Bathsheba to go to the king and ask him to fulfill his promise that her son Solomon will be the successor. Nathan himself supports Bathsheba's claim before the king. After David announces that Solomon is his heir, Nathan takes an active part in having Solomon anointed king (I Kings 1). Nathan was not just a "court prophet" unquestioningly loyal to the king; he was a true prophet who rebuked the king when he sinned and urged him to fulfill his obligations.

---

("God's gift")

1. Nathan the prophet: a contemporary of David and a prominent figure in three events which took place at David's court. In II Samuel 7:2 (I Chr 17:1), David complains to Nathan "I dwell in a house of cedars, but the ark of God dwells inside tent curtains !" Agreeing immediately with the king, Nathan provides the prophetic stamp of approval: "So do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you." (II Sam 7:3). In David's mind was the desire to build a Temple for God. However, the prophet misapprehended God's own view. That evening, in a prophetic vision he is instructed to notify David that he is not the person to build the Temple (I Chr 17:4ff). God would build a "house" for David (I Chr 17:12) – a reference to the dynastic monarchy but construction of the Temple would be left to David's son (I Chr 17:11-13). After David's scandalous adultery with Bathsheba, and his subsequent devious instigation of her husband Uriah's death in battle (II Sam chap. 11), Nathan, in his capacity as God's messenger, confronts David with his misdeeds (II Sam 12:1-15). Nathan's accusation is couched in the tale of a pauper whose only possession, a little ewe lamb, is stolen, slaughtered and served up for supper by a wealthy neighbor. David, excercising his royal judicial role, sentences the guilty man to death. When Nathan pronounces the words "You are the man!" (II Sam 12:7), David realizes that the "case" was a parable. Nathan goes on to inform David of the consequences of his sin: violent turmoil will pervade his household and his own wives will be publicly defiled by another man (II Sam 12:10-11). At David's remorse (see Ps 51:2ff), Nathan declares that God has commuted the sentence of death that David himself decreed, stating that the life of the son born to him by Bathsheba will be taken instead (II Sam 12:13ff).

Nathan's third and final appearance is not as divine messenger but as devoted and clever courtier (I Kgs 1:9ff). When David's son Adonijah proclaims himself successor to his aging father, Nathan allies himself with others to prevent Adonijah's ascension to the throne. Nathan persuades Bathsheba to approach the ailing king and "remind" him of his sworn oath to her that Solomon would reign upon his death. David is swayed to act accordingly and, in the presence of Nathan and Bathsheba, names Solomon his successor.

The Book of Chronicles makes reference to "the book of Nathan the prophet" (I Chr 29:29; II Chr 9:29). Along with David and Gad, Nathan also played a role in establishing the musical rite of the Temple (II Chr 29:25).

2. The third son of David born to him in Jerusalem (II Sam 5:14). According to I Chronicles 3:5, his mother was Bathshua. Since the same verse states that she was also Solomon's mother, she may be identified with Bathsheba. Thus Nathan is Solomon's brother. In one of his visions, the prophet Zechariah (Zech 12:12) mentions the descendants of "the house of Nathan", apparently a reference to the same figure. The genealogy of Jesus in Luke is traced through this son of David (Luke 3:31).

3. Father of Igal, a native of Zobah: and one of David's thirty "mighty warriors" (II Sam 23:36); probably identical with Nathan the brother of Joel in the list of David's warriors in Chronicles (I Chr 11:38).

4. The father of Azariah, an official in Solomon's administration, placed in charge of the prefects; and of Zabud, priest and companion of Solomon. (Perhaps identical with Nathan No. 1).

5. Son of Attai, and father of Zabad mentioned among the descendants of Judah (I Chr 2:36).

6-7. Either one or two contemporaries of Ezra. In Ezra 8:16 Nathan is mentioned among the members of a delegation dispatched by Ezra to Casiphia to petition a chief named Iddor for Temple attendants to be sent to join the returnees, as a way of making up for the lack of Levites. In Ezra 10:39, a Nathan is listed as one of the returnees who pledged to repudiate their alien wives.

Concordance
NATHAN 1: II Sam 7:2-4,17; 12:1, 5, 7,13, 15, 25. I Kgs 1:8, 10-11, 22-24, 32,34, 38, 44-45. I Chr 14:4; 17:1-3, 15; 29:29. II Chr 9:29; 29:25
NATHAN 2: II Sam 5:14. I Chr 3:5. Zech 12:12. Luke 3:31
NATHAN 3: II Sam 23:36. I Chr 11:38
NATHAN 4: I Kgs 4:5
NATHAN 5: I Chr 2:36
NATHAN 6-7: Ezra 8:16; 10:39

---

Nathan (nā'thən), in the Bible.

1 Court prophet in the time of David and Solomon. He announced the oracle to David concerning his dynasty. He confronted David over David's adultery with Bath-sheba and over her husband's murder. Nathan helped ensure that Solomon would succeed David, subsequently participating in the coronation with Zadok the Priest.

2 Son of David.

(nā'thən)

In the Bible, a prophet during the reigns of David and Solomon.

For a list of words related to nat, see:

• Abbreviations - nat: national; natural

---

See words rhyming with "Nathan."

  See crossword solutions for the clue Nat.

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)