Nathan

Nathan the Prophet is was a seer who lived in the time of King David and his wife Bathsheba. His actions are described in the Books of Samuel, Kings and Chronicles (see especially, 2 Samuel 7:2-17, 12:1-25.) Although only a few stories of Nathan's ministry have been preserved in the Bible, he is nevertheless a very important figure, especially because of his prophetic role as a counterbalance to the otherwise absolute rule of King David and his decisive actions in favor of the future King Solomon. Moreover it is through Nathan that God first delivers the Messianic promise of an eternal kingdom based on David's lineal descendants.

Nathan reportedly wrote histories of the reigns of both David and of Solomon (see 1 Chronicles 29:29 and 2 Chronicles 9:29). However, presuming these works actually existed, they were either lost or have been partly incorporated into other biblical books such as 2 Samuel and Kings. Nathan was also reportedly involved in the music of the Temple (see 2 Chronicles 29:25) after its consstruction by Solomon.

Nathan and the Temple

The Bible gives no indication concerning Nathan's early life. He appears suddenly in narrative in 2 Samuel as David plans to build a "house" or temple for Yahweh(2 Samuel 7). "Here I am, living in a palace of cedar," says David, "while the ark of God remains in a tent." Nathan initially approves of the plan but returns the next day to announce that God has decide against the idea:

When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with the rod of men, with floggings inflicted by men. But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.' " (2 Sam. 12-15)

The passage is signifant for several reasons. First it sets the precedent for a prophet confronting and changing the plans of a southern, or Davidic King. (The prophet Samuel had previously confronted King Saul, who seems to have ruled the northern tribes only.) Secondly, it is the first instance of what would come to known as the "Messianic promise" of God specifically concerning King Solomon as and later interpreted to refer the the Messiah of Judaism and Jesus Christ in Christianity. Thirdly the passage presents a different explanation concerning the reason for David's not being qualified to build the Temple than is given in the Book of Chronicles.

In the Book of Samuel, Nathan begins with God's explanation that he has not been a god who lives in houses, but now that Israel has settled down and formed a nation, he will have one of David's sons build the Temple. The story is repeated verbatim in I Chron. 17. However,

(2 Samuel 7:13; 1 Chronicles 17:1-15). Nathan appears later to reproach David in the name of the Lord for his crime of adultery and murder narrated in II Kings, Xi, and, after skilfully proposing the allegory of the poor man's little ewe lamb, surprises the king with the words: "Thou art the man". He then declares the anger of the Lord and the punishments that are to fall upon David, although in view of the latter's repentance his sin is pronounced forgiven, for his crimes had given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme (2 Samuel 12:1-15). The prophet next appears on the scene when it is question of securing to Solomon the succession to the throne of his father. Adonias, abetted by Joab and the high priest Abiathar, made an attempt to have himself proclaimed king. The plan was frustrated by Nathan who, first through Bethsabee and later in a personal interview, informed David as to the doings of Adonias, and persuaded the aged monarch to confirm his promise in favour of Solomon and have him proclaimed king at the fountain of Gihon (1 Kings 1:8-45). In this instance Nathan served the interests of the country as well as those of David and Solomon by averting a civil war. He is credited by the Chronicler with having written a part of the history of David , together with Samuel the seer and Gad the seer (1 Chronicles 29:29; 2 Chronicles 29:25). The time of Nathan's death is not given, but his name is mentioned in Ecclus., xlvii, 1.

(2) Nathan, son of David and Bethsabee (2 Samuel 5:14; 1 Chronicles 3:5, 14:4)

The name Nathan augmented by the theophorous prefix or suffix is borne by other members of the family of David. Thus one of his brothers was Nathanael (1 Chronicles 2:14), and one of his nephews, Jonathan (2 Samuel 21:21).

(3) Nathan, father of Azarias and Zabud, important functionaries of the court of Solomon (1 Kings 4:5)

By some scholars he is identified with Nathan the prophet (1), and by others with Nathan the son of David (2). Both opinions are merely conjectural. His son Zabud is designated as "priest", this being an indication, among many others, that the functions of the priesthood were not at that period exercised exclusively by the descendants of Aaron.

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The Book of Nathan the Prophet is a lost text that claims authorship by the Biblical prophet Nathan. It is described at 1Chronicles 29:29. The passage reads: "Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer,"

This text is sometimes called Nathan the Prophet or The Acts of Nathan the Prophet.[1] This book is distinguished here from what may be the identical manuscript, The History of Nathan the Prophet.

The History of Nathan the Prophet is one of the Lost books of the Old Testament. It may have been written by the Biblical prophet Nathan, who may have been the author of other lost texts. The book is described in 2Chronicles 9:29. The passage reads: "Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer against Jeroboam the son of Nebat?"

This text is distinguished here from what may be the identical manuscript, The Book of Nathan the Prophet'.

The book is found nowhere in the Old Testament, so it is presumed to have been lost or removed from the earlier texts.

It is possible that the books of Samual the Prophet , the Book of Nathan the Prophet, and the book of Gad the Seer were combined into 1st and 2nd Samuel since Samuel dies mid-way and 2nd Samuel has nothing to do with Samuel.

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