Nathan (Prophet)

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Russian Orthodox icon of the Prophet Nathan, 18th century (Iconostasis of Transfiguration church, Kizhi monastery, Karelia, Russia).
Russian Orthodox icon of the Prophet Nathan, 18th century (Iconostasis of Transfiguration church, Kizhi monastery, Karelia, Russia).
For other Biblical people with this name, see Nathan (given name).

Nathan the Prophet (fl. c. 1000 BCE) was a court prophet who lived in the time of King David and his wife Bathsheba. He came to David to reprimand him over his committing adultery with Bathsheba while she was the wife of Uriah.

His actions are described in the Books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles (see especially, 2 Samuel 7:2-17, 12:1-25.) Nathan wrote histories of the reigns of both David and of Solomon (see 1 Chronicles 29:29 and 2 Chronicles 9:29), and was involved in the music of the temple (see 2 Chronicles 29:25).

In 1 Kings 1:8-45 it is Nathan who tells the dying David of the plot of Adonijah to become king, resulting in Solomon's being proclaimed king instead.

The feast day of Nathan the Prophet is on 24 October. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, and those Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite, he is commemorated as a saint on the Sunday of the Holy Fathers (i.e., the Sunday before the Great Feast of the Nativity of the Lord).

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