John Gill

The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds. In which the wealth of men lay in those times and countries; these in the parable signify David's wives and concubines, which were many; he had six wives in Hebron, and he took more wives and concubines out of Jerusalem, when he was come from Hebron, Sa2 3:2; and besides his master's, or Saul's wives, given to him, Sa2 12:8. . 2 Samuel 12:3 sa2 12:3 sa2 12:3 sa2 12:3But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb,.... Uriah had but one wife, who was much younger than he, called a lamb, an ewe lamb, a little one. Abarbinel thinks Uriah had been a widower; and had children by another wife, supposed in the parable, and was much older than Bathsheba: which he had bought; for men in those times and countries did not receive portions with their wives, but gave dowries to them, and for them: and nourished up; as his own flesh, as husbands should their wives, Eph 5:29, and it grew up together with him, and with his children; which Kimchi also supposes Uriah had by a former wife: it did eat of his own meat, and drink of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter; all which are expressive of the care, kindness, love, and tenderness of a loving husband, whose affections are endeared to his wife, making her partaker of all he has, and to share in whatever he eats and drinks, and in his dearest embraces; and as there were instances of creatures, lambs and others, particularly tame or pet lambs, used in this way in a literal sense, to which the reference in the parable is, David had no suspicion of its being a parable. Bochart (q) has given many instances of creatures nourished and brought up in such a familiar manner. (q) Hierozoic. par. 1. l. 2. c. 46. col. 521, 522.