American Standard Version
2 Samuel 12:1
1And Jehovah sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.
2 Samuel 12:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.
- New International Version (NIV)The Lord sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, "There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him: “There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor.
Context of 2 Samuel 12:1
And Jehovah sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. 2The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds; 3but the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own morsel, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.
Read all of 2 Samuel 122 Samuel 12:1 word by word
וַיִּשְׁלַ֧ח יְהוָ֛ה אֶת־נָתָ֖ן אֶל־דָּוִ֑ד וַיָּבֹ֣א אֵלָ֗יו וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ שְׁנֵ֣י אֲנָשִׁ֗ים הָיוּ֙ בְּעִ֣יר אֶחָ֔ת אֶחָ֥ד עָשִׁ֖יר וְאֶחָ֥ד רָֽאשׁ׃Read the interlinear
- sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- Nathanנָתָןnâthân · NathanH5416
- Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- wereהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
- twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- richעָשִׁיר‛âshîyr · richH6223
- poorרוּשׁrûsh · be poorH7326
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 12:1
- 2 Samuel 7:1And it came to pass, when the king dwelt in his house, and Jehovah had given him rest from all his enemies round about,
- 2 Samuel 24:11And when David rose up in the morning, the word of Jehovah came unto the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying,
- 1 Kings 13:1And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of Jehovah unto Beth-el: and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense.
- 1 Kings 18:1And it came to pass after many days, that the word of Jehovah came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, Go, show thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.
- 2 Kings 1:3But the angel of Jehovah said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it because there is no God in Israel, that ye go to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?
- 2 Samuel 11:10And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Art thou not come from a journey? wherefore didst thou not go down unto thy house?
- 2 Samuel 14:14For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God take away life, but deviseth means, that he that is banished be not an outcast from him.
- Isaiah 57:17For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him; I hid my face and was wroth; and he went on backsliding in the way of his heart.
- Psalms 51:1Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: According to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
- 2 Samuel 14:5And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, Of a truth I am a widow, and my husband is dead.
- Judges 9:7And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you.
- 1 Kings 20:25and number thee an army, like the army that thou hast lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot; and we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. And he hearkened unto their voice, and did so.
- Isaiah 5:1Let me sing for my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved had a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:
- Matthew 21:22And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
- Luke 15:11And he said, A certain man had two sons:
- Luke 16:19Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, faring sumptuously every day:
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 12:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1There were two men in one city - See a discourse on fables at the end of Judges 9:56; (note), and a discourse on parabolic writing at the end of the thirteenth chapter of Matthew. There is nothing in this parable that requires illustration; its bent is evident; and it was construed to make David, unwittingly, pass sentence on himself. It was in David's hand, what his own letters were in the hands of the brave but unfortunate Uriah.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Nathan came to David as if to ask his judicial decision on the case about to be submitted to him (compare 2 Samuel 14:2-11; 1 Kings 20:35-41). The circumstances of the story are exquisitely contrived to heighten the pity of David for the oppressed, and his indignation against the oppressor 1 Samuel 25:13, 1 Samuel 25:22.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Nathan's parable--David confesses his sin. (1-14) The birth of Solomon. (15-25) David's severity to the Ammonites. (26-31) Verses 1-14 God will not suffer his people to lie still in sin. By this parable Nathan drew from David a sentence against himself. Great need there is of prudence in giving reproofs. In his application, he was faithful. He says in plain terms, Thou art the man. God shows how much he hates sin, even in his own people; and wherever he…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1The Lord sent Nathan to David at least nine months after David committed adultery. This account is one of the few places in the Old Testament that uses a parable (a short story that teaches a moral truth; see also Judges 9:8–15). Parables can communicate truth in a powerful and indirect way. David was rich in many ways. He possessed royal wealth, had many wives, and held God’s promises for his future. By contrast, Uriah was poor. He had one wife, one…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-62Sa 12:1-6. Nathan's Parable. 1. the Lord sent Nathan unto David--The use of parables is a favorite style of speaking among Oriental people, especially in the conveyance of unwelcome truth. This exquisitely pathetic parable was founded on a common custom of pastoral people who have pet lambs, which they bring up with their children, and which they address in terms of endearment. The atrocity of the real, however, far exceeded that of the fictitious…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 12:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries