Berean Standard Bible
2 Samuel 12:3
3but the poor man had nothing except one small ewe lamb that he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food and drank from his cup; it slept in his arms1 and was like a daughter to him.
2 Samuel 12:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But 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 meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.
- New International Version (NIV)but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.
- English Standard Version (ESV)but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him.
Context of 2 Samuel 12:3
1Then the LORD sent Nathan to David, and when he arrived, he said, “There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor. 2The rich man had a great number of sheep and cattle, but the poor man had nothing except one small ewe lamb that he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food and drank from his cup; it slept in his arms and was like a daughter to him. 4Now a traveler came to the rich man, who refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for his guest.” 5David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan: “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die!
Read all of 2 Samuel 122 Samuel 12:3 word by word
וְלָרָ֣שׁ אֵֽין־כֹּ֗ל כִּי֩ אִם־כִּבְשָׂ֨ה אַחַ֤ת קְטַנָּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר קָנָ֔ה וַיְחַיֶּ֕הָ וַתִּגְדַּ֥ל עִמּ֛וֹ וְעִם־בָּנָ֖יו יַחְדָּ֑ו מִפִּתּ֨וֹ תֹאכַ֜ל וּמִכֹּס֤וֹ תִשְׁתֶּה֙ וּבְחֵיק֣וֹ תִשְׁכָּ֔ב וַתְּהִי־ל֖וֹ כְּבַֽת׃Read the interlinear
- but the poorרוּשׁrûsh · be poorH7326
- man had nothingאַ֫יִן'ayin · nothingH369
- man had nothingכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
- exceptכִּי [אם]kîy · that if: exceptH3588
- except[כִּי] אם'im · if: exceptH518
- oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- smallקָטָןqâţân qâţôn · smallH6996
- ewe lambכִּבְשָׂהkibώâh kabώâh · ewe-lambH3535
- thatאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
- he had boughtקָנָהqânâh · to buyH7069
- He raised itחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421
- and it grew upגָּדַלgâdal · to magnifyH1431
- with himעִם‛im · withH5973
- and his childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- It sharedיָחְדָּוyachad · togetherH3162
- It sharedאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- his foodפַּתpath · morselH6595
- and drankשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
- from his cupכּוֹסkôs · cupH3563
- it sleptשָׁכַבshâkab · to lie down: lay downH7901
- in his armsחֵיקchêyq chêq chôq · bosom: embraceH2436
- and wasהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
- like a daughterבַּתbath · daughterH1323
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 12:3
- 2 Samuel 11:3So David sent and inquired about the woman, and he was told, “This is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.”
- Proverbs 5:18May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth:
- Deuteronomy 13:6If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you embrace, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (which neither you nor your fathers have known,
- Micah 7:5Do not rely on a friend; do not trust in a companion. Seal the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your arms.
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 12:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3And lay in his bosom - This can only mean that this lamb was what we call a pet or favourite in the family, else the circumstance would be very unnatural, and most likely would have prevented David from making the application which he did, as otherwise it would have appeared absurd. It is the only part of this parable which is at variance with nature and fact.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3like a daughter: Nathan compares the lamb to a daughter. The Hebrew word for “daughter” is bath. This creates a word connection with Bathsheba’s name, which begins with bath (see study note on 2 Samuel 11:3). This comparison strengthens the emotional force of the story and helps David recognize the injustice of his actions.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 12:3
In the dictionaries
Notes
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
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