Christian Standard Bible
2 Samuel 12:4
4Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man could not bring himself to take 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.
2 Samuel 12:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.
- New International Version (NIV)“Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”
Context of 2 Samuel 12:4
2The rich man had very large flocks and herds, 3but the poor man had nothing except one small ewe lamb that he had bought. He raised her, and she grew up with him and with his children. From his meager food she would eat, from his cup she would drink, and in his arms she would sleep. She was like a daughter to him. Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man could not bring himself to take 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 was infuriated with the man and said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die! 6Because he has done this thing and shown no pity, he must pay four lambs for that lamb.”
Read all of 2 Samuel 122 Samuel 12:4 word by word
וַיָּ֣בֹא הֵלֶךְ֮ לְאִ֣ישׁ הֶֽעָשִׁיר֒ וַיַּחְמֹ֗ל לָקַ֤חַת מִצֹּאנוֹ֙ וּמִבְּקָר֔וֹ לַעֲשׂ֕וֹת לָאֹרֵ֖חַ הַבָּא־ל֑וֹ וַיִּקַּ֗ח אֶת־כִּבְשַׂת֙ הָאִ֣ישׁ הָרָ֔אשׁ וַֽיַּעֲשֶׂ֔הָ לָאִ֖ישׁ הַבָּ֥א אֵלָֽיו׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And there cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- a travellerהֵ֫לֶךְhêlek · travellerH1982
- unto the richעָשִׁיר‛âshîyr · richH6223
- manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- and he sparedחָמַלchâmal · to spareH2550
- to takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- of his own flockצֹאןtsô'n tse'ôn · flockH6629
- and of his own herdבָּקָרbâqâr · cattleH1241
- to dressעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
- for the wayfaring manאָרַח'ârach · to journeyH732
- the poorרוּשׁrûsh · be poorH7326
- lambכִּבְשָׂהkibώâh kabώâh · ewe-lambH3535
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 12:4
- Genesis 18:2He looked up, and he saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them, bowed to the ground,
- James 1:14But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire.
- 2 Samuel 11:3So David sent someone to inquire about her, and he said, “Isn’t this Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam and wife of Uriah the Hethite?”
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 12:4
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4he took the poor man’s lamb: Samuel had previously warned that a king would take what was not his (1 Samuel 8:11–17).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 12:4
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
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