2 Samuel 12:1

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

So the Lord sent Nathan to David. Nathan came to him and said, “There were two men in a certain city. One was rich, and the other was poor. 2The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cows, 3but the poor man had only one little female lamb that he had bought. He raised her, and she grew up in his home with his children. She would eat his food and drink from his cup. She rested in his arms and was like a daughter.

2 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• Nathanנָתָןnâthân · NathanH5416
• unto Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• And he cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• unto him, and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto him, There were twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• in oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• richעָשִׁיר‛âshîyr · richH6223
• poorרוּשׁrûsh · be poorH7326

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 12:1

• 2 Samuel 7:1While King David was living in his house, the Lord gave him peace with all his enemies around him.
• 2 Samuel 24:11When David got up in the morning, the Lord spoke his word to the prophet Gad, David’s seer.
• 1 Kings 13:1A man of God from Judah had come to Bethel. When he arrived, Jeroboam was standing at the altar to offer a sacrifice.
• 1 Kings 18:1A while later in the third year of the drought, the Lord spoke his word to Elijah: “Present yourself to Ahab. I will allow rain to fall on the ground.”
• 2 Kings 1:3Then the angel of the Lord said to Elijah from Tishbe, “Meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and ask them, ‘Do you seek advice from Baalzebub, the god of Ekron, because ⌞you think⌟ there is no God in Israel?
• 2 Samuel 11:10When they told David, “Uriah didn’t go home,” David asked Uriah, “Didn’t you just come from a journey? Why didn’t you go home?”
• 2 Samuel 14:14We are all going to die; we are all like water that is poured on the ground and can’t be gathered up. But doesn’t God forgive a person? He never plans to keep a banished person in exile.
• Isaiah 57:17I was angry because of their sinful greed, so I punished them, hid ⌞from them⌟, and remained angry. But they continued to be sinful.
• Psalms 51:1Have pity on me, O God, in keeping with your mercy. In keeping with your unlimited compassion, wipe out my rebellious acts.
• 2 Samuel 14:5The king asked her, “What can I do for you?” She answered, “I’m a widow; my husband is dead.
• Judges 9:7When Jotham was told about this, he went to a high spot on Mount Gerizim. He shouted to them, “Listen to me, you citizens of Shechem, so that God might listen to you.
• 1 Kings 20:25Recruit an army with as many horses and chariots as the one which was defeated. Then, if we fight them on the plain, we will be stronger than they are.” He took their advice and followed it.
• Isaiah 5:1Let me sing a lovesong to my beloved about his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a fertile hill.
• Matthew 21:22Have faith that you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
• Luke 15:11Then Jesus said, “A man had two sons.
• Luke 16:19“There was a rich man who wore expensive clothes. Every day was like a party to him.

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

• David
• Minister, Christian
• Nathan
• Parables
• Prophets
• Reproof

In the dictionaries

• David
• Nathan
• Allegory
• Fast
• Fourfold
• Parable
• Samuel, Books of
• Solomon
• Tekoa, Tekoah
• Uriah

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