2 Samuel 12:6

2 Samuel 12:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.
• New International Version (NIV)He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity."
• New King James Version (NKJV)And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity.”

Context of 2 Samuel 12:6

4“Now, a visitor came to the rich man. The rich man thought it would be a pity to take one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler. So he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared her for the traveler.” 5David burned with anger against the man. “I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives,” he said to Nathan, “the man who did this certainly deserves to die! And he must pay back four times the price of the lamb because he did this and had no pity.” 7“You are the man!” Nathan told David. “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: I anointed you king over Israel and rescued you from Saul. 8I gave you your master Saul’s house and his wives. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if this weren’t enough, I would have given you even more.

2 Samuel 12:6 word by word

וְאֶת־הַכִּבְשָׂ֖ה יְשַׁלֵּ֣ם אַרְבַּעְתָּ֑יִם עֵ֗קֶב אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשָׂה֙ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה וְעַ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־חָמָֽל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he shall restoreשָׁלֵםshâlam · to completeH7999
• the lambכִּבְשָׂהkibώâh kabώâh · ewe-lambH3535
• fourfoldאַרְבַּעְתַּיִם'arba‛tayim · fourfoldH706
• becauseעֵ֫קֶב‛êqeb · consequenceH6118
• he didעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• this thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
• and becauseאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• he had no pityחָמַלchâmal · to spareH2550

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 12:6

• Exodus 22:1⌞The Lord continued,⌟ “Whenever someone steals a bull or a sheep and butchers it or sells it, he must make up for the loss with five head of cattle to replace the bull or four sheep to replace the sheep.
• Proverbs 6:31but when he is caught, he has to repay it seven times. He must give up all the possessions in his house.
• Luke 19:8⌞Later, at dinner,⌟ Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Lord, I’ll give half of my property to the poor. I’ll pay four times as much as I owe to those I have cheated in any way.”
• James 2:13No mercy will be shown to those who show no mercy to others. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 12:6

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6Fourfold - The exact number prescribed by the Law (see the marginal references), and acted upon by Zaccheus. The Septuagint has “sevenfold,” as in Proverbs 6:31.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5-6The rich man of the parable did not deserve to die according to the law; instead, he must repay four lambs (compare Exodus 22:1). Interestingly, David later lost four of his sons: Bathsheba’s first child (2 Samuel 12:18) Amnon (2 Samuel 13:29) Absalom (2 Samuel 18:14–15) Adonijah (1 Kings 2:25)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 12:6

• David
• Minister, Christian
• Nathan
• Parables
• Reproof
• Self-Condemnation

In the dictionaries

• David
• Fast
• Fourfold
• Parable
• Samuel, Books of
• Solomon
• Tekoa, Tekoah
• Theft
• Uriah
• Bible, the

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