New English Translation
2 Samuel 12:5
5Then David became very angry at this man. He said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die!
2 Samuel 12:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:
- New International Version (NIV)David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this must die!
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die,
- New King James Version (NKJV)So David’s anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this shall surely die!
Context of 2 Samuel 12:5
3But the poor man had nothing except for a little lamb he had acquired. He raised it, and it grew up alongside him and his children. It used to eat his food, drink from his cup, and sleep in his arms. It was just like a daughter to him. 4“When a traveler arrived at the rich man’s home, he did not want to use one of his own sheep or cattle to feed the traveler who had come to visit him. Instead, he took the poor man’s lamb and cooked it for the man who had come to visit him.” Then David became very angry at this man. He said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die! 6Because he committed this cold-hearted crime, he must pay for the lamb four times over!” 7Nathan said to David, “You are that man! This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I chose you to be king over Israel and I rescued you from the hand of Saul.
Read all of 2 Samuel 122 Samuel 12:5 word by word
וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֥ף דָּוִ֛ד בָּאִ֖ישׁ מְאֹ֑ד וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־נָתָ֔ן חַי־יְהוָ֕ה כִּ֣י בֶן־מָ֔וֶת הָאִ֖ישׁ הָעֹשֶׂ֥ה זֹֽאת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And David’sדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- angerאַף'aph · face: angerH639
- was greatlyמְאֹדme'ôd · muchH3966
- kindledחָרָהchârâh · to be incensedH2734
- against the manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- and he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- to Nathanנָתָןnâthân · NathanH5416
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- livethחַיchay · aliveH2416
- that hath doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- shall surelyבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- dieמָ֫וֶתmâveth · deathH4194
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 12:5
- Genesis 38:24After three months Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has turned to prostitution, and as a result she has become pregnant.” Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned!”
- 1 Samuel 25:21Now David had been thinking, “In vain I guarded everything that belonged to this man in the desert. I didn’t take anything from him. But he has repaid my good with evil.
- Luke 6:41Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to see the beam of wood in your own?
- Luke 9:55But Jesus turned and rebuked them,
- Romans 2:1Therefore you are without excuse, whoever you are, when you judge someone else. For on whatever grounds you judge another, you condemn yourself, because you who judge practice the same things.
- 1 Samuel 14:39For as surely as the Lord, the deliverer of Israel, lives, even if it turns out to be my own son Jonathan, he will certainly die!” But no one from the army said anything.
- 1 Samuel 20:31For as long as this son of Jesse is alive on the earth, you and your kingdom will not be established. Now, send some men and bring him to me. For he is as good as dead!”
- 1 Samuel 26:16This failure on your part isn’t good! As surely as the Lord lives, you people who have not protected your lord, the Lord’s chosen one, are as good as dead! Now look where the king’s spear and the jug of water that was by his head are!”
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 12:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5The man - shall surely die - Literally מות בן ben maveth, "he is a son of death," a very bad man, and one who deserves to die. But the law did not sentence a sheep-stealer to death; let us hear it: If a man steal an ox or a sheep, he shall restore Five Oxen for an ox, and Four Sheep for a sheep, Exodus 22:1; and hence David immediately says, He shall restore the lamb Fourfold.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. 55. the man that hath done this thing shall surely die--This punishment was more severe than the case deserved, or than was warranted by the divine statute (Ex 22:1). The sympathies of the king had been deeply enlisted, his indignation aroused, but his conscience was still asleep; and at the time when he was most fatally indulgent to his own sins, he was most ready to condemn the delinquencies and errors of others. 2Sa 12:7-23. He Applies It to David, Who…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 12:5
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
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries