New International Version
2 Samuel 12:1
1The 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)So the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: “There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor.
Context of 2 Samuel 12:1
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. 2The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, 3but 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.
Read all of 2 Samuel 122 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 7:1After the king was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him,
- 2 Samuel 24:11Before David got up the next morning, the word of the Lord had come to Gad the prophet, David’s seer:
- 1 Kings 13:1By the word of the Lord a man of God came from Judah to Bethel, as Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make an offering.
- 1 Kings 18:1After a long time, in the third year, the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.”
- 2 Kings 1:3But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go up and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?’
- 2 Samuel 11:10David was told, “Uriah did not go home.” So he asked Uriah, “Haven’t you just come from a military campaign? Why didn’t you go home?”
- 2 Samuel 14:14Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him.
- Isaiah 57:17I was enraged by their sinful greed; I punished them, and hid my face in anger, yet they kept on in their willful ways.
- Psalms 51:1Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
- 2 Samuel 14:5The king asked her, “What is troubling you?” She said, “I am a widow; my husband is dead.
- Judges 9:7When Jotham was told about this, he climbed up on the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted to them, “Listen to me, citizens of Shechem, so that God may listen to you.
- 1 Kings 20:25You must also raise an army like the one you lost—horse for horse and chariot for chariot—so we can fight Israel on the plains. Then surely we will be stronger than they.” He agreed with them and acted accordingly.
- Isaiah 5:1I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside.
- Matthew 21:22If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
- Luke 15:11Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons.
- Luke 16:19“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.
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
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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