2 Samuel 12 · Verse 1

2 Samuel 12:1

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.
2 Samuel 12:1, King James Version

2 Samuel 12:1 in other translations

BSBThen the LORD sent Nathan to David, and when he arrived, he said, “There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor.
WEBThe LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, “There were two men in one city: the one rich, and the other poor.
ASVAnd Jehovah 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.
YLTAnd Jehovah sendeth Nathan unto David, and he cometh unto him, and saith to him: ‘Two men have been in one city; One rich and one poor;
DARBYAnd Jehovah sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.
BBEAnd the Lord sent Nathan to David. And Nathan came to him and said, There were two men in the same town: one a man of great wealth, and the other a poor man.
WebsterAnd the LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.

What does 2 Samuel 12:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2Sa 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 offense.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

The Lord sends Nathan the prophet to reprove David; which he does by means of a curious parable, 2Sam 12:1-4. David is led, unknowingly, to pronounce his on condemnation, 2Sam 12:5, 2Sam 12:6. Nathan charges the guilt home on his conscience; and predicts a long train of calamities which should fall on him and his family, 2Sam 12:7-12. David confesses his sin; and Nathan gives him hope of God's mercy, and foretells the death of the child born in adultery, 2Sam 12:13, 2Sam 12:14. The child is taken ill; David fasts and prays for its restoration, 2Sam 12:15-17. On the seventh day the child dies, and David is comforted, 2Sam 12:18-24. Solomon is born of Bath-sheba, 2Sam 12:25, 2Sam 12:26. Joab besieges Rabbah of the Ammonites, takes the city of waters, and sends for David to take Rabbah, 2Sam 12:27, 2Sam 12:28. He comes, takes it, gets much spoil, and puts the inhabitants to hard labor, 2Sam 12:29-31. Verse 1 There were two men in one city - See a discourse on fables at the end of Jdg 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.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 12:1-14

Chapter Outline

Nathan'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 finds it, he will not let it go unpunished. David says not a word to excuse himself or make light of his sin, but freely owns it. When David said, I have sinned, and Nathan perceived that he was a true penitent, he assured him his sin was forgiven. Thou shalt not die: that is, not die eternally, nor be for ever put away from God, as thou wouldest have been, if thou hadst not put away the sin. Though thou shalt all thy days be chastened of the Lord, yet thou shalt not be condemned with the world. There is this great evil in the sins of those who profess religion and relation to God, that they furnish the enemies of God and religion with matter for reproach and blasphemy. And it appears from David's case, that even where pardon is obtained, the Lord will visit the transgression of his people with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. For one momentary gratification of a vile lust, David had to endure many days and years of extreme distress.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

2 Samuel 12:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיִּשְׁלַ֧חvai.yish.Lachand he sentH7971
יְהוָ֛הYah.wehYahwehH3068
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
נָתָ֖ןna.TanNathanH5416
אֶל\־'el-toH413
דָּוִ֑דda.VidDavidH1732
וַיָּבֹ֣אvai.ya.Vo'and he cameH935
אֵלָ֗יו'e.Lavto himH413
וַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
לוֹ֙loto <the> him
שְׁנֵ֣יshe.NeitwoH8147
אֲנָשִׁ֗ים'a.na.ShimmenH582
הָיוּ֙ha.Yuthey wereH1961
בְּעִ֣ירbe.'Irin a cityH5892
אֶחָ֔ת'e.ChatoneH259
אֶחָ֥ד'e.ChadoneH259
עָשִׁ֖יר'a.Shir[was] richH6223
וְאֶחָ֥דve.'e.Chadand oneH259
רָֽאשׁ\׃Rash[was] poorH7326

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Samuel 12:1

  • Psalms 51:1-19

    To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bath–sheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. …

  • 1 Kings 20:35-41

    And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbour in the word of the Lord, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man refused to smite him. Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the Lord, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slay thee. And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and slew him. Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him. So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face. …

  • Judges 9:7-15

    And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you. The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. …

  • Isaiah 5:1-7

    Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? …

  • 1 Kings 13:1

    And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the Lord unto Beth–el: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.

  • Luke 15:11-32

    And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. …

  • 2 Samuel 7:17

    According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.

  • 1 Kings 18:1

    And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.

  • Isaiah 57:17-18

    For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.

  • Matthew 21:33-45

    Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. …

  • 2 Kings 1:3

    But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baal–zebub the god of Ekron?

  • 2 Samuel 7:1-5

    And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the Lord had given him rest round about from all his enemies; That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains. And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the Lord is with thee. And it came to pass that night, that the word of the Lord came unto Nathan, saying, …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 Nathan's parable of the ewe lamb causes David to be his own judge.
7 David, reproved by Nathan, confesses his sin, and is pardoned.
15 David mourns and prays for the child while it lives.
24 Solomon is born, and named Jedidiah.
26 David takes Rabbah, and tortures the people thereof.

A.M. 2970. B.C. 1034. An. Ex. Is. 457. the Lord.
7:1-5; 24:11-13; 1Ki 13:1; 18:1; 2Ki 1:3
unto David.
11:10-17,25; 14:14; Isa 57:17,18
he came.
Ps 51:1; *title
There were.There is nothing in this parable which requires illustration. Its bent is evident; and it was wisely constructed, by not having too near a resemblance, to make David unwittingly pass sentence on himself. The parable was in David's hand what his own letter was in the hands of the brave Uriah. Nathan at length closed in with him in the application of it. In beginning with a parable he shewed his prudence, and great need there is of prudence in giving reproof; but now he speaks as an ambassador from God. He reminds David of the great things God had designed and done for him, and then charges him with a high contempt of the Divine authority, and threatens an entail of judgments upon his family for this sin. Those who despise the word and law of God, despise God himself, and will assuredly suffer for such contempt.
14:5-11; Jud 9:7-15; 1Ki 20:35-41; Isa 5:1-7; Mt 21:33-45
Lu 15:11-32; 16:19-31

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Samuel 12:1

    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.

  • 2 Samuel 12:2

    The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:

Read all of 2 Samuel 12

2 Samuel 12:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y ENVIÓ Jehová á Nathán á David, el cual viniendo á él, díjole: Había dos hombres en una ciudad, el uno rico, y el otro pobre.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et l’ Éternel envoya Nathan à David; et il vint vers lui, et lui dit: Il y avait deux hommes dans une ville, l’un riche, et l’autre pauvre.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Jehova sandte Nathan zu David; und er kam zu ihm und sprach zu ihm: Zwei Männer waren in einer Stadt, der eine reich, und der andere arm.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Misit ergo Dominus Nathan ad David: qui cum venisset ad eum, dixit ei: Duo viri erant in civitate una, unus dives, et alter pauper.