2 Samuel

2 Samuel 12:1–6

¹Then 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. ²The rich man had a great number of sheep and cattle, ³but the poor man had nothing except one small ewe lamb that he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food and drank from his cup; it slept in his arms^a and was like a daughter to him.

⁴Now a traveler came to the rich man, who refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for his guest.”

⁵David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan: “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die! ⁶Because he has done this thing and has shown no pity, he must pay for the lamb four times over.”

Footnotes

a 12:3 Hebrew in his bosom; also in verse 8

Read all of 2 Samuel 12

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

2 Samuel 12:1

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then the LORD	יְהוָ֛ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
sent	וַיִּשְׁלַ֧ח	way·yiš·laḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7971 send
Nathan	נָתָ֖ן	nā·ṯān	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H5416 Nathan
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
David	דָּוִ֑ד	dā·wiḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
and when he arrived	וַיָּבֹ֣א	way·yā·ḇō	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
he said	וַיֹּ֤אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
There were	הָיוּ֙	hā·yū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
two	שְׁנֵ֣י	šə·nê	Number - masculine dual construct	H8147 two
men	אֲנָשִׁ֗ים	’ă·nā·šîm	Noun - masculine plural	H582 man, mankind
in a certain	אֶחָ֔ת	’e·ḥāṯ	Number - feminine singular	H259 one
city	בְּעִ֣יר	bə·‘îr	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular	H5892 excitement
one	אֶחָ֥ד	’e·ḥāḏ	Number - masculine singular	H259 one
rich	עָשִׁ֖יר	‘ā·šîr	Adjective - masculine singular	H6223 rich
and the other	וְאֶחָ֥ד	wə·’e·ḥāḏ	Conjunctive waw; Number - masculine singular	H259 one
poor	רָֽאשׁ׃	rāš	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H7326 be in want, poor

2 Samuel 12:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The rich	לְעָשִׁ֗יר	lə·‘ā·šîr	Preposition-l; Adjective - masculine singular	H6223 rich
man had	הָיָ֛ה	hā·yāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
a great number of	הַרְבֵּ֥ה	har·bêh	Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute	H7235 be, or become, much, many, great
sheep	צֹ֥אן	ṣōn	Noun - common singular	H6629 small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks
and cattle	וּבָקָ֖ר	ū·ḇā·qār	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H1241 cattle, herd, ox

2 Samuel 12:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
but the poor	וְלָרָ֣שׁ	wə·lā·rāš	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H7326 be in want, poor
man had nothing	אֵֽין־	’ên-	Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
except	כִּי֩	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
one	אַחַ֤ת	’a·ḥaṯ	Number - feminine singular construct	H259 one
small	קְטַנָּה֙	qə·ṭan·nāh	Adjective - feminine singular	H6996 small, young, unimportant
ewe lamb	כִּבְשָׂ֨ה	kiḇ·śāh	Noun - feminine singular	H3535 ewe-lamb
that	אֲשֶׁ֣ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
he had bought	קָנָ֔ה	qā·nāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H7069 get, acquire
He raised it	וַיְחַיֶּ֕הָ	way·ḥay·ye·hā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H2421 live
and it grew up	וַתִּגְדַּ֥ל	wat·tiḡ·dal	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H1431 grow up, become great
with him	עִמּ֛וֹ	‘im·mōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H5973 with
and his children	בָּנָ֖יו	bā·nāw	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H1121 son
It shared	יַחְדָּ֑ו	yaḥ·dāw	Adverb	H3162 unitedness
his food	מִפִּתּ֨וֹ	mip·pit·tōw	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H6595 fragment, bit, morsel
and drank	תִשְׁתֶּה֙	ṯiš·teh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H8354 drink
from his cup	וּמִכֹּס֤וֹ	ū·mik·kō·sōw	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3563 cup
it slept	תִשְׁכָּ֔ב	ṯiš·kāḇ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H7901 lie down
in his arms	וּבְחֵיק֣וֹ	ū·ḇə·ḥê·qōw	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H2436 bosom
and was	וַתְּהִי־	wat·tə·hî-	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
like a daughter	כְּבַֽת׃	kə·ḇaṯ	Preposition-k; Noun - feminine singular	H1323 daughter
to him	ל֖וֹ	lōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular

2 Samuel 12:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Now a traveler	הֵלֶךְ֮	hê·leḵ	Noun - masculine singular	H1982 traveller
came	וַיָּ֣בֹא	way·yā·ḇō	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
to the rich	הֶֽעָשִׁיר֒	he·‘ā·šîr	Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H6223 rich
man	לְאִ֣ישׁ	lə·’îš	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct	H376 man
who refrained from taking	לָקַ֤חַת	lā·qa·ḥaṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H3947 take
one of his own sheep	מִצֹּאנוֹ֙	miṣ·ṣō·nōw	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H6629 small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks
or cattle	וּמִבְּקָר֔וֹ	ū·mib·bə·qā·rōw	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H1241 cattle, herd, ox
to prepare	לַעֲשׂ֕וֹת	la·‘ă·śō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H6213 do, make
for the traveler	לָאֹרֵ֖חַ	lā·’ō·rê·aḥ	Preposition-l, Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H732 wander, journey, go
who had come	הַבָּא־	hab·bā-	Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
to him	ל֑וֹ	lōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular
Instead	וַיִּקַּ֗ח	way·yiq·qaḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3947 take
he took	וַיִּקַּ֗ח	way·yiq·qaḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3947 take
the poor	הָרָ֔אשׁ	hā·rāš	Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H7326 be in want, poor
man’s	הָאִ֣ישׁ	hā·’îš	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
lamb	כִּבְשַׂת֙	kiḇ·śaṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H3535 ewe-lamb
and prepared it	וַֽיַּעֲשֶׂ֔הָ	way·ya·‘ă·śe·hā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H6213 do, make
for his guest	לָאִ֖ישׁ	lā·’îš	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H376 man

2 Samuel 12:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
David	דָּוִ֛ד	dā·wiḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
burned	וַיִּֽחַר־	way·yi·ḥar-	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H2734 burn, be kindled
with anger	אַ֥ף	’ap̄	Noun - masculine singular construct	H639 nostril, nose, face, anger
against the man	בָּאִ֖ישׁ	bā·’îš	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
and said	וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
Nathan	נָתָ֔ן	nā·ṯān	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H5416 Nathan
As surely as the LORD	יְהוָ֕ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
lives	חַי־	ḥay-	Noun - masculine singular	H2416 alive, living
the man	הָאִ֖ישׁ	hā·’îš	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
who did	הָעֹשֶׂ֥ה	hā·‘ō·śeh	Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H6213 do, make
this	זֹֽאת׃	zōṯ	Pronoun - feminine singular	H2063 this
deserves to die	מָ֔וֶת	mā·weṯ	Noun - masculine singular	H4194 death

2 Samuel 12:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Because	עֵ֗קֶב	‘ê·qeḇ	Conjunction	H6118 consequence
he has done	עָשָׂה֙	‘ā·śāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
this	הַזֶּ֔ה	haz·zeh	Article; Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
thing	הַדָּבָ֣ר	had·dā·ḇār	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H1697 speech, word
and has shown no	לֹֽא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
pity	חָמָֽל׃	ḥā·māl	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H2550 spare
he must pay	יְשַׁלֵּ֣ם	yə·šal·lêm	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7999 be complete, sound
for the lamb	הַכִּבְשָׂ֖ה	hak·kiḇ·śāh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H3535 ewe-lamb
four times over	אַרְבַּעְתָּ֑יִם	’ar·ba‘·tā·yim	Number - fd	H706 fourfold