2 Samuel 12:1
New International Version
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.

New Living Translation
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.

English Standard Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
Then 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.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
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 American Standard Bible
Then the LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him and said, “There were two men in a city, the one wealthy and the other poor.

NASB 1995
Then the LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him and said, “There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor.

NASB 1977
Then the LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said, “There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Yahweh sent Nathan to David. And he came to him and said, “There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor.

Amplified Bible
And the LORD sent Nathan [the prophet] to David. He came and said to him, “There were two men in a city, one rich and the other poor.

Christian Standard Bible
So the LORD sent Nathan to David. When he arrived, he said to him: There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So the LORD sent Nathan to David. When he arrived, he said to him: There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor.

American Standard Version
And 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.

Contemporary English Version
and he sent Nathan the prophet to tell this story to David: A rich man and a poor man lived in the same town.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So the LORD sent Nathan to David. Nathan came to him and said, "There were two men in a certain city. One was rich, and the other was poor.

Good News Translation
The LORD sent the prophet Nathan to David. Nathan went to him and said, "There were two men who lived in the same town; one was rich and the other poor.

International Standard Version
so the LORD sent Nathan to David. Nathan approached David and said, "There are two men in the city. One is rich and one is poor.

Majority Standard Bible
Then 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.

NET Bible
So the LORD sent Nathan to David. When he came to David, Nathan said, "There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor.

New Heart English Bible
The 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.

Webster's Bible Translation
And 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.

World English Bible
Yahweh 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.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And YHWH sends Nathan to David, and he comes to him, and says to him: “Two men have been in one city, one rich and one poor.

Young's Literal Translation
And 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;

Smith's Literal Translation
And Jehovah will send Nathan to David. And he will come in to him and say to him, Two men were in one city; one rich and one poor.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord sent Nathan to David: and when he was come to him, he said to him: There were two men in one city, the one rich, and the other poor.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And when he had come to him, he said to him: “Two men were in one city: one wealthy, and the other poor.

New American Bible
The LORD sent Nathan to David, and when he came to him, he said: “Tell me how you judge this case: In a certain town there were two men, one rich, the other poor.

New Revised Standard Version
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.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
AND the LORD sent Nathan the prophet to David. And he came to him and said to him, There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And LORD JEHOVAH sent Nathan the Prophet to David, and he came to him and he said to him: “There were two men in one city, one rich and one poor
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
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.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to David; and he went in to him, and said to him, There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Nathan Rebukes David
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,…

Cross References
1 Samuel 15:16-23
“Stop!” exclaimed Samuel. “Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.” “Tell me,” Saul replied. / And Samuel said, “Although you were once small in your own eyes, have you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel / and sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and devote to destruction the sinful Amalekites. Fight against them until you have wiped them out.’ ...

1 Kings 18:18
“I have not troubled Israel,” Elijah replied, “but you and your father’s house have, for you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals.

1 Kings 21:17-24
Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, / “Get up and go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria. See, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession of it. / Tell him that this is what the LORD says: ‘Have you not murdered a man and seized his land?’ Then tell him that this is also what the LORD says: ‘In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, there also the dogs will lick up your blood—yes, yours!’” ...

Jeremiah 1:4-10
The word of the LORD came to me, saying: / “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” / “Ah, Lord GOD,” I said, “I surely do not know how to speak, for I am only a child!” ...

Jeremiah 26:12-15
But Jeremiah said to all the officials and all the people, “The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard. / So now, correct your ways and deeds, and obey the voice of the LORD your God, so that He might relent of the disaster He has pronounced against you. / As for me, here I am in your hands; do to me what you think is good and right. ...

Ezekiel 2:3-7
“Son of man,” He said to me, “I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me. To this very day they and their fathers have rebelled against Me. / They are obstinate and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you are to say to them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says.’ / And whether they listen or refuse to listen—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them. ...

Ezekiel 3:17-21
“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from My mouth, give them a warning from Me. / If I say to the wicked man, ‘You will surely die,’ but you do not warn him or speak out to warn him from his wicked way to save his life, that wicked man will die in his iniquity, and I will hold you responsible for his blood. / But if you warn a wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness and his wicked way, he will die in his iniquity, but you will have saved yourself. ...

Amos 7:14-17
“I was not a prophet,” Amos replied, “nor was I the son of a prophet; rather, I was a herdsman and a tender of sycamore-fig trees. / But the LORD took me from following the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to My people Israel.’ / Now, therefore, hear the word of the LORD. You say: ‘Do not prophesy against Israel; do not preach against the house of Isaac.’ ...

Jonah 3:1-4
Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: / “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message that I give you.” / This time Jonah got up and went to Nineveh, in accordance with the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, requiring a three-day journey. ...

Micah 3:8
As for me, however, I am filled with power by the Spirit of the LORD, with justice and courage, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin.

Matthew 14:3-5
Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, / because John had been telling him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” / Although Herod wanted to kill John, he was afraid of the people, because they regarded John as a prophet.

Matthew 18:15-17
If your brother sins against you, go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. / But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ / If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, regard him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

Matthew 23:29-36
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous. / And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ / So you testify against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets. ...

Luke 3:19-20
But when he rebuked Herod the tetrarch regarding his brother’s wife Herodias and all the evils he had done, / Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.

Luke 7:40-43
But Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, Teacher,” he said. / “Two men were debtors to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. / When they were unable to repay him, he forgave both of them. Which one, then, will love him more?” ...


Treasury of Scripture

And 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.

A.

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; …

2 Samuel 24:11-13
For when David was up in the morning, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying, …

1 Kings 13:1
And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.

unto David

2 Samuel 11:10-17,25
And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house? …

2 Samuel 14:14
For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him.

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…

he came

Psalm 51:1
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

There were.

2 Samuel 14:5-11
And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I am indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead…

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…

1 Kings 20:25-41
And number thee an army, like the army that thou hast lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot: and we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. And he hearkened unto their voice, and did so…

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2 Samuel 12
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














Then
The word "then" serves as a pivotal transition, indicating a sequence of events. In the context of 2 Samuel, it follows the grievous sin of David with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah. This word marks the divine intervention that follows human failure. It reminds us that God’s timing is perfect, and His interventions are neither early nor late but precisely when they are needed. The Hebrew word for "then" often signifies a continuation or consequence, underscoring that God’s actions are a direct response to the events that have transpired.

the LORD
The term "the LORD" is translated from the Hebrew "Yahweh," the covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal, self-existent nature and His faithfulness to His promises. This name is used to denote God’s personal relationship with His people. In this context, it highlights that it is not just any deity, but the covenant-keeping God of Israel who is taking action. This assures us of God’s active involvement in the lives of His people, even when they stray from His commandments.

sent
The word "sent" is derived from the Hebrew "shalach," which means to dispatch or send away. This action signifies God’s initiative in reaching out to David through His prophet. It is a reminder of God’s grace and mercy, as He does not abandon His servant in sin but seeks to restore him. The sending of Nathan is an act of divine love, showing that God pursues us even when we are far from Him.

Nathan
Nathan, whose name means "gift" or "given" in Hebrew, is a prophet and a trusted advisor to King David. His role in this narrative is crucial, as he is the mouthpiece of God, bringing a message of conviction and repentance. Nathan’s courage and obedience in confronting the king highlight the importance of speaking truth to power, guided by divine wisdom. His presence in this account underscores the role of prophets as God’s messengers, tasked with guiding His people back to righteousness.

to David
David, the anointed king of Israel, is the recipient of God’s message through Nathan. Despite his grievous sins, David is still regarded as a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). This phrase indicates that God has not given up on David, but seeks his repentance and restoration. It serves as a powerful reminder that no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace, and that He desires to restore all who turn back to Him in humility and repentance. David’s account is a testament to the transformative power of God’s forgiveness and the possibility of redemption for all who seek it.

(1) Sent Nathan.--Nathan was already on intimate terms with David, and recognised by him as a prophet (2Samuel 7:1-17).



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then the LORD
יְהוָ֛ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

sent
וַיִּשְׁלַ֧ח (way·yiš·laḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

Nathan
נָתָ֖ן (nā·ṯān)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5416: Nathan -- the name of a number of Israelites

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

David,
דָּוִ֑ד (dā·wiḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

and when he arrived,
וַיָּבֹ֣א (way·yā·ḇō)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

he said,
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“There were
הָיוּ֙ (hā·yū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

two
שְׁנֵ֣י (šə·nê)
Number - mdc
Strong's 8147: Two (a cardinal number)

men
אֲנָשִׁ֗ים (’ă·nā·šîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 582: Man, mankind

in a certain
אֶחָ֔ת (’e·ḥāṯ)
Number - feminine singular
Strong's 259: United, one, first

city,
בְּעִ֣יר (bə·‘îr)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

one
אֶחָ֥ד (’e·ḥāḏ)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 259: United, one, first

rich
עָשִׁ֖יר (‘ā·šîr)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 6223: Rich

and the other
וְאֶחָ֥ד (wə·’e·ḥāḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Number - masculine singular
Strong's 259: United, one, first

poor.
רָֽאשׁ׃ (rāš)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7326: To be in want or poor


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OT History: 2 Samuel 12:1 Yahweh sent Nathan to David (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 11:27
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