2 Samuel 12:1
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.
2 The rich man had a great number of sheep and cattle,
3 but 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 and was like a daughter to him.
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- 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.
- 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.
- WEB
- 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.
- ASV
- 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.
- DARBY
- And 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.
- BLB
- And YHWH sent Nathan to David, and he came to him and said to him, “There were two men in one city—one rich and one poor.
- ÅB
- Og Herren sendte Natan til David. Da han kom inn til ham, sa han til ham: Det var to menn i en by, en rik og en fattig.
- OTB
- Da sendte Herren Natan til David. Og han kom til ham og sa, "Det var to menn i en by, den ene rik og den andre fattig.
- B1930
- Og Herren sendte Natan til David. Da han kom inn til ham, sa han til ham: Det var to menn i en by, en rik og en fattig.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Psalms 51:1–19
Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your loving devotion; according to Your great compassion, blot out my transgressions.
Read in context1 Kings 20:35–41
Meanwhile, by the word of the LORD, one of the sons of the prophets said to his companion, “Strike me, please!” But the man refused to strike him.
Read in contextJudges 9:7–15
When this was reported to Jotham, he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim, raised his voice, and cried out: “Listen to me, O leaders of Shechem, and may God listen to you.
Read in contextIsaiah 5:1–7
I will sing for my beloved a song of his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill.
Read in context1 Kings 13:1
Suddenly, as Jeroboam was standing beside the altar to burn incense, there came a man of God from Judah to Bethel by the word of the LORD.
Read in contextLuke 15:11–32
Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons.
Read in context2 Samuel 7:17
So Nathan relayed to David all the words of this entire vision.
Read in context1 Kings 18:1
After a long time, in the third year of the drought, the word of the LORD came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the face of the earth.”
Read in context