2 Samuel · Catholic Public Domain Version
2 Samuel 12 Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (3)
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
- No imprimatur; single translator.
1 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.
1 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.
2 The wealthy man had very many sheep and oxen.
2 The rich man had very many flocks and herds,
3 But the poor man had nothing at all, except one little sheep, which he had bought and nourished. And she had grown up before him, together with his children, eating from his bread, and drinking from his cup, and sleeping in his bosom. And she was like a daughter to him.
3 but the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and raised. It grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food, drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was like a daughter to him.
4 But when a certain traveler had come to the wealthy man, neglecting to take from his own sheep and oxen, so that he might present a feast for that traveler, who had come to him, he took the sheep of the poor man, and he prepared a meal for the man who had come to him.”
4 A traveler came to the rich man, and he didn’t want to take of his own flock and of his own herd to prepare for the wayfaring man who had come to him, but took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”
5 Then David’s indignation was enraged exceedingly against that man, and he said to Nathan: “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this is a son of death.
5 David’s anger burned hot against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As Yahweh lives, the man who has done this deserves to die!
6 He shall restore the sheep fourfold, because he did this word, and he did not take pity.”
6 He must restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and because he had no pity!”
7 But Nathan said to David: “You are that man. Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘I anointed you as king over Israel, and I rescued you from the hand of Saul.
7 Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul.
8 And I gave the house of your lord to you, and the wives of your lord into your bosom. And I gave the house of Israel and of Judah to you. And as if these things were small, I shall add much greater things to you.
8 I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that would have been too little, I would have added to you many more such things.
9 Therefore, why have you despised the word of the Lord, so that you did evil in my sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword. And you have taken his wife as a wife for yourself. And you have put him to death with the sword of the sons of Ammon.
9 Why have you despised Yahweh’s word, to do that which is evil in his sight? You have struck Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
10 For this reason, the sword shall not withdraw from your house, even perpetually, because you have despised me, and you have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite, so that she may be your wife.’
10 Now therefore the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken Uriah the Hittite’s wife to be your wife.’
11 And so, thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will raise up over you an evil from your own house. And I will take your wives away before your eyes, and I will give them to your neighbor. And he will sleep with your wives in the sight of this sun.
11 “This is what Yahweh says: ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he will lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.
12 For you acted secretly. But I will do this word in the sight of all of Israel, and in the sight of the sun.’ ”
12 For you did this secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.’”
13 And David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David: “The Lord has also taken away your sin. You shall not die.
13 David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against Yahweh.” Nathan said to David, “Yahweh also has put away your sin. You will not die.
14 Yet truly, because you have given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, because of this word, the son who was born to you: dying he shall die.”
14 However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to Yahweh’s enemies to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you will surely die.”
15 And Nathan returned to his own house. And the Lord struck the little one, whom the wife of Uriah had borne to David, and he was despaired of.
15 Then Nathan departed to his house. Yahweh struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and he was very sick.
16 And David begged the Lord on behalf of the little one. And David fasted strictly, and entering alone, he lay upon the ground.
16 David therefore begged God for the child; and David fasted, and went in and lay all night on the ground.
17 Then the elders of his house came, urging him to rise up from the ground. And he was not willing, nor would he eat a meal with them.
17 The elders of his house arose beside him, to raise him up from the earth; but he would not, and he didn’t eat bread with them.
18 Then, on the seventh day, it happened that the infant died. And the servants of David were afraid to report to him that the little one had died. For they said: “Behold, when the child was still alive, we were speaking to him, but he would not listen to our voice. How much more will he afflict himself, if we tell him that the boy is dead?”
18 On the seventh day, the child died. David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him and he didn’t listen to our voice. How will he then harm himself if we tell him that the child is dead?”
19 But when David had seen his servants whispering, he realized that the infant had died. And he said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” And they responded to him, “He is dead.”
19 But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; and David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” They said, “He is dead.”
20 Therefore, David rose up from the ground. And he washed and anointed himself. And when he had changed his clothing, he entered the house of the Lord, and he worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and he asked them to place bread before him, and he ate.
20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothing; and he came into Yahweh’s house, and worshiped. Then he came to his own house; and when he requested, they set bread before him and he ate.
21 But his servants said to him: “What is this word that you have done? You fasted and were weeping, on behalf of the infant, while he was still alive. But when the boy was dead, you arose and ate bread.”
21 Then his servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child was dead, you rose up and ate bread.”
22 And he said: “While he was yet alive, I fasted and wept on behalf of the infant. For I said: Who knows if the Lord may perhaps give him to me, and let the infant live?
22 He said, “While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows whether Yahweh will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?’
23 But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Would I be able to bring him back anymore? Instead, I will go to him. Yet truly, he will not return to me.”
23 But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”
24 And David consoled his wife Bathsheba. And entering to her, he slept with her. And she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon, and the Lord loved him.
24 David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her, and lay with her. She bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. Yahweh loved him;
25 And he sent, by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and he called his name, Beloved of the Lord, because the Lord loved him.
25 and he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and he named him Jedidiah, for Yahweh’s sake.
26 And then Joab fought against Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, and he fought outside the royal city.
26 Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city.
27 And Joab sent messengers to David, saying: “I have struggled against Rabbah, and so the City of Waters will soon be seized.
27 Joab sent messengers to David, and said, “I have fought against Rabbah. Yes, I have taken the city of waters.
28 Now therefore, gather the remaining portion of the people together, and besiege the city and take it. Otherwise, when the city will have been laid waste by me, the victory will be ascribed to my name.”
28 Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city and take it; lest I take the city, and it be called by my name.”
29 And so David gathered together all the people, and he set out against Rabbah. And after he had fought, he seized it.
29 David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah, and fought against it and took it.
30 And he took the crown of their king from his head. The weight of it was a talent of gold, having the most precious gems. And it was placed upon the head of David. Moreover, he carried away the spoils of the city, which were very many.
30 He took the crown of their king from off his head; and its weight was a talent of gold, and in it were precious stones; and it was set on David’s head. He brought a great quantity of plunder out of the city.
31 Also, bringing forth its people, he sawed them, and he drove over them with iron wagons, and he divided them with knives, and he dragged them through brick kilns. So he did to all the citizens of the sons of Ammon. And David returned, with the entire army, to Jerusalem.
31 He brought out the people who were in it, and put them to work under saws, under iron picks, under axes of iron, and made them go to the brick kiln; and he did so to all the cities of the children of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Bathsheba
Wife of David and mother of Solomon, remembered amid both sin and grace.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 11-12; 1 Kings 1-2; Matthew 1:6
David
The shepherd who became Israel's greatest king and a man after God's own heart.
Cited in the guide: 1 Sam. 16 - 1 Kings 2; 2 Sam. 7; 1 Chron. 2:15; Matt. 1:6
Joab
Son of Zeruiah and commander of David's army, who killed Abner and Amasa, besieged Rabbah, killed Absalom in the oak, and carried out David's census.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 2:13; 2 Samuel 3:27; 2 Samuel 12:26
Nathan
The prophet to whom David confided his wish to build a house for the ark, who carried the LORD's promise of an enduring house to David, rebuked him with the parable of the ewe…
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 7:2; 2 Samuel 7:4; 2 Samuel 12:1
Cross references (29)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Psalm 51:1–19; 1 Kings 20:35–41; Judges 9:7–15; Isaiah 5:1–7; 1 Kings 13:1
- 2 2 Samuel 12:8; 2 Samuel 3:2–5; Job 1:3; 2 Samuel 5:13–16; 2 Samuel 15:16
- 3 Micah 7:5; 2 Samuel 11:3; Deuteronomy 13:6; Proverbs 5:18–19
- 4 James 1:14; 2 Samuel 11:3–4; Genesis 18:2–7
- 5 Genesis 38:24; Romans 2:1; 1 Samuel 26:16; Luke 6:41–42; 1 Samuel 25:21–22
- 6 Exodus 22:1; Proverbs 6:31; Luke 19:8; James 2:13
- 7 Matthew 14:14; 1 Samuel 16:13; 2 Samuel 22:1; 1 Samuel 18:21; 2 Samuel 22:49
- 8 Psalm 84:11; 2 Samuel 9:7; 2 Samuel 12:11; 2 Samuel 5:5; 2 Samuel 2:4
- 9 1 Samuel 15:19; Psalm 90:8; Amos 2:4; Jeremiah 18:10; Psalm 139:1–2
- 10 2 Samuel 18:14–15; Matthew 26:52; Romans 2:4; 2 Samuel 13:28–29; Genesis 20:3
- 11 2 Samuel 16:21–22; Deuteronomy 28:30; 2 Samuel 13:1–14; 2 Samuel 15:10; 2 Samuel 13:28–29
- 12 2 Samuel 16:22; Ecclesiastes 12:14; Luke 12:1–2; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 2 Samuel 11:4–15
- 13 Proverbs 28:13; 2 Samuel 24:10; Zechariah 3:4; Psalm 51:4; Micah 7:18–19
- 14 Romans 2:24; Isaiah 52:5; Psalm 89:31–33; Psalm 94:12; Proverbs 3:11–12
- 15 1 Samuel 25:38; Psalm 104:29; Deuteronomy 32:39; 1 Samuel 26:10; 2 Kings 15:5
- 16 2 Samuel 13:31; Jonah 3:9; Esther 4:16; 1 Kings 21:27; 2 Samuel 12:22
- 17 2 Samuel 3:35; 1 Samuel 28:23
- 18 Numbers 20:15
- 20 Job 1:20; Ruth 3:3; Lamentations 3:39–41; Job 2:10; Ecclesiastes 9:8
- 21 1 Corinthians 2:15
- 22 Isaiah 38:5; Isaiah 38:1–3; Jonah 3:9–10; Joel 1:14; Jonah 1:6
- 23 Genesis 37:35; Job 30:23; Luke 23:43; Job 7:8–10
- 24 Matthew 1:6; 1 Chronicles 28:5–6; 1 Chronicles 29:1; 1 Chronicles 22:9–10; 2 Samuel 7:12
- 25 2 Samuel 7:4; Nehemiah 13:26; 1 Kings 1:11; 1 Kings 1:23; 2 Samuel 12:1–14
- 26 1 Chronicles 20:1–3; Deuteronomy 3:11; 2 Samuel 11:25
- 27 Ezekiel 21:20; Deuteronomy 3:11; 2 Samuel 11:1
- 28 John 7:18
- 30 1 Chronicles 20:2
- 31 1 Chronicles 20:3; Amos 1:3; 2 Samuel 8:2; Psalm 21:8–9
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
And David's anger being kindled against the man, he commanded that he should be put to death, and the lamb restored fourfold to the poor man; thus unwittingly condemning the sin he had wittingly committed. And when he had been shown this, and God's punishment had been denounced against him, he wiped out his sin in deep penitence.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
… Saul, and give thee all that pertained to thy master, and all the house of Israel and Judah, and if it had been little for thee, I would have added thus and thus; and wherefore hast thou done that which was evil in my sight?" For not for all sins are there the same punishments, but many and diverse, according …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
… standing round: for he had seen in thought the angel-host of the Lord, and he trembled as seeing Him who is invisible; and to the messenger, or rather by him in answer to God who sent him, he said, I have sinned against the Lord.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
Luke ascends through Nathan another son of the same David, through whom he was purged from his sin. For we read, that Nathan was sent to him to reprove him, and that he might through repentance be healed.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
Moreover her husband in war he caused to be killed: and after this deed there was sent to him Nathan the prophet; sent by the Lord, to reprove him for so great an outrage.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)