2 Samuel · Brenton's Greek Septuagint
2 Samuel 12 Brenton's Greek Septuagint
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- Ezra and Nehemiah form one book (2 Esdras) in this edition; the reader shows them as Ezra 1–10 and Nehemiah 1–13.
1 Καὶ ἀπέστειλε Κύριος τὸν Νάθαν τὸν προφήτην πρὸς Δαυίδ· καὶ εἰσῆλθε πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ, δύο ἦσαν ἄνδρες ἐν πόλει μιᾷ, εἷς πλούσιος, καὶ εἷς πένης.
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 Καὶ τῷ πλουσίῳ ἦν ποίμνια καὶ βουκόλια πολλὰ σφόδρα.
2 The rich man had very many flocks and herds,
3 Καὶ τῷ πένητι οὐδὲν ἀλλʼ ἢ ἀμνὰς μία μικρὰ, ἣν ἐκτήσατο καὶ περιεποιήσατο, καὶ ἐξέθρεψεν αὐτὴν, καὶ ἡδρύνθη μετʼ αὐτοῦ καὶ μετὰ τῶν υἱῶν αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ, ἐκ τοῦ ἄρτου αὐτοῦ ἤσθιε, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ποτηρίου αὐτοῦ ἔπινε, καὶ ἐν τῷ κόλπῷ αὐτοῦ ἐκάθευδε, καὶ ἦν αὐτῷ ὡς θυγάτηρ.
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 Καὶ ἦλθε πάροδος τῷ ἀνδρὶ τῷ πλουσίῳ, καὶ ἐφείσατο λαβεῖν ἐκ τῶν ποιμνίων αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐκ τῶν βουκολίων αὐτοῦ, τοῦ ποιῆσαι τῷ ξένῳ ὁδοιπόρῳ τῷ ἐλθόντι πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ ἔλαβε τὴν ἀμνάδα τοῦ πένητος. καὶ ἐποίησεν αὐτὴν τῷ ἀνδρὶ τῷ ἐλθόντι πρὸς αὐτόν.
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 Καὶ ἐθυμώθη ὀργῇ Δαυὶδ σφόδρα τῷ ἀνδρὶ, καὶ εἶπε Δαυὶδ πρὸς Νάθαν, ζῇ Κύριος, ὅτι υἱὸς θανάτου ὁ ἀνὴρ ὁ ποιήσας τοῦτο·
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 Καὶ τὴν ἀμνάδα ἀποτίσει ἑπταπλασίονα, ἀνθʼ ὧν ὅτι ἐποίησε τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο, καὶ περὶ οὗ οὐκ ἐφείσατο.
6 He must restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and because he had no pity!”
7 Καὶ εἶπε Νάθαν πρὸς Δαυὶδ, σὺ εἶ ὁ ἀνὴρ ὁ ποιήσας τοῦτο· τάδε λέγει Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς Ἰσραὴλ, ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ χρίσας σε εἰς βασιλέα ἐπὶ Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ ἐγώ εἰμι ἐῤῥυσάμην σε ἐκ χειρὸς Σαοὺλ,
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 καὶ ἔδωκά σοι τὸν οἶκον τοῦ κυρίου σου, καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας τοῦ κυρίου σου ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ σου, καὶ ἔδωκά σοι τὸν οἶκον Ἰσραὴλ καὶ Ἰούδα· καὶ εἰ μικρόν ἐστι, προσθήσω σοι κατὰ ταῦτα.
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 Τί ὅτι ἐφαύλισας τὸν λόγον Κυρίου, τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ πονηρὸν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ; τὸν Οὐρίαν τὸν Χετταῖον ἐπάταξας ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ, καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ ἔλαβες σεαυτῷ εἰς γυναῖκα, καὶ αὐτὸν ἀπέκτεινας ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ υἱῶν Ἀμμών.
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 Καὶ νὺν οὐκ ἀποστήσεται ῥομφαία ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου σου ἕως αἰῶνος, ἀνθʼ ὧν ὅτι ἐξουδένωσάς με, καὶ ἔλαβες τὴν γυναῖκα τοῦ Οὐρίου τοῦ Χετταίου, τοῦ εἶναί σοι εἰς γυναῖκα.
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 Τάδε λέγει Κύριος, ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐξεγείρω ἐπὶ σὲ κακὰ ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου σου, καὶ λήψομαι τὰς γυναῖκάς σου κατʼ ὀφθαλμούς σου, καὶ δώσω τῷ πλησίον σου, καὶ κοιμηθήσεται μετὰ τῶν γυναικῶν σου ἐναντίον τοῦ ἡλίου τούτου.
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 Ὅτι σὺ ἐποίησας κρυβῇ, κᾀγὼ ποιήσω τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο ἐναντίον παντὸς Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ ἀπέναντι τοῦ ἡλίου τούτου.
12 For you did this secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.’”
13 Καὶ εἶπε Δανὶδ τῷ Νάθαν, ἡμάρτηκα τῷ Κυρίῳ· καὶ εἶπε Νάθαν πρὸς Δαυὶδ, καὶ Κύριος παρεβίβασε τὸ ἁμάρτημά σου· οὐ μὴ ἀποθάνῃς.
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 Πλὴν ὅτι παροργίζων παρώργισας τοὺς ἐχθροὺς Κυρίου ἐν τῷ ῥήματι τούτῳ, καί γε ὁ υἱός σου ὁ τεχθείς σοι θανάτῳ ἀποθανεῖται.
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 Καὶ ἀπῆλθε Νάθαν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἔθραυσε Κύριος τὸ παιδίον ὃ ἔτεκεν ἡ γυνὴ Οὐρίου τοῦ Χετταίου τῷ Δαυὶδ, καὶ ἠῤῥώστησε.
15 Then Nathan departed to his house. Yahweh struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and he was very sick.
16 Καὶ ἐζήτησε Δαυὶδ τὸν Θεὸν περὶ τοῦ παιδαρίου, καὶ ἐνήστευσε Δαυὶδ νηστείαν, καὶ εἰσῆλθε καὶ ηὐλίσθη ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.
16 David therefore begged God for the child; and David fasted, and went in and lay all night on the ground.
17 Καὶ ἀνέστησαν ἐπʼ αὐτὸν οἱ πρεσβύτεροι τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ ἐγεῖραι αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησε, καὶ οὐ συνέφαγεν αὐτοῖς ἄρτον.
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 Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ, καὶ ἀπέθανε τὸ παιδάριον· καὶ ἐφοβήθησαν οἱ δοῦλοι Δαυὶδ ἀναγγεῖλαι αὐτῷ, ὅτι τέθνηκε τὸ παιδάριον, ὅτι εἶπον, ἰδοὺ ἐν τῷ τὸ παιδάριον ἔτι ζῇν ἐλαλήσαμεν πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ οὐκ εἰσήκουσε τῆς φωνῆς ἡμῶν· καὶ πῶς εἴπωμεν πρὸς αὐτὸν ὅτι τέθνηκε τὸ παιδάριον, καὶ ποιήσει κακά;
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 Καὶ συνῆκε Δαυὶδ, ὅτι οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῦ ψιθυρίζουσι, καὶ ἐνόησε Δαυὶδ ὅτι τέθνηκε τὸ παιδάριον· καὶ εἶπε Δαυὶδ πρὸς τοὺς παῖδας αὐτοῦ, εἰ τέθνηκε τὸ παιδάριον; καὶ εἶπαν, τέθνηκε.
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 Καὶ ἀνέστη Δαυὶδ ἐκ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἐλούσατο, καὶ ἠλείψατο, καὶ ἤλλαξε τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ προσεκύνησεν αὐτῷ, καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ᾔτησεν ἄρτον φαγεῖν, καὶ παρέθηκαν αὐτῷ ἄρτον, καὶ ἔφαγε.
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 Καὶ εἶπαν οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῦ πρὸς αὐτόν, τί τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο ὃ ἐποίησας ἕνεκα τοῦ παιδαρίου; ἔτι ζῶντος ἐνήστευες καὶ ἔκλαιες καὶ ἠγρύπνεις, καὶ ἡνίκα ἀπέθανε τὸ παιδάριον, ἀνέστης, καὶ ἔφαγες ἄρτον, καὶ πέπωκας;
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 Καὶ εἶπε Δαυὶδ, ἐν τῷ τὸ παιδάριον ἔτι ζῇν ἐνήστευσα καὶ ἔκλαυσα, ὅτι εἶπα, τίς οἶδεν εἰ ἐλεήσει με Κύριος, καὶ ζήσεται τὸ παιδάριον;
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 Καὶ νῦν τέθνηκεν, ἱνατί τοῦτο ἐγὼ νηστεύω; μὴ δυνήσομαι ἐπιστρέψαι αὐτὸν ἔτι; ἐγὼ πορεύσομαι πρὸς αὐτόν, καὶ αὐτὸς οὐκ ἀναστρέψει πρὸς μέ.
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 Καὶ παρεκάλεσε Δαυὶδ Βηρσαβεὲ τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἰσῆλθε πρὸς αὐτὴν, καὶ ἐκοιμήθη μετʼ αὐτῆς, καὶ συνέλαβε καὶ ἔτεκεν υἱὸν, καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Σαλωμὼν, καὶ Κύριος ἠγάπησεν αὐτόν.
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 Καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ἐν χειρὶ Νάθαν τοῦ προφήτου, καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἰεδδεδὶ, ἕνεκεν Κυρίου.
25 and he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and he named him Jedidiah, for Yahweh’s sake.
26 Καὶ ἐπολέμησεν Ἰωὰβ ἐν Ῥαββὰθ υἱῶν Ἀμμὼν, καὶ κατέλαβε τὴν πόλιν τῆς βασιλείας.
26 Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city.
27 Καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Ἰωὰβ ἀγγέλους πρὸς Δαυὶδ, καὶ εἶπεν, ἐπολέμησα ἐν Ῥαββὰθ, καὶ κατελαβόμην τὴν πόλιν τῶν ὑδάτων.
27 Joab sent messengers to David, and said, “I have fought against Rabbah. Yes, I have taken the city of waters.
28 Καὶ νῦν συνάγαγε τὸ κατάλοιπον τοῦ λαοῦ, καὶ παρέμβαλε ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν, καὶ προκαταλαβοῦ αὐτὴν, ἵνα μὴ προκαταλάβωμαι ἐγὼ τὴν πόλιν, καὶ κληθῇ τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐπʼ αὐτήν.
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 Καὶ συνήγαγε Δαυὶδ πάντα τὸν λαὸν, καὶ ἐπορεύθη εἰς Ῥαββὰθ, καὶ ἐπολέμησεν ἐν αὐτῇ, καὶ κατελάβετο αὐτήν.
29 David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah, and fought against it and took it.
30 Καὶ ἔλαβε τὸν στέφανον Μολχὸμ τοῦ βασιλέως αὐτῶν ἀπὸ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὁ σταθμὸς αὐτοῦ τάλαντον χρυσίου, καὶ λίθου τιμίου, καὶ ἦν ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς Δαυὶδ, καὶ σκῦλα τῆς πόλεως ἐξήνεγκε πολλὰ σφόδρα.
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 Καὶ τὸν λαὸν τὸν ὄντα ἐν αὐτῇ ἐξήγαγε, καὶ ἔθηκεν ἐν τῷ πρίονι, καὶ ἐν τοῖς τριβόλοις τοῖς σιδηροῖς, καὶ ὑποτομεῦσι σιδηροῖς, καὶ διήγαγεν αὐτοὺς διὰ τοῦ πλινθίου· καὶ οὕτως ἐποίησε πάσαις ταῖς πόλεσιν υἱῶν Ἀμμών· καὶ ἐπέστρεψε Δαυὶδ καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς εἰς Ἰερουσαλήμ.
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)