2 Samuel 12

2 Samuel · Chapter 12

2 Samuel 12:21

1And 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.2The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:3But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.4And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.5And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:6And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.7And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;8And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.9Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.10Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.11Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.12For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.13And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.14Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.15And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.16David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.17And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.18And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?19But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.20Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.21Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.22And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?23But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.24And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him.25And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD.26And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city.27And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and have taken the city of waters.28Now 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 after my name.29And David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it.30And he took their king’s crown from off his head, the weight whereof was a talent of gold with the precious stones: and it was set on David’s head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city in great abundance.31And he brought forth the people that were therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brick-kiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
21Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.“What is this you have done?” his servants asked. “While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but when he died, you got up and ate.”Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and they saidוַיֹּאמְר֤וּvai-yo-me-RUH0559
to say

אָמַר (a.mar) 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

servants hisעֲבָדָיו֙'a-va-DAVH5650
servant/slave

עֲבַד (a.vad) servant, slave Aramaic of e.ved (עֶ֫בֶד "servant/slave" H5650)

to himאֵלָ֔יו'e-LAVH0413
to(wards)

אֶל (el) 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

what?מָֽה־mah-H4100
what

מָא (ma) 1) what, whatever 1a) what? 1b) whatever, what, whatsoever 1c) how?, why?, wherefore? (with prefixes)

[is] the thingהַדָּבָ֥רha-da-VARH1697I
word

דָּבָר (da.var) : word/speech/command 1) speech, word, speaking, thing 1a) speech 1b) saying, utterance 1c) word, words 1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)

the thisהַזֶּ֖הha-ZEHH2088
that

דִּי (di) part of relation 1) who, which, that mark of genitive 2) that of, which belongs to, that conj 3) that, because

whichאֲשֶׁ֣ר'a-SHERH0834A
which

אֲשֶׁר (a.sher) A: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which 2) (adv) 2a) where 3) (conj) 3a) in that, inasmuch as 3b) on account of C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which 2) from (the place) where 3) from (the fact) that, since D: Kaph+ 1) (conj.), according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when

you have doneעָשִׂ֑יתָה'a-SI-tahH6213A
to make: do

עָשָׂה (a.sah) : do/perform 1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to do, work, make, produce 1a1a) to do 1a1b) to work 1a1c) to deal (with) 1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect 1a2) to make 1a2a) to make 1a2b) to produce 1a2c) to prepare 1a2d) to make (an offering) 1a2e) to attend to, put in order 1a2f) to observe, celebrate 1a2g) to acquire (property) 1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute 1a2i) to bring about 1a2j) to use 1a2k) to spend, pass 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be done 1b2) to be made 1b3) to be produced 1b4) to be offered 1b5) to be observed 1b6) to be used 1c) (Pual) to be made

for sake ofבַּעֲב֞וּרba-'a-VURH5668
for the sake of

עָבוּר (a.vur) prep 1) for the sake of, on account of, because of, in order to conj 2) in order that

the childהַיֶּ֤לֶדhai-YE-ledH3206
youth

יֶ֫לֶד (ye.led) 1) child, son, boy, offspring, youth 1a) child, son, boy 1b) child, children 1c) descendants 1d) youth 1e) apostate Israelites (fig.)

[was] aliveחַי֙chaiH2416A
alive

חַי (chay) adj 1) living, alive 1a) green (of vegetation) 1b) flowing, fresh (of water) 1c) lively, active (of man) 1d) reviving (of the springtime) Aramaic equivalent: chay (חַי "living" H2417)

you fastedצַ֣מְתָּTZAM-taH6684
to fast

צוּם (tsum) (Qal) to abstain from food, fast

and you weptוַתֵּ֔בְךְּva-TE-vekH1058
to weep

בָּכָה (ba.khah) 1) to weep, bewail, cry, shed tears 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to weep (in grief, humiliation, or joy) 1a2) to weep bitterly (with cognate acc.) 1a3) to weep upon (embrace and weep) 1a4) to bewail 1b) (Piel) participle 1b1) lamenting 1b2) bewailing

and just whenוְכַֽאֲשֶׁר֙ve-kha-'a-SHERH0834D
as which

כַּאֲשֶׁר (ka.a.sher) conj 1) according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when

he diedמֵ֣תmetH4191
to die

מוּת (mut) 1) to die, kill, have one executed 1a)(Qal) 1a1) to die 1a2) to die (as penalty), be put to death 1a3) to die, perish (of a nation) 1a4) to die prematurely (by neglect of wise moral conduct) 1b) (Polel) to kill, put to death, dispatch 1c) (Hiphil) to kill, put to death 1d) (Hophal) 1d1) to be killed, be put to death 1d1a) to die prematurely

the childהַיֶּ֔לֶדhai-YE-ledH3206
youth

יֶ֫לֶד (ye.led) 1) child, son, boy, offspring, youth 1a) child, son, boy 1b) child, children 1c) descendants 1d) youth 1e) apostate Israelites (fig.)

you aroseקַ֖מְתָּKAM-taH6965B
to arise: rise

קוּם (qum) : rise/get_going 1) to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to arise 1a2) to arise (hostile sense) 1a3) to arise, become powerful 1a4) to arise, come on the scene 1a5) to stand 1a5a) to maintain oneself 1a5b) to be established, be confirmed 1a5c) to stand, endure 1a5d) to be fixed 1a5e) to be valid 1a5f) to be proven 1a5g) to be fulfilled 1a5h) to persist 1a5i) to be set, be fixed 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to fulfil 1b2) to confirm, ratify, establish, impose 1c) (Polel) to raise up 1d) (Hithpael) to raise oneself, rise up 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to cause to arise, raise …

and you ateוַתֹּ֥אכַלva-TO-khalH0398
to eat

אָכַל (a.khal) 1) to eat, devour, burn up, feed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to eat (human subject) 1a2) to eat, devour (of beasts and birds) 1a3) to devour, consume (of fire) 1a4) to devour, slay (of sword) 1a5) to devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought) 1a6) to devour (of oppression) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be eaten (by men) 1b2) to be devoured, consumed (of fire) 1b3) to be wasted, destroyed (of flesh) 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to cause to eat, feed with 1c2) to cause to devour 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to feed 1d2) to cause to eat 1e) (Piel) 1e1) consume Aramaic equivalent: a.khal (אֲכַל "to devour" H0399)

foodלָֽחֶם׃LA-chemH3899G
food

לֶ֫חֶם (le.chem) : food(eating) 1) bread, food, grain 1a) bread 1a1) bread 1a2) bread-corn 1b) food (in general)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.