2 Samuel 12 4

2 Samuel 12:4 kjv

And there came a traveler 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.

2 Samuel 12:4 nkjv

And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him."

2 Samuel 12:4 niv

"Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him."

2 Samuel 12:4 esv

Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him."

2 Samuel 12:4 nlt

One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man's lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest."

2 Samuel 12 verses

2 Samuel 12 4 Meaning

2 Samuel 12:4 describes a pivotal moment in Nathan's parable to King David, highlighting the egregious act of a rich man who, despite vast personal resources, refused to use his own flock to provide hospitality for a guest. Instead, he heartlessly seized the single, beloved lamb belonging to a poor neighbor, slaughtered it, and served it to his visitor. This act, characterized by profound injustice, extreme selfishness, and disregard for the vulnerable, serves as a mirror for David's own actions regarding Bathsheba and Uriah.

2 Samuel 12 4 Context

2 Samuel 12:4 is the climax of the parable told by the prophet Nathan to King David, following David's grave sins involving Bathsheba and Uriah (recorded in 2 Samuel 11). Having committed adultery with Bathsheba and then orchestrating the death of her husband Uriah to conceal his sin, David remained unrepentant for approximately a year until God sent Nathan. The parable sets the stage by depicting a striking contrast: a rich man with abundant flocks and herds (2 Sam 12:2) and a poor man with only one, cherished lamb (2 Sam 12:3). This stark comparison mirrors David's immense power, wealth, and many wives compared to Uriah's singular, precious wife. The verse specifically details the rich man's cruel act, designed to elicit a strong sense of injustice and outrage from David. In the ancient Near East, hospitality was a sacred duty, making the rich man's stinginess with his own while preying on the poor even more contemptible. Nathan's masterfully crafted narrative prepares David's heart for the crushing indictment, "You are the man!" (2 Sam 12:7), directly linking David's personal actions to the rich man's inexcusable conduct.

2 Samuel 12 4 Word analysis

• And there came (וַיָּבֹא, vayavo): Hebrew bo, "to come, enter." Signifies a typical situation, a visitor arriving as was common.
• a traveler (הֵלֶךְ, helek): From Hebrew halak, "to go, walk." Implies a "wayfarer," one passing by or needing shelter and sustenance. Hospitality was expected towards such.
• unto the rich man (אֶל-אִישׁ עָשִׁיר, el-ish ashir):
  • rich man (אִישׁ עָשִׁיר, ish ashir): Hebrew ashir means "wealthy, abundant." Emphasizes his overflowing resources, making his subsequent action utterly inexcusable. This directly parallels King David's abundant blessings (multiple wives, kingdom, wealth).
• and he spared (וַיַּחְמֹל, vayachmol): From Hebrew chamal, "to pity, spare, have compassion." Here used ironically or negatively, meaning he failed to pity his own property, indicating a severe parsimony and stinginess. He refused to incur a small personal cost for a legitimate need.
• to take (מִקַּחַת, mikkaḥat): From Hebrew laqach, "to take, acquire." In this context, it implies taking an animal from his own herd to prepare.
• of his own flock and of his own herd (מִצֹּאנוֹ וּמִבְּקָרוֹ, mittzono u-mivkeqaro):
  • flock (צֹאן, tzon): Refers generally to sheep and goats.
  • herd (בָּקָר, baqar): Refers to cattle. The combination highlights the vast quantity of animals the rich man possessed, rendering his unwillingness to use them even more despicable. This amplifies the contrast with the poor man's singular lamb.
• to dress for the wayfaring man (לַעֲשׂוֹת לָאֹרֵחַ, la'asot la'oreakh):
  • to dress (לַעֲשׂוֹת, la'asot): From asah, "to make, prepare." Here, to slaughter and prepare an animal for a meal.
  • wayfaring man (לָאֹרֵחַ, la'oreakh): From Hebrew oreakh, "guest, visitor." One to whom hospitality, especially a meal, should be readily extended according to ancient Near Eastern custom.
• that was come unto him (הַבָּא אֵלָיו, haba elayv): Further emphasizes the direct responsibility and obligation of hospitality.
• but took (וַיִּקַּח, vayiqqaḥ): From laqach, "to take, seize." Here, in contrast to "spared to take" from his own, this denotes a deliberate act of appropriation, even theft. It conveys forceful seizure, not an innocent acquisition.
• the poor man's lamb (אֶת-כִּבְשַׂת הָרָשׁ, et-kivsat harash):
  • lamb (כִּבְשָׂה, kivsa): Specifically "ewe lamb." Nathan's earlier description (2 Sam 12:3) highlights that it was the poor man's only one, lived as a family pet, ate from his hand, and drank from his cup. Its singular nature makes its theft a devastating loss. The choice of a kivsa (female lamb) suggests even greater long-term value due to potential for breeding and milk.
  • poor man (הָרָשׁ, harash): Hebrew rash, "poor, needy, indigent, destitute." This underscores the victim's vulnerability and complete dependence on that one possession. This parallels Uriah's lone wife, Bathsheba.
• and dressed it for the man that was come to him (וַיַּעֲשֶׂהָ לָאִישׁ הַבָּא אֵלָיו, vaya'aseha la'ish haba elayv): The repetition reinforces the outrageousness of the act. The rich man directly served his guest with the stolen property, demonstrating both his disdain for justice and his utter lack of conscience. This echoes David using Uriah's life to secure Bathsheba.

2 Samuel 12 4 Bonus section

• Rhetorical Device: Nathan’s parable, culminating in this verse, is a brilliant example of prophetic rhetoric (forensic rhetoric) where the speaker first aligns with the audience's moral sensibilities, elicits their judgment, and then redirects that judgment back onto the audience themselves. This allowed David to convict himself of the sin, leading to genuine repentance.
• Symbolism of the Lamb: The "ewe lamb" (kivsa) is a recurring biblical motif of innocence, purity, vulnerability, and sacrifice. Its sentimental value to the poor man and its cruel demise amplifies the offense, drawing a direct, heartbreaking parallel to the victimhood of Uriah and the violated sacredness of his marriage.
• Abuse of Hospitality: The rich man's actions were not merely theft, but a severe breach of the sacred laws of hospitality, transforming what should have been an act of generosity into one of profound injustice fueled by greed and disregard for others. He profaned a societal good.
• Ethical Foundation: The narrative implicitly teaches on a core biblical theme: God’s character as protector of the oppressed and judge of the oppressor. It reveals that the powerful are held to a higher standard and their blessings come with great responsibility, not license to exploit.

2 Samuel 12 4 Commentary

2 Samuel 12:4 acts as the chilling climax of Nathan's masterful parable, exposing the full depth of the rich man's (and by extension, David's) depravity. The verse paints a stark picture of extreme covetousness and profound injustice. Despite possessing a vast abundance, the rich man demonstrates an absolute refusal to incur even a minor inconvenience by using his own resources. This self-sparing leads directly to an egregious act of theft and cruelty against the most vulnerable.

The "poor man's lamb" is more than just property; it's explicitly depicted as a cherished, almost familial, companion. Its singularity makes its loss utterly devastating and irreparable for the poor man, representing his sole source of sustenance and affection. This mirrors Uriah’s single wife, Bathsheba, whom David, despite having many wives, took and, in doing so, condemned Uriah to death.

The verse emphasizes the rich man's deliberate choice: he "spared to take of his own" but "took the poor man's lamb." This juxtaposition highlights a calculated wickedness driven by greed and a shocking lack of compassion. It demonstrates how self-interest, left unchecked, can lead to the exploitation and destruction of the innocent, ignoring not just human decency but also divine law (against coveting and theft). Nathan's use of this narrative was designed to elicit an instinctive, righteous anger from David, thereby setting the stage for the prophetic "You are the man!" and confronting him with the mirror of his own sin. The parable not only condemned David's actions but also illuminated God's profound concern for justice, especially for the weak and oppressed, and His absolute condemnation of the abuse of power.