2 Samuel 12:1

Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

And Jehovah sendeth Nathan unto David, and he cometh unto him, and saith to him: `Two men have been in one city; One rich and one poor;

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיִּשְׁלַ֧ח יְהוָ֛ה אֶת־נָתָ֖ן אֶל־דָּוִ֑ד וַיָּבֹ֣א אֵלָ֗יו וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ שְׁנֵ֣י אֲנָשִׁ֗ים הָיוּ֙ בְּעִ֣יר אֶחָ֔ת אֶחָ֥ד עָשִׁ֖יר וְאֶחָ֥ד רָֽאשׁ

Transliteration

wə-yišlaḥ YHWH ʾet-nātān ʾel-dāwid wə-yābōʾ to-him wə-yōʾmer to-him, šənê ʾănāšîm hāyû in-ʿîr one, one ʿāšîr wə-ʾeḥād rāʾš

Grammar Details

• *wə-yišlaḥ*: conjunction + Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular - and he sent
• *YHWH*: proper noun - Yahweh, the LORD
• *ʾet-nātān*: direct object marker + proper noun - Nathan (literally: 'the one who gives')
• *ʾel-dāwid*: preposition + proper noun - to David
• *wə-yābōʾ*: conjunction + Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular - and he came
• *wə-yōʾmer*: conjunction + Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular - and he said
• *šənê*: cardinal number, construct state - two of
• *ʾănāšîm*: common noun, masculine plural - men
• *hāyû*: Qal perfect 3rd common plural - they were
• *ʿîr*: common noun, feminine singular - city
• *ʿāšîr*: adjective, masculine singular - rich
• *wə-ʾeḥād*: conjunction + cardinal number - and one
• *rāʾš*: adjective, masculine singular - poor

Word Meanings

• *ʾet-nātān*: Nathan (lit: 'gift', 'the one who gives')
• *rāʾš*: poor/impoverished/destitute

Referenced Verses

• 1 Kgs 20:35-41 : 35 And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbour by the word of Jehovah, `Smite me, I pray thee;' and the man refuseth to smite him, 36 and he saith to him, `Because that thou hast not hearkened to the voice of Jehovah, lo, thou art going from me, and the lion hath smitten thee;' and he goeth from him, and the lion findeth him, and smiteth him. 37 And he findeth another man, and saith, `Smite me, I pray thee;' and the man smiteth him, smiting and wounding, 38 and the prophet goeth and standeth for the king on the way, and disguiseth himself with ashes on his eyes. 39 And it cometh to pass -- the king is passing by -- that he hath cried unto the king, and saith, `Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle, and lo, a man hath turned aside and bringeth in unto me a man, and saith, Keep this man; if he be at all missing, then hath thy life been for his life, or a talent of silver thou dost weigh out; 40 and it cometh to pass, thy servant is working hither and thither, and he is not!' and the king of Israel saith unto him, Right `is' thy judgment; thou hast determined `it'.' 41 And he hasteth and turneth aside the ashes from off his eyes, and the king of Israel discerneth him, that he `is' of the prophets,
• 2 Kgs 1:3 : 3 And a messenger of Jehovah hath spoken unto Elijah the Tishbite, `Rise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and speak unto them, Is it because there is not a God in Israel -- ye are going to inquire of Baal Zebub god of Ekron?
• Ps 51:1-9 : 1 To the Overseer. -- A Psalm of David, in the coming inn unto him of Nathan the prophet, when he hath gone in unto Bath-Sheba. Favour me, O God, according to Thy kindness, According to the abundance of Thy mercies, Blot out my transgressions. 2 Thoroughly wash me from mine iniquity, And from my sin cleanse me, 3 For my transgressions I do know, And my sin `is' before me continually. 4 Against Thee, Thee only, I have sinned, And done the evil thing in Thine eyes, So that Thou art righteous in Thy words, Thou art pure in Thy judging. 5 Lo, in iniquity I have been brought forth, And in sin doth my mother conceive me. 6 Lo, truth Thou hast desired in the inward parts, And in the hidden part Wisdom Thou causest me to know. 7 Thou cleansest me with hyssop and I am clean, Washest me, and than snow I am whiter. 8 Thou causest me to hear joy and gladness, Thou makest joyful bones Thou hast bruised. 9 Hide Thy face from my sin. And all mine iniquities blot out. 10 A clean heart prepare for me, O God, And a right spirit renew within me. 11 Cast me not forth from Thy presence, And Thy Holy Spirit take not from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation, And a willing spirit doth sustain me. 13 I teach transgressors Thy ways, And sinners unto Thee do return. 14 Deliver me from blood, O God, God of my salvation, My tongue singeth of Thy righteousness. 15 O Lord, my lips thou dost open, And my mouth declareth Thy praise. 16 For Thou desirest not sacrifice, or I give `it', Burnt-offering Thou acceptest not. 17 The sacrifices of God `are' a broken spirit, A heart broken and bruised, O God, Thou dost not despise. 18 Do good in Thy good pleasure with Zion, Thou dost build the walls of Jerusalem. 19 Then Thou desirest sacrifices of righteousness, Burnt-offering, and whole burnt-offering, Then they offer bullocks on thine altar!
• Isa 5:1-7 : 1 Let me sing, I pray you, for my beloved, A song of my beloved as to his vineyard: My beloved hath a vineyard in a fruitful hill, 2 And he fenceth it, and casteth out its stones, And planteth it `with' a choice vine, And buildeth a tower in its midst, And also a wine press hath hewn out in it, And he waiteth for the yielding of grapes, And it yieldeth bad ones! 3 And now, O inhabitant of Jerusalem, and man of Judah, Judge, I pray you, between me and my vineyard. 4 What -- to do still to my vineyard, That I have not done in it! Wherefore, I waited to the yielding of grapes, And it yieldeth bad ones! 5 And now, pray, let me cause you to know, That which I am doing to my vineyard, To turn aside its hedge, And it hath been for consumption, To break down its wall, And it hath been for a treading-place. 6 And I make it a waste, It is not pruned, nor arranged, And gone up have brier and thorn, And on the thick clouds I lay a charge, From raining upon it rain. 7 Because the vineyard of Jehovah of Hosts `Is' the house of Israel, And the man of Judah His pleasant plant, And He waiteth for judgment, and lo, oppression, For righteousness, and lo, a cry.
• Isa 57:17-18 : 17 For the iniquity of his dishonest gain, I have been wroth, and I smite him, Hiding -- and am wroth, And he goeth on turning back in the way of his heart. 18 His ways I have seen, and I heal him, yea, I lead him, And recompense comforts to him and to his mourning ones.
• Matt 21:33-45 : 33 `Hear ye another simile: There was a certain man, a householder, who planted a vineyard, and did put a hedge round it, and digged in it a wine-press, and built a tower, and gave it out to husbandmen, and went abroad. 34 `And when the season of the fruits came nigh, he sent his servants unto the husbandmen, to receive the fruits of it, 35 and the husbandmen having taken his servants, one they scourged, and one they killed, and one they stoned. 36 `Again he sent other servants more than the first, and they did to them in the same manner. 37 `And at last he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son; 38 and the husbandmen having seen the son, said among themselves, This is the heir, come, we may kill him, and may possess his inheritance; 39 and having taken him, they cast `him' out of the vineyard, and killed him; 40 whenever therefore the lord of the vineyard may come, what will he do to these husbandmen?' 41 They say to him, `Evil men -- he will evilly destroy them, and the vineyard will give out to other husbandmen, who will give back to him the fruits in their seasons.' 42 Jesus saith to them, `Did ye never read in the Writings, A stone that the builders disallowed, it became head of a corner; from the Lord hath this come to pass, and it is wonderful in our eyes. 43 `Because of this I say to you, that the reign of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth its fruit; 44 and he who is falling on this stone shall be broken, and on whomsoever it may fall it will crush him to pieces.' 45 And the chief priests and the Pharisees having heard his similes, knew that of them he speaketh,
• Luke 15:11-32 : 11 And he said, `A certain man had two sons, 12 and the younger of them said to the father, Father, give me the portion of the substance falling to `me', and he divided to them the living. 13 `And not many days after, having gathered all together, the younger son went abroad to a far country, and there he scattered his substance, living riotously; 14 and he having spent all, there came a mighty famine on that country, and himself began to be in want; 15 and having gone on, he joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him to the fields to feed swine, 16 and he was desirous to fill his belly from the husks that the swine were eating, and no one was giving to him. 17 `And having come to himself, he said, How many hirelings of my father have a superabundance of bread, and I here with hunger am perishing! 18 having risen, I will go on unto my father, and will say to him, Father, I did sin -- to the heaven, and before thee, 19 and no more am I worthy to be called thy son; make me as one of thy hirelings. 20 `And having risen, he went unto his own father, and he being yet far distant, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and having ran he fell upon his neck and kissed him; 21 and the son said to him, Father, I did sin -- to the heaven, and before thee, and no more am I worthy to be called thy son. 22 `And the father said unto his servants, Bring forth the first robe, and clothe him, and give a ring for his hand, and sandals for the feet; 23 and having brought the fatted calf, kill `it', and having eaten, we may be merry, 24 because this my son was dead, and did live again, and he was lost, and was found; and they began to be merry. 25 `And his elder son was in a field, and as, coming, he drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing, 26 and having called near one of the young men, he was inquiring what these things might be, 27 and he said to him -- Thy brother is arrived, and thy father did kill the fatted calf, because in health he did receive him back. 28 `And he was angry, and would not go in, therefore his father, having come forth, was entreating him; 29 and he answering said to the father, Lo, so many years I do serve thee, and never thy command did I transgress, and to me thou didst never give a kid, that with my friends I might make merry; 30 but when thy son -- this one who did devour thy living with harlots -- came, thou didst kill to him the fatted calf. 31 `And he said to him, Child, thou art always with me, and all my things are thine; 32 but to be merry, and to be glad, it was needful, because this thy brother was dead, and did live again, he was lost, and was found.'
• Judg 9:7-9 : 7 and they declare `it' to Jotham, and he goeth and standeth on the top of mount Gerizim, and lifteth up his voice, and calleth, and saith to them, `Hearken unto me, O masters of Shechem, and God doth hearken unto you: 8 `The trees have diligently gone to anoint over them a king, and they say to the olive, Reign thou over us. 9 And the olive saith to them, Have I ceased from my fatness, by which they honour gods and men, that I have gone to stagger over the trees? 10 And the trees say to the fig, Come thou, reign over us. 11 And the fig saith to them, Have I ceased from my sweetness, and my good increase, that I have gone to stagger over the trees? 12 `And the trees say to the vine, Come thou, reign over us. 13 And the vine saith to them, Have I ceased from my new wine, which is rejoicing gods and men, that I have gone to stagger over the trees? 14 And all the trees say unto the bramble, Come thou, reign over us. 15 And the bramble saith unto the trees, If in truth ye are anointing me for king over you, come, take refuge in my shadow; and if not -- fire cometh out from the bramble, and devoureth the cedars of Lebanon.
• 2 Sam 7:1-5 : 1 And it cometh to pass, when the king sat in his house, and Jehovah hath given rest to him round about, from all his enemies, 2 that the king saith unto Nathan the prophet, `See, I pray thee, I am dwelling in a house of cedars, and the ark of God is dwelling in the midst of the curtain.' 3 And Nathan saith unto the king, `All that `is' in thine heart -- go, do, for Jehovah `is' with thee.' 4 And it cometh to pass in that night, that the word of Jehovah is unto Nathan, saying, 5 `Go, and thou hast said unto My servant, unto David, Thus said Jehovah, Dost thou build for Me a house for My dwelling in?
• 2 Sam 7:17 : 17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so spake Nathan unto David.
• 2 Sam 11:10-17 : 10 And they declare to David, saying, `Uriah hath not gone down unto his house;' and David saith unto Uriah, `Hast thou not come from a journey? wherefore hast thou not gone down unto thy house?' 11 And Uriah saith unto David, `The ark, and Israel, and Judah, are abiding in booths, and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, on the face of the field are encamping; and I -- I go in unto my house to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife! -- thy life, and the life of thy soul -- if I do this thing.' 12 And David saith unto Uriah, `Abide in this `place' also to-day, and to-morrow I send thee away;' and Uriah abideth in Jerusalem, on that day, and on the morrow, 13 and David calleth for him, and he eateth before him, and drinketh, and he causeth him to drink, and he goeth out in the evening to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, and unto his house he hath not gone down. 14 And it cometh to pass in the morning, that David writeth a letter unto Joab, and sendeth by the hand of Uriah; 15 and he writeth in the letter, saying, `Place ye Uriah over-against the front of the severest battle, and ye have turned back from after him, and he hath been smitten, and hath died.' 16 And it cometh to pass in Joab's watching of the city, that he appointeth Uriah unto the place where he knew that valiant men `are'; 17 and the men of the city go out and fight with Joab, and there fall `some' of the people, of the servants of David; and there dieth also Uriah the Hittite.
• 2 Sam 11:25 : 25 And David saith unto the messenger, `Thus dost thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing be evil in thine eyes; for thus and thus doth the sword devour; strengthen thy warfare against the city, and throw it down -- and strengthen thou him.'
• 2 Sam 14:5-9 : 5 And the king saith to her, `What -- to thee?' and she saith, `Truly a widow woman `am' I, and my husband dieth, 6 and thy maid-servant hath two sons; and they strive both of them in a field, and there is no deliverer between them, and the one smiteth the other, and putteth him to death; 7 and lo, the whole family hath risen against thy maid-servant, and say, Give up him who smiteth his brother, and we put him to death for the life of his brother whom he hath slain, and we destroy also the heir; and they have quenched my coal which is left -- so as not to set to my husband a name and remnant on the face of the ground.' 8 And the king saith unto the woman, `Go to thine house, and I give charge concerning thee.' 9 And the woman of Tekoah saith unto the king, `On me, my lord, O king, `is' the iniquity, and on the house of my father; and the king and his throne `are' innocent.' 10 And the king saith, `He who speaketh `aught' unto thee, and thou hast brought him unto me, then he doth not add any more to come against thee.' 11 And she saith, `Let, I pray thee, the king remember by Jehovah thy God, that the redeemer of blood add not to destroy, and they destroy not my son;' and he saith, `Jehovah liveth; if there doth fall of the hair of thy son to the earth.'
• 2 Sam 14:14 : 14 for we do surely die, and `are' as water which is running down to the earth, which is not gathered, and God doth not accept a person, and hath devised devices in that the outcast is not outcast by Him.
• 2 Sam 24:11-13 : 11 And David riseth in the morning, and the word of Jehovah hath been unto Gad the prophet, seer of David, saying, 12 `Go, and thou hast spoken unto David, Thus said Jehovah: Three -- I am lifting up for thee, choose thee one of them, and I do `it' to thee.' 13 And Gad cometh in unto David, and declareth to him, and saith to him, `Do seven years of famine come in to thee in thy land? or three months art thou fleeing before thine adversary -- and he pursuing thee? or are three days' pestilence in thy land? now, know and see what word I take back to Him sending me.'
• 1 Kgs 13:1 : 1 And lo, a man of God hath come from Judah, by the word of Jehovah, unto Beth-El, and Jeroboam is standing by the altar -- to make perfume;
• 1 Kgs 18:1 : 1 And the days are many, and the word of Jehovah hath been unto Elijah in the third year, saying, `Go, appear unto Ahab, and I give rain on the face of the ground;'
• Luke 16:19-31 : 19 `And -- a certain man was rich, and was clothed in purple and fine linen, making merry sumptuously every day, 20 and there was a certain poor man, by name Lazarus, who was laid at his porch, full of sores, 21 and desiring to be filled from the crumbs that are falling from the table of the rich man; yea, also the dogs, coming, were licking his sores. 22 `And it came to pass, that the poor man died, and that he was carried away by the messengers to the bosom of Abraham -- and the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 and in the hades having lifted up his eyes, being in torments, he doth see Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom, 24 and having cried, he said, Father Abraham, deal kindly with me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and may cool my tongue, because I am distressed in this flame. 25 `And Abraham said, Child, remember that thou did receive -- thou -- thy good things in thy life, and Lazarus in like manner the evil things, and now he is comforted, and thou art distressed; 26 and besides all these things, between us and you a great chasm is fixed, so that they who are willing to go over from hence unto you are not able, nor do they from thence to us pass through. 27 `And he said, I pray thee, then, father, that thou mayest send him to the house of my father, 28 for I have five brothers, so that he may thoroughly testify to them, that they also may not come to this place of torment. 29 `Abraham saith to him, They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them; 30 and he said, No, father Abraham, but if any one from the dead may go unto them, they will reform. 31 And he said to him, If Moses and the prophets they do not hear, neither if one may rise out of the dead will they be persuaded.'