2 Samuel 12:1

Then the LORD sent Nathan to David, and when he arrived, he said, “There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The LORD sends the prophet Nathan to King David to deliver a parable about two men. Nathan arrives and begins his address by introducing a rich man and a poor man in an unspecified city.

The words — וַ/יִּשְלַ֧ח (va/i.yishlach) means "and he sent," establishing divine initiation. אֶת־ (et-) marks the direct object before Nathan's name, emphasizing the prophet as the specific bearer of the message.

The thread — This prophetic commission parallels the parabolic encounters in 1 Kings 20:35 and precedes David’s repentance recorded in Psalms 51:1. The narrative structure echoes the confrontational speeches found in Judges 9:7.

Why it lands — The text states that God initiates a mediated confrontation through a named prophet. It requires the reader to acknowledge that divine judgment operates through deliberate, word-based intervention in human affairs.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיִּשְׁלַ֧חva/i.yish.Lachand/ he sent יְהוָ֛הYah.wehYahweh אֶת־'et-<obj.>נָתָ֖ןna.TanNathan אֶל־'el-to דָּוִ֑דda.VidDavid וַיָּבֹ֣אva/i.ya.Vo'and/ he came אֵלָ֗יו'e.La/vto/ him וַיֹּ֤אמֶרva/i.Yo.merand/ he saidלוֹ֙l/oto <the>/ himשְׁנֵ֣יshe.Neitwo אֲנָשִׁ֗ים'a.na.Shimmen הָיוּ֙ha.Yuthey were בְּעִ֣ירbe./'Irin/ a city אֶחָ֔ת'e.Chatone אֶחָ֥ד'e.Chadone עָשִׁ֖יר'a.Shir[was] rich וְאֶחָ֥דve./'e.Chadand/ one רָֽאשׁ׃Rash[was] poor

King James Version

And 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.

Cross-references

1 Kings 20:35 Meanwhile, by the word of the LORD, one of the sons of the prophets said to his companion, “Strike me, please!” But the man refused to strike him.
Psalms 51:1 For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. When Nathan the prophet came to him after his adultery with Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your loving devotion; according to Your great compassion, blot out my transgressions.
Judges 9:7 When this was reported to Jotham, he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim, raised his voice, and cried out: “Listen to me, O leaders of Shechem, and may God listen to you.
2 Samuel 7:1 After the king had settled into his palace and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies around him,
2 Samuel 7:17 So Nathan relayed to David all the words of this entire revelation.
2 Samuel 11:10 And David was told, “Uriah did not go home.” “Haven’t you just arrived from a journey?” David asked Uriah. “Why didn’t you go home?”
2 Samuel 11:25 Then David told the messenger, “Say this to Joab: ‘Do not let this matter upset you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Strengthen your attack against the city and demolish it.’ Encourage him with these words.”
2 Samuel 14:5 “What troubles you?” the king asked her. “Indeed,” she said, “I am a widow, for my husband is dead.
2 Samuel 14:14 For we will surely die and be like water poured out on the ground, which cannot be recovered. Yet God does not take away a life, but He devises ways that the banished one may not be cast out from Him.
2 Samuel 24:11 When David got up in the morning, the word of the LORD had come to Gad the prophet, David’s seer:

People named

DavidNathan