The Meaning of 2 Samuel 12:1 Explained

2 Samuel 12:1

KJV: 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.

YLT: 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;

Darby: And Jehovah sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.

ASV: And Jehovah 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 2 Samuel 12:1 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 12:1-14 - Thou Art The Man
A year followed on his sin, but David gave no sign. He describes his condition during that awful time in Psalms 32:3-4. Conscience scourged him incessantly, but he did not return to God until Nathan had been sent to fetch him. The Good Shepherd went after that which was lost until he found it. "He restoreth my soul!" But soul-agony is not enough, keen though it be; there must be confession.
Nathan's parable was the mirror in which the true enormity of the king's sin was held up to his face. He was judged, and he judged himself. By the manifestation of the truth, Nathan commended himself to the king's conscience, as in the sight of God. And finally came the home-thrust-Thou art the man. The words of confession were immediate and deeply sincere. There was no thought of the human wrongs he had done. All were included in the great sin against God. "Against thee, thee only, have I sinned." And the confession was met, as it always is, by an instant assurance of pardon-"The Lord"¦ hath put away thy sin." [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 12

1  Nathan's parable of the ewe lamb causes David to be his own judge
7  David, reproved by Nathan, confesses his sin, and is pardoned
15  David mourns and prays for the child while it lives
24  Solomon is born, and named Jedidiah
26  David takes Rabbah, and tortures the people thereof

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 12:1 mean?

And sent Yahweh - Nathan to David And he came to him and said to him two men there were in city one one rich and one poor
וַיִּשְׁלַ֧ח יְהוָ֛ה אֶת־ נָתָ֖ן אֶל־ דָּוִ֑ד וַיָּבֹ֣א אֵלָ֗יו וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ שְׁנֵ֣י אֲנָשִׁ֗ים הָיוּ֙ בְּעִ֣יר אֶחָ֔ת אֶחָ֥ד עָשִׁ֖יר וְאֶחָ֥ד רָֽאשׁ

וַיִּשְׁלַ֧ח  And  sent 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
יְהוָ֛ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
נָתָ֖ן  Nathan 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָתָן  
Sense: a son of David by Bathsheba.
דָּוִ֑ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
וַיָּבֹ֣א  And  he  came 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אֵלָ֗יו  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לוֹ֙  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
שְׁנֵ֣י  two 
Parse: Number, mdc
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
אֲנָשִׁ֗ים  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱנׄושׁ 
Sense: man, mortal man, person, mankind.
הָיוּ֙  there  were 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
בְּעִ֣יר  in  city 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
אֶחָ֔ת  one 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
אֶחָ֥ד  one 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
עָשִׁ֖יר  rich 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: עָשִׁיר  
Sense: rich, wealthy n.
וְאֶחָ֥ד  and  one 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
רָֽאשׁ  poor 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: רוּשׁ  
Sense: to be poor, be in want, lack.