2 Samuel 12:5
New International Version
David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this must die!

New Living Translation
David was furious. “As surely as the LORD lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die!

English Standard Version
Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die,

Berean Standard Bible
David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan: “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die!

King James Bible
And 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:

New King James Version
So David’s anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this shall surely die!

New American Standard Bible
Then David’s anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this certainly deserves to die!

NASB 1995
Then David’s anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die.

NASB 1977
Then David’s anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then David’s anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As Yahweh lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die.

Amplified Bible
Then David’s anger burned intensely against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die.

Christian Standard Bible
David was infuriated with the man and said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die!

Holman Christian Standard Bible
David was infuriated with the man and said to Nathan: “As the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die!

American Standard Version
And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As Jehovah liveth, the man that hath done this is worthy to die:

Contemporary English Version
David was furious with the rich man and said to Nathan, "I swear by the living LORD that the man who did this deserves to die!

English Revised Version
And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this is worthy to die:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
David burned with anger against the man. "I solemnly swear, as the LORD lives," he said to Nathan, "the man who did this certainly deserves to die!

Good News Translation
David became very angry at the rich man and said, "I swear by the living LORD that the man who did this ought to die!

International Standard Version
David flew into a rage at the man and told Nathan, "As the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die!

Majority Standard Bible
David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan: “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die!

NET Bible
Then David became very angry at this man. He said to Nathan, "As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die!

New Heart English Bible
David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As the LORD lives, the man who has done this is worthy to die.

Webster's Bible Translation
And 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:

World English Bible
David’s anger burned hot against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As Yahweh lives, the man who has done this deserves to die!
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the anger of David burns against the man exceedingly, and he says to Nathan, “YHWH lives, surely the man who is doing this [is] a son of death,

Young's Literal Translation
And the anger of David burneth against the man exceedingly, and he saith unto Nathan, 'Jehovah liveth, surely a son of death is the man who is doing this,

Smith's Literal Translation
And David's anger will kindle against the man greatly, and he will say to Nathan, Jehovah lives, for the man doing this is the son of death.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And David's anger being exceedingly kindled against that man, he said to Nathan: As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this is a child of death.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then David’s indignation was enraged exceedingly against that man, and he said to Nathan: “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this is a son of death.

New American Bible
David grew very angry with that man and said to Nathan: “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves death!

New Revised Standard Version
Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man. He said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said, As the LORD lives, the man who has done this thing is worthy of death;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Then David was enraged against the man and he said: “As LORD JEHOVAH lives, that man is condemned to death who did this!
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan: 'As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this deserveth to die;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And David was greatly moved with anger against the man; and David said to Nathan, As the Lord lives, the man that did this thing shall surely die.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Nathan Rebukes David
4Now a traveler came to the rich man, who refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for his guest.” 5David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan: “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die! 6Because he has done this thing and has shown no pity, he must pay for the lamb four times over.”…

Cross References
1 Samuel 25:21-22
Now David had just said, “In vain I have protected all that belonged to this man in the wilderness. Nothing that belongs to him has gone missing, yet he has paid me back evil for good. / May God punish David, and ever so severely, if I let one male belonging to Nabal survive until morning.”

1 Kings 20:40-42
But while your servant was busy here and there, the man disappeared.” And the king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be; you have pronounced it on yourself.” / Then the prophet quickly removed the bandage from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets. / And the prophet said to the king, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because you have let slip from your hand the man I had devoted to destruction, your life will be exchanged for his life, and your people for his people.’”

Genesis 38:24
About three months later, Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has prostituted herself, and now she is pregnant.” “Bring her out!” Judah replied. “Let her be burned to death!”

Matthew 18:23-35
Because of this, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. / As he began the settlements, a debtor owing ten thousand talents was brought to him. / Since the man was unable to pay, the master ordered that he be sold to pay his debt, along with his wife and children and everything he owned. ...

Luke 7:41-43
“Two men were debtors to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. / When they were unable to repay him, he forgave both of them. Which one, then, will love him more?” / “I suppose the one who was forgiven more,” Simon replied. “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

Romans 2:1-3
You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on another. For on whatever grounds you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. / And we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. / So when you, O man, pass judgment on others, yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?

James 2:13
For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Matthew 7:1-5
“Do not judge, or you will be judged. / For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. / Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye but fail to notice the beam in your own eye? ...

Luke 19:22
His master replied, ‘You wicked servant, I will judge you by your own words. So you knew that I am a harsh man, withdrawing what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow?

Ezekiel 16:38
And I will sentence you to the punishment of women who commit adultery and those who shed blood; so I will bring upon you the wrath of your bloodshed and jealousy.

Ezekiel 18:13
He engages in usury and takes excess interest. Will this son live? He will not! Since he has committed all these abominations, he will surely die; his blood will be on his own head.

Proverbs 6:31
Yet if caught, he must pay sevenfold; he must give up all the wealth of his house.

Exodus 22:1
“If a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters or sells it, he must repay five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep.

Leviticus 6:4-5
once he has sinned and becomes guilty, he must return what he has stolen or taken by extortion, or the deposit entrusted to him, or the lost property he found, / or anything else about which he has sworn falsely. He must make restitution in full, add a fifth of the value, and pay it to the owner on the day he acknowledges his guilt.

Job 31:13-14
If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or maidservant when they made a complaint against me, / what will I do when God rises to judge? How will I answer when called to account?


Treasury of Scripture

And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD lives, the man that has done this thing shall surely die:

David's

Genesis 38:24
And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.

1 Samuel 25:21,22
Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good…

Luke 6:41,42
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? …

As the Lord

1 Samuel 14:39
For, as the LORD liveth, which saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people that answered him.

shall surely die.

1 Samuel 20:31
For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.

1 Samuel 26:16
This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept your master, the LORD'S anointed. And now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster.

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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














David burned with anger
The Hebrew word for "burned" is "חָרָה" (charah), which conveys a sense of intense, kindled anger. This phrase indicates a visceral, emotional response from David, highlighting his sense of justice and moral outrage. Historically, David, as king, was responsible for upholding justice in Israel, and his anger reflects his commitment to this duty. This moment also serves as a mirror to David's own actions, as Nathan's parable is designed to evoke this very response, setting the stage for David's self-realization and repentance.

against the man
The phrase "against the man" refers to the hypothetical rich man in Nathan's parable who unjustly took the poor man's lamb. In the broader scriptural context, this man symbolizes David himself, who took Bathsheba and orchestrated Uriah's death. The Hebrew word for "man" here is "אִישׁ" (ish), a common term for a male individual, but in this narrative, it represents the archetype of injustice and abuse of power.

and said to Nathan
Nathan, the prophet, plays a crucial role as God's messenger. The Hebrew name "נָתָן" (Nathan) means "He has given," signifying his role in delivering God's message to David. This interaction underscores the importance of prophetic voices in holding leaders accountable, a theme prevalent throughout the Old Testament. Nathan's courage in confronting the king is a testament to the prophetic duty to speak truth to power.

As surely as the LORD lives
This oath formula, "חַי־יְהוָה" (chai-YHWH), is a solemn declaration invoking the living God as a witness to the truth of one's words. It reflects the seriousness with which David views the situation, as well as his acknowledgment of God's ultimate authority. In the historical context of Israel, such oaths were binding and underscored the speaker's sincerity and commitment to justice.

the man who did this
This phrase refers back to the rich man in Nathan's parable. In the narrative, it serves as a rhetorical device to lead David to self-condemnation. The Hebrew "הָאִישׁ הָעֹשֶׂה זֹאת" (ha-ish ha-oseh zot) emphasizes the specific actions of the man, drawing a parallel to David's own transgressions. This moment is pivotal in the story, as it sets up Nathan's revelation of David's sin.

deserves to die
The Hebrew phrase "בֶּן־מָוֶת הָאִישׁ" (ben-mavet ha-ish) literally means "a son of death is the man," indicating that the man is worthy of death. This reflects the severity of the crime in David's eyes, as well as the legal and moral standards of ancient Israel. In the broader biblical narrative, this pronouncement foreshadows the concept of divine justice and mercy, as David himself will experience God's grace despite his deserving of punishment.

(5) Was greatly kindled.--David's generous impulses had not been extinguished by his sin, nor his warm sense of justice; his naturally quick temper (1Samuel 25:13; 1Samuel 25:22; 1Samuel 25:33) at once roused his indignation to the utmost.

Verse 5. - Shall surely die. It is strange language to declare that a man shall be put to death and then fined four lambs; But David says nothing of the sort, but that the man is "a son of death," that is, a wretch who deserves to die. The Revised Version correctly renders, "is worthy to die." The sentence actually passed, of fourfold restitution, is exactly in accordance with the Mosaic Law (Exodus 22:1), but the moral turpitude of the offence was far greater than could be atoned for by the legal penalty. Rightly, therefore, David expressed his indignation, and regretted that the sentence was so light; but a judge must not strain the law, which necessarily has regard chiefly to the outward offence.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
David
דָּוִ֛ד (dā·wiḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

burned
וַיִּֽחַר־ (way·yi·ḥar-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2734: To glow, grow warm, to blaze up, of anger, zeal, jealousy

with anger
אַ֥ף (’ap̄)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 639: The nose, nostril, the face, a person, ire

against the man
בָּאִ֖ישׁ (bā·’îš)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

and said
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Nathan:
נָתָ֔ן (nā·ṯān)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5416: Nathan -- the name of a number of Israelites

“As surely as the LORD
יְהוָ֕ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

lives,
חַי־ (ḥay-)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2416: Alive, raw, fresh, strong, life

the man
הָאִ֖ישׁ (hā·’îš)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

who did
הָעֹשֶׂ֥ה (hā·‘ō·śeh)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

this
זֹֽאת׃ (zōṯ)
Pronoun - feminine singular
Strong's 2063: Hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same, she, so much, such deed, that,

deserves to die!
מָ֔וֶת (mā·weṯ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4194: Death, the dead, their place, state, pestilence, ruin


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OT History: 2 Samuel 12:5 David's anger was greatly kindled against (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 12:4
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