2 Samuel 12:2 — Word Study
WLCלְעָשִׁ֗יר הָיָ֛ה צֹ֥אן וּבָקָ֖ר הַרְבֵּ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃
BSAThe richʻâshîyr [exceedingly wealthy, noble] man hadhâyâh■ a great number ofrâbâh [very numerous, exceeding many] sheeptsôʼn [flocks, herds] and cattlebâqâr [oxen, livestock]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לְעָשִׁ֗יר | to [the] rich [man] | Preposition |
| הָיָ֛ה | it belonged | Verb, Qal, perfect third person masculine singular |
| צֹ֥אן | flock[s] | Noun common, both singular absolute |
| וּבָקָ֖ר | and herd[s] | Conjunction, noun common both singular absolute |
| הַרְבֵּ֥ה | many | Verb, Hiphil, infinitive absolute |
| מְאֹֽד׃ | very |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | The rich man had a great number of sheep and cattle, |
| KJV | The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: |
| ASV | The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds; |
| YLT | The rich hath flocks and herds very many; |
| WEB | The rich man had very many flocks and herds, |
| BBE | The man of wealth had great numbers of flocks and herds; |
The translations agree on the depiction of the rich man's possessions, emphasizing his wealth without significant variation.
The sentence has a main clause followed by two phrases that provide additional context about the subject and its possessions.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbהָיָה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — 2 Samuel 12:2
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Parable of the Rich Man and the Poor Mangenerated
2 Samuel 12:2 presents a parable told by Nathan to David, describing a rich man who possessed an abundance of sheep and cattle. This story serves as a moral lesson about the misuse of wealth and the consequences of selfishness, contrasting the rich man's excess with the poor man's singular possession, setting the stage for David's realization of his own wrongdoing.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 Samuel 12:8 | I gave your master’s house to you and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah, and if that was not enough, I would have given you even more. |
| 2 | 2 Samuel 3:2–5 | And sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam of Jezreel; |
| 3 | 2 Samuel 5:13–16 | After he had arrived from Hebron, David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him. |
| 4 | 2 Samuel 15:16 | Then the king set out, and his entire household followed him. But he left behind ten concubines to take care of the palace. |
| 5 | Job 1:3 | and he owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and a very large number of servants. Job was the greatest man of all the people of the East. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — עָשִׁיר, le.'a.Shirgenerated
The Hebrew word עָשִׁיר (ashiyr) means 'rich' and refers to someone who possesses significant wealth or noble status. It is often used in the Bible to describe individuals of high social standing, particularly in narratives involving moral lessons.
In this context, it highlights the disparity between the rich man and the poor man, emphasizing the rich man's abundance and the implications of his wealth in the parable.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The verse is rendered similarly across translations, with all versions agreeing on the rich man's possession of a great number of sheep and cattle.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb הָיָה, it belonged, governs the entire clause, indicating possession. The structure includes a prepositional phrase indicating the subject ('to the rich man'), followed by a noun phrase ('a great number of sheep and cattle'), which serves as the object of the verb.
The sentence construction emphasizes the wealth of the rich man, with the adjective phrases elaborating on the quantity of his possessions.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew word עָשִׁיר is translated as πλούσιος (plousios), which also means 'rich' but carries connotations of abundance and luxury. This choice aligns with the narrative's focus on the man's wealth.
The Greek translation captures the essence of the original Hebrew while providing a broader understanding of the implications of being wealthy in the context of moral lessons.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
2 Samuel 12:2 tells us about a rich man who had many sheep and cattle. This story is part of a parable that Nathan the prophet told to King David, illustrating the dangers of wealth and selfishness. The rich man’s abundance contrasts sharply with the poor man’s single lamb, highlighting moral lessons about responsibility and care.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Being rich indicates that the man had significant wealth and resources, which is central to the moral lesson of the parable.
The large number of sheep and cattle underscores the man's wealth and sets up the contrast with the poor man's singular possession, illustrating themes of greed and injustice.
The parable teaches about the moral responsibilities that come with wealth and the dangers of selfishness, as exemplified by the rich man's actions.
David, upon hearing the parable, is led to recognize his own wrongdoing, making the story a powerful tool for Nathan to confront him.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How do I view wealth and its responsibilities in my life?
- What can I learn from the contrast between the rich man and the poor man?
- In what ways might I be blind to my own actions like David was?
- How can I ensure that my resources are used to help others rather than for selfish gain?
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 2 Samuel 12:2 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThe rich [man] had exceeding many flocks and herds. In which the wealth of men lay in those times and countries; these in the parable signify David's wives and concubines, which were many; he had six
Read John Gill on 2 Samuel 12 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on 2 Samuel 12 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleNoting David’ s many wives and concubines.
Read Matthew Poole on 2 Samuel 12 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments2 Samuel 12:2 The rich [man] had exceeding many flocks and herds:Ver. 2. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds.] The greater was his sin, since pressed with no necessity. What need had the angels to leave their first estate and habitation? What need had Adam to reach after a deity? What need had Ahab to covet Naboth’ s vineyard? &c. It is no small aggravation of a man’ s sin to fall into it without a strong temptation; to be led to it with a wet finger, as we say.
Read John Trapp on 2 Samuel 12 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(2) There were two men.—The parable is designed to bring out David’s indignation against the offender without being so clear as to awaken at first any suspicion of a personal application. It does not allude to the special crimes of David, but to the meanness and selfishness of the transaction—qualities which David was still in a condition to appreciate. For a similar use of parables see 2 Samuel 14:2-11; 1 Kings 20:35-41.
Read Charles John Ellicott on 2 Samuel 12 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges2. The rich man, &c.] Observe how the details of the parable are all arranged so as to bring the heartless selfishness of the rich man into the strongest relief.
Read Cambridge on 2 Samuel 12 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
The rich man had a great number of sheep and cattle,
The rich man had very many flocks and herds,
The rich man had a great number of sheep and cattle,
The rich man had a great many flocks and herds.
Tyndale line
The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:
The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds;
The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:
The rich man had very numerous flocks and herds:
The rich man had exceeding many sheepe and oxen:
Strictly literal
The rich had very many flocks and herds;
The rich hath flocks and herds very many;
The rich has very many flocks and herds,
The rich man had flocks and herds, in great abundance.
The rich man had huge numbers of flocks and herds,
From the Latin
The rich man had exceeding many sheep and oxen.
Simplified
The rich man had many thousands of sheep and cattle,
The man of wealth had great numbers of flocks and herds;
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint align closely in this verse, with five out of six words matching. The Dead Sea Scrolls provide a similar reading, though six words were supplied by an editor due to damage, indicating consistency across these ancient witnesses.
לְעָשִׁ֗יר הָיָ֛ה צֹ֥אן וּבָקָ֖ר הַרְבֵּ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃
5 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
[לעשיר] [היה] [צאן] [ובקר] [הרבה] [מאד]
nothing on the leather here — 6 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in 2 Samuel 12:2
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
עָשִׁיר (ashiyr) means 'rich' and can refer to wealth in both a literal and figurative sense. It is primarily used as a noun to denote a rich person or the wealthy. The word is derived from another Hebrew root, but the entries do not provide further details on its usage in specific verses.
עָשִׁיר rich; usu. n. m. the rich
base
H6223 עָשִׁיר rich; usu. n. m. the rich
6223 `ashiyr aw-sheer'
from 6238; rich, whether literal or figurative
(noble):--rich (man).
see HEBREW for 06238
עָשִׁיר (a.shir) — rich.
adj
1) rich, wealthy
n
2) the rich, the wealthy, rich man
Prep | Adj — PrepositionHR/Aamsa
See ANTHROPOLOGY.
Man
(1.) Heb. ‘Adam, used as the proper name of the first man. The name is derived from a word meaning “to be red,” and thus the first man was called Adam because he was formed from the red earth. It is also the generic name of the human race (Gen. 1:26, 27; 5:2; 8:21; Deut. 8:3). Its equivalents are the Latin homo and the Greek anthropos (Matt. 5:13, 16). It denotes also man in opposition to woman (Gen. 3:12; Matt. 19:10).
(2.) Heb. ‘ish, like the Latin vir and Greek aner, denotes properly a man in opposition to a woman (1 Sam. 17:33;
Four Hebrew terms are rendered "man" in the Authorized Version: Adam, the name of the man created in the image of God. It appears to be derived from adam , "he or it was red or ruddy," like Edom. This was the generic term for the human race. Ish , "man," as distinguished from woman, husband. Geber , "a man," from gabar , "to be strong," generally with reference to his strength. Methim , "men," always masculine. Perhaps it may be derived from the root muth , "he died."
The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be
Qal
Fall out, happen
occur, take place, come about, come to pass
esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass
וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
Come into being, become
abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
sq. prep.
become
sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
sq. pred. adj.
become like
sq. pred. לְ pers.
sq. לְ pred.
oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.
with עַל and לְ
sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)
exist, be in existence
abide, remain, continue
with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie
as copula, joining subj. & pred.
H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen
. occur, take place, come about, come to pass
. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
. sq. prep.
. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
. sq. pred. adj.
. become like
. sq. pred. + לְ pers.
. sq. לְ pred.
. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.
. with עַל and לְ
. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence
. abide, remain, continue
1961 hayah haw-yaw
a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,
come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or
auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,
committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,
fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit
(one-)self, require, X use.
see HEBREW for 01933
הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.
1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) ---
1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass
1a1b) to come about, come to pass
1a2) to come into being, become
1a2a) to arise, appear, come
1a2b) to become
1a2b1) to become
1a2b2) to become like
1a2b3) to be instituted, be established
1a3) to be
1a3a) to exist, be in existence
1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)
1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)
1a3d) to accompany, be with
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about
1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singularHVqp3ms
צֹאן (tso'n) refers to small cattle, specifically sheep and goats, and is used to denote a flock or flocks. It can also be used metaphorically to describe a multitude. The term appears in contexts such as Psalm 144:13, where it emphasizes the collective nature of these animals.
צֹאן 273 n.coll.f. small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks
base
H6629 צֹאן small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks
6629 tso'n tsone
or tsaown (Psalm 144:13) {tseh-one'}; from an unused root
meaning to migrate; a collective name for a flock (of sheep or
goats); also figuratively (of men):--(small) cattle, flock
(+ -s), lamb (+ -s), sheep((-cote, -fold, -shearer, -herds)).
צֹאן (tson) — flock.
1) small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks
1a) small cattle (usually of sheep and goats)
1b) of multitude (simile)
1c) of multitude (metaphor)
צֹאן (tson) — Sheep (Gate).
This name means sheep and goats
Also named: probatikos (προβατικός "Sheep Gate" G4262)
N-cs — Noun common · both singular absoluteHNcbsa
בָּקַר (baqar) refers to cattle, specifically oxen and herds, and can denote individual animals or a collective group. It is derived from a root meaning related to cattle and encompasses various forms such as beef cattle and oxen used for plowing. The term appears in contexts discussing livestock in the Old Testament.
בָּקַר 182 n.m. cattle, herd, ox
base
H1241 בָּקַר cattle, herd, ox
1241 baqar baw-kawr'
from 1239; beef cattle or an animal of the ox family of
either gender (as used for plowing); collectively, a herd:--
beeve, bull (+ -ock), + calf, + cow, great (cattle), + heifer,
herd, kine, ox.
see HEBREW for 01239
בָּקָר (ba.qar) — cattle.
1) cattle, herd, oxen, ox
1a) cattle (generic pl. but sing. in form-coll)
1b) herd (particular one)
1c) head of cattle (individually)
Conj | N-cs — Conjunction · noun common both singular absoluteHC/Ncbsa
רָבָה (rabah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to increase or multiply, encompassing ideas of becoming great, numerous, or abundant. It has various forms, including Qal (to become many), Piel (to make large), and Hiphil (to make much). The word also appears in a context related to shooting in Genesis 21:20. There is a noted Aramaic equivalent, רְבָה.
[רָבָה] 225 vb. be, or become, much, many, great
Qal 59
become many, numerous
be great
grow great (Aramaism)
Pi. 4 make large, increase
Hiph. 162
H7235a רָבָה be, or become, much, many, great .. become many, numerous
. . be great
. grow great (Aramaism)
. make large, increase
. . make much or many
. make great, obj. pers.
H7235b רָבָה shoot
7235 rabah raw-baw'
a primitive root; to increase (in whatever respect):--(bring
in) abundance (X -antly), + archer (by mistake for 7232), be
in authority, bring up, X continue, enlarge, excel,
exceeding(-ly), be full of, (be, make) great(-er, -ly,
X -ness), grow up, heap, increase, be long, (be, give, have,
make, use) many (a time), (any, be, give, give the, have) more
(in number), (ask, be, be so, gather, over, take, yield) much
(greater, more), (make to) multiply, nourish, plenty(-eous), X
process (of time), sore, store, thoroughly, very.
see HEBREW for 07232
רָבָה (ra.vah) — to multiply.
1) be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to become many, become numerous, multiply (of people, animals, things)
1a2) to be or grow great
1b) (Piel) to make large, enlarge, increase, become many
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to make much, make many, have many
1c1a) to multiply, increase
1c1b) to make much to do, do much in respect of, transgress greatly
1c1c) to increase greatly or exceedingly
1c2) to make great, enlarge, do much
Aramaic equivalent: re.vah (רְבָה "to grow great" H7236)
רָבָה (ra.vah) — to shoot.
(Qal) to shoot
V-Hiphil-Ptc — Verb · Hiphil · infinitive absoluteHVhaa
MANY, adjective men'ny.
1. Numerous; comprising a great number of individuals.
Thou shalt be a father of many nations. Genesis 17:4.
Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 1 Corinthians 1:26.
MANY are the afflictions of the righteous. Psalms 34:12.
It is often preceded by as or so, and followed by so, indicating an equal number.
As many books as you take, so many shall be charged to your account.
So many laws argue so many sins.
It is followed by as.
As many as were willing-hearted brought bracelets. Exodus 34:1.
It precedes an or a, before a noun in the singular number.
Full many a gem of purest ray serene.
2. In low language, preceded by too, it denotes powerful or much; as, they are too many for us.
MANY, noun men'ny. A multitude; a great number of individuals; the people.
O thou fond many
The vulgar and the many are fit only to be led or driven.
מְאֹד (m`od) refers to concepts of muchness, force, and abundance. It serves as an adverb meaning exceedingly or greatly, often used to intensify other words. The entries highlight its use in various idioms to express magnitude or degree, with a focus on might and intensity.
מְאֹד n.m. muchness, force, abundance, exceedingly
force, might
in diff. idioms (298 t.) to express the idea of exceedingly, greatly, very (whether of magnitude or degree)
base
H3966 מְאֹד muchness, force, abundance, exceedingly . force, might
. in diff. idiomns (298 t.) to express the idea of exceedingly, greatly, very (whether of magnitude or degree)
3966 m`od meh-ode'
from the same as 181; properly, vehemence, i.e. (with or
without preposition) vehemently; by implication, wholly,
speedily, etc. (often with other words as an intensive or
superlative; especially when repeated):--diligently,
especially, exceeding(-ly), far, fast, good, great(-ly), X
louder and louder, might(-ily, -y), (so) much, quickly, (so)
sore, utterly, very (+ much, sore), well.
see HEBREW for 0181
מְאֹד (me.od) — much.
adv
1) exceedingly, much
subst
2) might, force, abundance
n m
3) muchness, force, abundance, exceedingly
3a) force, might
3b) exceedingly, greatly, very (idioms showing magnitude or degree)
3b1) exceedingly
3b2) up to abundance, to a great degree, exceedingly
3b3) with muchness, muchness
HAcmsa — HAcmsa
ver'-i: As adjective (from verus, "true"), "true," "real," "actual," etc. (Ge 27:21,24, "my very son Esau"; Jos 10:27, "this very day"; Joh 7:26, "the very Christ," etc.); chiefly as adverb, "in a high degree," "extremely." As ab adverb it is commonly in the Old Testament the translation of me'odh, and in the New Testament represents, as adjective and adverb, several Greek words, as alethos, "truly" (Joh 7:26, above), autos (Joh 14:11, "the very works' sake"; Ro 13:6), sphodra (Mt 18:31, "very sorry," the…