2 Samuel 12:8

Contextual Overview

¹ And Yahweh 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. ¹ So the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: "There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. ¹ 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. ¹ The Lord sent Nathan to David. When he came to David, he said, "There were two men in a city. One was rich, but the other was poor. ¹ So the Lord sent Nathan to David. When he came to David, Nathan said, "There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor. ¹ And the LORD 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. ¹ Yahweh sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, "There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. ¹And the LORD sent Nathan [the prophet] to David. He came and said to him, "There were two men in a city, one rich and the other poor. ¹ And the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, "There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. ¹ Therfor the Lord sente Nathan to Dauid; and whanne he hadde come to Dauid, he seide to Dauid, Answere thou doom to me; twei men weren in o citee; o man was riche, and the tother was pore.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

thy master's wives: 2 Samuel 12:11, 1 Kings 2:22

gave thee: 2 Samuel 2:4, 2 Samuel 5:5, 1 Samuel 15:19

I would: 2 Samuel 7:19, Psalms 84:11, Psalms 86:15, Romans 8:32

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 3:7 - gone in 2 Samuel 12:2 - exceeding 1 Kings 2:17 - Abishag 1 Kings 3:6 - great 1 Kings 14:7 - Forasmuch 1 Chronicles 17:17 - a small thing 2 Chronicles 1:8 - Thou has showed

Cross-References

Genesis 4:26
To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the Lord .

Genesis 4:26
And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he named him Enosh. Then it was begun to call on the name of Yahweh.

Genesis 4:26
Seth also had a son, and they named him Enosh. At that time people began to pray to the Lord .

Genesis 4:26
And a son was also born to Seth, whom he named Enosh. At that time people began to worship the Lord .

Genesis 4:26
And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.

Genesis 4:26
There was also born a son to Seth, and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on Yahweh's name.

Genesis 4:26
To Seth, also, a son was born, whom he named Enosh (mortal man, mankind). At that [same] time men began to call on the name of the LORD [in worship through prayer, praise, and thanksgiving].

Genesis 4:26
But also a sone was borun to Seth, which sone he clepide Enos; this Enos bigan to clepe inwardli the name of the Lord.

Genesis 4:26
And to Seth, to him also a son hath been born, and he calleth his name Enos; then a beginning was made of preaching in the name of Jehovah.

Genesis 4:26
And to Seth also a son was born, and he called him Enosh. At that time men began to invoke the name of the LORD.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And I gave thee thy master's house,.... Not his palace at Gibeah, but rather his family, his wives, servants, wealth, and riches, all being confiscated through the rebellion of Ishbosheth; or rather his kingdom he succeeded him in:

and thy master's wives into thy bosom; though we read of no more than one that belonged to Saul, if he is meant by his master, excepting Rizpah his concubine, nor ever of David taking them into his bosom and bed; wherefore this can be understood only of his having them at his disposal, to give them to whom he pleased; the word may be rendered his "women", as well as his "wives", and may design his daughters, Merab and Michal, who were both given to David, though taken again and given to others: the Jews say, that Eglah, David's sixth wife, was the wife of Saul, :-;

and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; the kingdom of both; gave him to be king over all the tribes of Israel:

and if [that had been] too little; either his wives too few, as the Jews interpret it, or his kingdom too small:

I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things; more and greater favours; and indeed such he had promised him, as a firm or stable house or kingdom, and that the Messiah should spring from him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And thy master’s wives ... - According to Eastern custom, the royal harem was a part of the royal inheritance. The prophets spoke in such matters according to the received opinions of their day, and not always according to the abstract rule of right. (Compare Matthew 19:4-9.)

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 12:8. Thy master's wives into thy bosom — Perhaps this means no more than that he had given him absolute power over every thing possessed by Saul; and as it was the custom for the new king to succeed even to the wives and concubines, the whole harem of the deceased king, so it was in this case; and the possession of the wives was a sure proof that he had got all regal rights. But could David, as the son-in-law of Saul, take the wives of his father-in-law? However, we find delicacy was seldom consulted in these cases; and Absalom lay with his own father's wives in the most public manner, to show that he had seized on the kingdom, because the wives of the preceding belonged to the succeeding king, and to none other.