He must restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity!”
Parallel translations
- KJV And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.
- BSB Because he has done this thing and has shown no pity, he must pay for the lamb four times over.”
- NKJV And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity.”
- NASB So he must make restitution for the lamb four times over, since he did this thing and had no compassion.”
- NLT He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David rules the man must restore the lamb fourfold for his pitiless act. His just verdict will rebound upon his own house.
Overview
Invoking the law's principle of restitution, David demands fourfold repayment for the lamb. Tragically, his own house will suffer a fourfold loss of sons (Bathsheba's first child, Amnon, Absalom, Adonijah). The king's righteous judgment becomes the measure of the discipline that will fall on him.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Exod 22:1“If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it, or sells it; he shall pay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.
- Prov 6:31but if he is found, he shall restore seven times. He shall give all the wealth of his house.
- Luke 19:8Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor. If I have wrongfully exacted anything of anyone, I restore four times as much.”
- Jas 2:13For judgment is without mercy to him who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
God's covenant with David — a son whose throne and kingdom would last forever (7:12–16) — finds its yes in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns without end.
How 2 Samuel 12:6 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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