2 Samuel 12:2

The rich [man] had exceeding many flocks and herds:

The rich {H6223} man had exceeding {H3966} many {H7235} flocks {H6629} and herds {H1241}:

The rich man had vast flocks and herds;

The rich man had a great number of sheep and cattle,

The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds;

2 Samuel 12:2 introduces a crucial element in the prophet Nathan's powerful parable to King David. It vividly describes the vast wealth of a rich man, setting up a stark contrast with the poverty of another, which will be revealed in the subsequent verses of the story.

Context

This verse is the second part of the narrative parable that the prophet Nathan delivers to King David, immediately following David's grave sins involving Bathsheba and Uriah the Hittite. God sent Nathan to confront David, but instead of a direct accusation, Nathan uses this story to draw David into judging himself. This narrative immediately follows the events described in 2 Samuel chapter 11, where David committed adultery and arranged for Uriah's death. The parable serves as a mirror, allowing David to see the injustice of his own actions reflected in the fictional rich man.

Key Themes

  • Abundance and Power: The verse emphasizes the rich man's "exceeding many flocks and herds," highlighting his immense prosperity and resources. This establishes his position of power and abundance, making his future actions all the more inexcusable.
  • Setting the Stage for Injustice: By establishing the rich man's vast wealth, the parable immediately primes the listener (David) to recognize the profound injustice when this rich man takes from the poor. It underscores that his actions were not born of necessity but of greed and disregard.
  • Divine Confrontation: The parable itself is a divinely inspired tool of confrontation. The description of the rich man's wealth is essential for the parable's effectiveness in exposing David's own abuse of power and privilege.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV phrase "exceeding many" translates the Hebrew harbeh me'od (הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד), which literally means "very much" or "greatly numerous." This emphasizes an overwhelming abundance, far beyond what was merely sufficient. This highlights the sheer excess of the rich man's possessions, making his subsequent act of taking the poor man's single, beloved lamb all the more egregious and indefensible.

Practical Application

This verse, within its larger narrative, serves as a timeless reminder that great wealth or power does not excuse injustice or exploitation. It challenges us to examine our own hearts, ensuring that our abundance does not lead to a disregard for the less fortunate or a willingness to take what is not ours, even when we have much. It also beautifully illustrates God's patient yet firm method of bringing conviction, often using indirect means before direct confrontation, as seen in Nathan's powerful declaration, 'Thou art the man.' The parable reminds us that true righteousness is not merely about what we have, but how we use it, especially in relation to others.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Job 1:3

    His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.

  • 2 Samuel 3:2

    And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;

  • 2 Samuel 3:5

    And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron.

  • 2 Samuel 12:8

    And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if [that had been] too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.

  • 2 Samuel 15:16

    And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, [which were] concubines, to keep the house.

  • 2 Samuel 5:13

    And David took [him] more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to David.

  • 2 Samuel 5:16

    And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphalet.
← Back