2 Samuel 12:3

3 but the poor man had nothing at all, but one little ewe lamb which he had bought, and was nourishing; and it grew up with him, and together with his children: it ate of his morsel, and drank of his own cup, and slept in his bosom, and was to him as a daughter.

2 Samuel 12:3 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 12:3

But the poor [man] had nothing, save one little ewe lamb
Uriah had but one wife, who was much younger than he, called a lamb, an ewe lamb, a little one. Abarbinel thinks Uriah had been a widower; and had children by another wife, supposed in the parable, and was much older than Bathsheba:

which he had bought;
for men in those times and countries did not receive portions with their wives, but gave dowries to them, and for them:

and nourished up;
as his own flesh, as husbands should their wives, ( Ephesians 5:29 ) ;

and it grew up together with him, and with his children;
which Kimchi also supposes Uriah had by a former wife:

it did eat of his own meat, and drink of his own cup, and lay in his
bosom, and was unto him as a daughter;
all which are expressive of the care, kindness, love, and tenderness of a loving husband, whose affections are endeared to his wife, making her partaker of all he has, and to share in whatever he eats and drinks, and in his dearest embraces; and as there were instances of creatures, lambs and others, particularly tame or pet lambs, used in this way in a literal sense, to which the reference in the parable is, David had no suspicion of its being a parable. Bochart ^F17 has given many instances of creatures nourished and brought up in such a familiar manner.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F17 Hierozoic. par. 1. l. 2. c. 46. col. 521, 522.

2 Samuel 12:3 In-Context

1 And Jehovah 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.

2 The rich had very many flocks and herds;

3 but the poor man had nothing at all, but one little ewe lamb which he had bought, and was nourishing; and it grew up with him, and together with his children: it ate of his morsel, and drank of his own cup, and slept in his bosom, and was to him as a daughter.

4 And there came a traveller to the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that had come to him; and he took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that had come to him.

5 Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As Jehovah liveth, the man that hath done this thing is worthy of death;