King James Version

2 Samuel 12:9

Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

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Hebrew

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מַדּ֜וּעַmaduawhyמַדּוּעַparticle, interrogative — “why”H4069what (is) known?; i.e. (by implication) (adverbially) why?how, wherefore, why.בָּזִ֣יתָbazitadespiseבָּזָהverb, qal, perfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “despise”, a completed actionH959to disesteemdespise, disdain, contemn(-ptible), [phrase] think to scorn, vile person.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).דְּבַ֣רdevarcauseדָּבָרnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “cause”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1697a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a causeact, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dea…יְהוָ֗הyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).לַעֲשׂ֣וֹתlaasotto doעָשָׂהpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to do”, the to-form of the verbH6213to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest applicationaccomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, f…הָרַע֮harathe badרַעdefinite article, adjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “the bad”, the ordinary formH7451bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, [phrase] displease(-ure), distress, evil((-favouredness), man, thing), [phrase] exceedingly, [idiom] great, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favoured), [phrase] mark, mischief(-vous), misery…בעינוvynvin eye , , -sightעַיִןpreposition, noun, common, both genders, dual, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “in eye , , -sight”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5869an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)affliction, outward appearance, [phrase] before, [phrase] think best, colour, conceit, [phrase] be content, countenance, [phrase] displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, [phrase] favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), [idiom] him…בְּעֵינַי֒beeynayin eye , , -sightעַיִןpreposition, noun, common, both genders, dual, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “in eye , , -sight”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5869an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)affliction, outward appearance, [phrase] before, [phrase] think best, colour, conceit, [phrase] be content, countenance, [phrase] displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, [phrase] favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), [idiom] him…אֵ֣תetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).אוּרִיָּ֤הuriyahUrijahאוּרִיָּהnoun, proper name — “Urijah”H223Urijah, the name of one Hittite and five IsraelitesUriah, Urijah.הַֽחִתִּי֙hachitithe Hittiteחִתִּיdefinite article, noun, gentilic, masculine, singular, absolute — “the Hittite”, the ordinary formH2850a Chittite, or descendant of ChethHittite, Hittities.הִכִּ֣יתָhikitastrikeנָכָהverb, hiphil, perfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “strike”, a completed actionH5221to strike (lightly or severely, literally or figuratively)beat, cast forth, clap, give (wounds), [idiom] go forward, [idiom] indeed, kill, make (slaughter), murderer, punish, slaughter, slay(-er, -ing), smite(-r, -ing), strike, be stricken, (give) stripes, [idiom] surely, wound.בַחֶ֔רֶבvacherevin knifeחֶרֶבpreposition, with the article, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “in knife”, the ordinary formH2719drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implementaxe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool.וְאֶ֨תveetand object markerאֵתconjunction, particle, direct object marker — “and object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).אִשְׁתּ֔וֹishtvoeachאִשָּׁהnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “each”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH802a woman(adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.לָקַ֥חְתָּlaqachtatakeלָקַחverb, qal, perfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “take”, a completed actionH3947to take (in the widest variety of applications)accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.לְּךָ֖lekhatoלְּךָ֖preposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “to”toלְאִשָּׁ֑הleishahto eachאִשָּׁהpreposition, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “to each”, the ordinary formH802a woman(adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.וְאֹת֣וֹveotvoand object markerאֵתconjunction, particle, direct object marker, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).הָרַ֔גְתָּharagtadestroyהָרַגverb, qal, perfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “destroy”, a completed actionH2026to smite with deadly intentdestroy, out of hand, kill, murder(-er), put to (death), make (slaughter), slay(-er), [idiom] surely.בְּחֶ֖רֶבbecherevin knifeחֶרֶבpreposition, noun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “in knife”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2719drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implementaxe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool.בְּנֵ֥יbenesonבֵּןnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “son”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)[phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, […עַמּֽוֹןamonAmmonעַמּוֹןnoun, proper name — “Ammon”H5983Ammon, a son of Lot; also his posterity and their countryAmmon, Ammonites.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Wherefore hast thou despised the word of the LORD, to do that which is evil in My sight? Uriah the Hittite thou hast smitten with the sword, and his wife thou hast taken to be thy wife, and him thou hast slain with the sword of the children of Ammon.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

Wherefore hast thou despised the word of Jehovah, to do that which is evil in his sight? thou hast smitten Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

Young’s Literal Translation

'Wherefore hast thou despised the word of Jehovah, to do the evil thing in His eyes? Uriah the Hittite thou hast smitten by the sword, and his wife thou hast taken to thee for a wife, and him thou hast slain by the sword of the Bene-Ammon.

World English Bible

Why have you despised Yahweh’s word, to do that which is evil in his sight? You have struck Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

Darby Translation

Wherefore hast thou despised the word of Jehovah to do evil in his sight? thou hast smitten Urijah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

Douay-Rheims

Why therefore hast thou despised the word of the Lord, to do evil in my sight? Thou hast killed Urias the Hethite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Why hast thou set at nought the word of the Lord, to do that which is evil in his eyes? thou hast slain Urias the Chettite with the sword, and thou hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and thou hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Τί ὅτι ἐφαύλισας τὸν λόγον Κυρίου, τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ πονηρὸν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ; τὸν Οὐρίαν τὸν Χετταῖον ἐπάταξας ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ, καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ ἔλαβες σεαυτῷ εἰς γυναῖκα, καὶ αὐτὸν ἀπέκτεινας ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ υἱῶν Ἀμμών.