2 Samuel 12:9 kjv — Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite w…

King James Version

"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."

— 2 Samuel 12:9, King James Version

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2 Samuel 12:9 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • ASV

    “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. ”

  • WEB

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

  • NET

    “Why have you shown contempt for the LORD’s decrees by doing evil in my sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and you have taken his wife to be your own wife! You have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.”

  • DRB

    “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.”

  • BBE

    “Why then have you had no respect for the word of the Lord, doing what is evil in his eyes? You have put Uriah the Hittite to death with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife; you have put him to death with the sword of the children of Ammon.”

  • KJVA

    “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.”

2 Samuel 12 — Context

6

And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.

7

And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;

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.

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.

10

Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.

11

Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.

12

For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.

2 Samuel 12:9 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does 2 Samuel 12:9 say?
2 Samuel 12:9 in the King James Version reads: “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.”
Where is 2 Samuel 12:9 in the Bible?
2 Samuel 12:9 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of 2 Samuel, chapter 12, verse 9.
Who wrote 2 Samuel?
2 Samuel is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Nathan and Gad). It was written c. 930–722 BC.
What is the book of 2 Samuel about?
2 Samuel records David's reign — his rise to the throne, the conquest of Jerusalem, the eternal covenant God makes with his house, and the moral failure with Bathsheba that fractures his family. From the highs of triumph to the depths of repentance, David remains the messianic prototype.
What are the major themes of 2 Samuel?
2 Samuel explores themes including Davidic Covenant, Sin & Repentance, Kingdom, Mercy, Consequences. These themes shape the meaning and context of 2 Samuel 12:9.
What translation should I read 2 Samuel 12:9 in?
2 Samuel 12:9 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize 2 Samuel 12:9?
2 Samuel 12:9 reads (KJV): “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.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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