What Does 2 Samuel 12:14 Mean in the King James?
Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The same Hebrew root holds despising and blaspheming together, making public speech the audible branch of contempt.
THE MEANING
The verse holds a deed that gives the LORD’s enemies grounds to blaspheme beside the sentence that the child born to thee will die. It names both consequences plainly and does not turn the child’s death into a metaphor.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that a deed’s consequences stop with its doer: the LORD’s name becomes subject to public blasphemy, while a child dies.
THE ROOT
נִאֵץ
niʾēṣ
GROWS FROM
נאץ
n-ʾ-ṣ
To despise, spurn, or treat with contempt; when directed toward God, to blaspheme.
“blaspheme” in this verse is niʾēṣ. The Hebrew verb’s basic force is despising or spurning, the contempt that can become blasphemous speech. The verse connects the deed, its public reading, and speech against the LORD within one root-family.
ALSO GROWS
nāʾaṣ: To despise or spurn.
נָאַץ
This root sense shows the contempt carried by the blasphemy in the verse.
neʾāṣāh: Reproach or blasphemy.
נְאָצָה
This noun names contempt as spoken reproach, bringing the root’s inward scorn into public speech.
THE PATTERN
A deed can expose the name of God to public contempt through the way others read it.
And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land.Now therefore, what have I here, saith the LORD, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the LORD; and my name continually every day is blasphemed.For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.THE THREAD
Now therefore, what have I here, saith the LORD, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the LORD; and my name continually every day is blasphemed.The verb rendered “blasphemed” in Isaiah is נָאַץ (nāʾaṣ), “to despise or spurn,” the same root behind “blaspheme” here. The shared root makes public blasphemy contempt voiced against the LORD.
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