12:1 The LORD sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor.
12:2 The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle,
12:3 but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.
12:4 “Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.”
12:5 David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die!
12:6 He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.”
12:7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul.
12:8 I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more.
12:9 Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.
12:10 Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’
12:11 “This is what the LORD says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight.
12:12 You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’”
12:13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” Nathan replied, “The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.
12:14 But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the LORD show utter contempt, the son born to you will die.”
12:15 After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became ill.
12:16 David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground.
12:17 The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them.
12:18 On the seventh day the child died. David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, “While the child was still living, we spoke to David but he would not listen to us. How can we tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate.”
12:19 David noticed that his servants were whispering among themselves and he realized the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked. “Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.”
12:20 Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.
12:21 His servants asked him, “Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!”
12:22 He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.’
12:23 But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”
12:24 Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and lay with her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The LORD loved him;
12:25 and because the LORD loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah.
12:26 Meanwhile Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal citadel.
12:27 Joab then sent messengers to David, saying, “I have fought against Rabbah and taken its water supply.
12:28 Now muster the rest of the troops and besiege the city and capture it. Otherwise I will take the city, and it will be named after me.”
12:29 So David mustered the entire army and went to Rabbah, and attacked and captured it.
12:30 He took the crown from the head of their king–its weight was a talent of gold, and it was set with precious stones–and it was placed on David’s head. He took a great quantity of plunder from the city
12:31 and brought out the people who were there, consigning them to labor with saws and with iron picks and axes, and he made them work at brickmaking. He did this to all the Ammonite towns. Then David and his entire army returned to Jerusalem.
12:1 Then Jehovah sent Nathan to David. And he went to him and said to him, Two men lived in a city, one rich and the other poor.
12:2 The rich man had very many flocks and herds,
12:3 But the poor man had nothing but one small ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he nourished it, and it grew up together with him and his children; it ate of the morsels of his food and drank out of his own cup and lay on his bosom; indeed it was like a daughter to him.
12:4 And there came a traveler to the rich man. But the rich man refused to take something from his own flock and herd to dress for the wayfarer who had come to him; but he took the poor man’s ewe lamb and dressed it for the man who had come to him.
12:5 And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man. And he said to Nathan, As Jehovah lives, the man who has done this is worthy of death;
12:6 And he shall restore the ewe lamb fourfold because he has done this thing and because he had no pity.
12:7 Then Nathan said to David, You are the man. Thus says Jehovah the God of Israel, I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul;
12:8 And I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your bosom, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if this were too little, I would have added to you such and such things.
12:9 Why have you despised the word of Jehovah by doing what is evil in His sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife as your wife and have slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
12:10 Now therefore the sword will not depart from your house forever because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.
12:11 Thus says Jehovah, I will now raise up trouble against you from within your house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and will give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.
12:12 For you did this secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and even before the sun.
12:13 And David said to Nathan, I have sinned against Jehovah. And Nathan said to David, Jehovah has also put away your sin; you will not die.
12:14 Nevertheless, because you have given the enemies of Jehovah much occasion to blaspheme Him because of this thing, the son who is born to you shall also surely die.
12:15 Then Nathan went to his house. And Jehovah struck the child whom Uriah’s wife bore to David, and he was very sick.
12:16 And David besought God for the child; and David fasted and went in and spent all night lying on the ground.
12:17 And the elders of his house stood over him to raise him from the ground; but he did not want to, nor would he eat food with them.
12:18 And on the seventh day the child died. And David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead; for they said, While the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to our voice; how then can we tell him that the child is dead? He will do himself some harm.
12:19 And David saw that his servants were whispering, and David perceived that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.
12:20 Then David rose up from the ground and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went to the house of Jehovah and worshipped. Then he went to his house; and when he requested it, they set food before him, and he ate.
12:21 And his servants said to him, What is this thing that you have done? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept; but as soon as the child died, you rose up and ate bread.
12:22 And he said, While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I thought, Who knows? Jehovah may be gracious to me, and the child may live.
12:23 But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not come back to me.
12:24 And David comforted Bath-sheba his wife and went in unto her and lay with her. And she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. And Jehovah loved him;
12:25 And He sent word through Nathan the prophet and called his name Jedidiah for Jehovah’s sake.
12:26 Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon and took the royal city.
12:27 And Joab sent messengers to David and said, I have fought against Rabbah; indeed I have taken the city of water.
12:28 Now therefore gather the rest of the people, and encamp against the city, and take it; otherwise I myself will take the city, and it will be called by my name.
12:29 So David gathered all the people and went to Rabbah and fought against it and took it.
12:30 And he took the crown of their king from off his head. And the weight of it was a talent of gold, and it had precious stones; and it was put upon David’s head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city, a very great amount.
12:31 And he brought out the people who were in it and set them under saws and iron cutting tools and iron axes and made them pass through the brick kilns; and thus did he do to all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.