< 2 Samuel 12 >

1 And the LORD 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.
And the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to David; and he went in to him, and said to him, There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor.
2 The rich man had very many flocks and herds:
And the rich [man] had very many flocks and herds.
3 But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it fed of his own food, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was to him as a daughter.
But the poor [man had] only one little ewe lamb, which he had purchased, and preserved, and reared; an it grew up with himself and his children in common; it ate of his bread and drank of his 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 was not willing to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to prepare for the wayfaring man that had come to him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and prepared it for the man that had come to him.
And a traveller came to the rich man, and he spared to take of his flocks and of his herds, to dress for the traveller that came to him; and he took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that came to him.
5 And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:
And David was greatly moved with anger against the man; and David said to Nathan, [As] the Lord lives, the man that did this thing shall surely die.
6 And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.
And he shall restore the lamb sevenfold, because he has not spared.
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 from the hand of Saul;
And Nathan said to David, You are the man that has done this. Thus says the Lord God of Israel, I anointed you to be king over Israel, and I rescued you out 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 to thee such and such things.
and I gave you the house of your lord, and the wives of your lord into your bosom, and I gave to you the house of Israel and Juda; and if that had been little, I would have given you yet more.
9 Why 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.
Why have you set at nothing the word of the Lord, to do that which is evil in his eyes? you have slain Urias the Chettite with the sword, and you have taken his wife to be your wife, and you have slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thy house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.
Now therefore the sword shall not depart from your house for ever, because you has set me at nothing, and you have taken the wife of Urias the Chettite, to be your wife.
11 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thy own house, and I will take thy wives before thy eyes, and give them to thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.
Thus says the Lord, Behold, I will raise up against you evil out of your house, and I will take your wives before your eyes, and will give them to your neighbour, and he shall lie with your 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.
For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing in the sight of all Israel, and before the sun.
13 And David said to Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said to David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
And David said to Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said to David, And the Lord has put away your sin; you shall not die.
14 But, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born to thee shall surely die.
Only because you have given great occasion of provocation to the enemies of the Lord by this thing, your son also that is born to you shall surely die.
15 And Nathan departed to his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and he was very sick.
And Nathan departed to his house. And the Lord struck the child, which the wife of Urias the Chettite bore to David, and it was ill.
16 David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.
And David enquired of God concerning the child, and David fasted, and went in and lay all night upon the ground.
17 And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.
And the elders of his house arose [and went] to him to raise him up from the ground, but he would not [rise], nor did he eat bread with them.
18 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he would not hearken to our voice: how will he then be grieved, if we tell him that the child is dead?
And it came to pass on the seventh day that the child died: and the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead; for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive we spoke to him, and he listened not to our voice; and you should we tell him that the child is dead?—so would he do [himself] harm.
19 But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said to his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.
And David understood 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.
20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set food before him, and he ate.
Then David rose up from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his raiment, and went into the house of God, and worshipped him; and went into his own house, and called for bread to eat, and they set bread before him and he ate.
21 Then said his servants to him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while he was alive; but after the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.
And his servants said to him, What [is] this thing that you have done concerning the child? while it was yet living you did fast, and weep, and watch: and when the child was dead you did rise up, and did eat bread, and drink.
22 And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?
And David said, While the child yet lived, I fasted and wept; for I said, Who knows if the Lord will pity me, and the child live?
23 But now he is dead, why should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.
But now it is dead, why should I fast thus? shall I be able to bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.
24 And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her, and lay with her: and she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him.
And David comforted Bersabee his wife, and he went in to her, and lay with her; and she conceived and bore a son, and he called his named Solomon, and the Lord loved him.
25 And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD.
And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and called his name Jeddedi, for the Lord's sake.
26 And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city.
And Joab fought against Rabbath of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city.
27 And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and have taken the city of waters.
And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbath, and taken the city of waters.
28 Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and take it: lest I take the city, and it be called after my name.
And now gather the rest of the people, and encamp against the city, an take it beforehand; lest I take the city first, and my name be called upon it.
29 And David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it.
And David gathered all the people, and went to Rabbath, and fought against it, and took it.
30 And he took their king’s crown from off his head, the weight of which was a talent of gold with the precious stones: and it was set on David’s head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city in great abundance.
And he took the crown of Molchom their king from off his head, and the weight of it was a talent of gold, with precious stones, and it was upon the head of David; and he carried forth very much spoil of the city.
31 And he brought forth the people that were in it, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brickkiln: and thus he did to all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.
And he brought forth the people that were in it, and put them under the saw, and under iron harrows, and axes of iron, and made them pass through the brick-kiln: and thus he did to all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

< 2 Samuel 12 >