1Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him: “There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor.

2The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds.

3But 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 ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him.

4And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”

5So David’s anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this 12:5 deserves to die, lit. is a son of deathshall surely die!

6And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity.”

7Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul.

8I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more!

9Why have you despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon.

10Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’

11Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.

12For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun.’ ”

13So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”

14However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.”

15Then Nathan departed to his house.

16David therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground.

17So the elders of his house arose and went to him, to raise him up from the ground. But he would not, nor did he eat food with them.

18Then on the seventh day it came to pass that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead. For they said, “Indeed, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not heed our voice. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He may do some harm!”

19When David saw that his servants were whispering, David perceived that the child was dead. Therefore David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?”

20So David arose from the ground, washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house; and when he requested, they set food before him, and he ate.

21Then his servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child died, you arose and ate food.”

22And he said, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who can tell whether 12:22 Heb. mss., Syr. Godthe Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’

23But 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.”

24Then David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her and lay with her. So she bore a son, and he12:24 So with Kt., LXX, Vg.; Qr., a few Heb. mss., Syr., Tg. she called his name Solomon. Now the Lord loved him,

25and He sent word by the hand of Nathan the prophet: So 12:25 Qr., some Heb. mss., Syr., Tg. shehe called his name 12:25 Lit. Beloved of the LordJedidiah, because of the Lord.

26Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the people of Ammon, and took the royal city.

27And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, “I have fought against Rabbah, and I have taken the city’s water supply.

28Now 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.”

29So David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah, fought against it, and took it.

30Then he took their king’s crown from his head. Its weight was a talent of gold, with precious stones. And it was set on David’s head. Also he brought out the 12:30 plunderspoil of the city in great abundance.

31And he brought out the people who were in it, and put them to work with saws and iron picks and iron axes, and made them cross over to the brick works. So he did to all the cities of the people of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.