And the LORD sent
Nathan
unto David
. And he came
unto him, and said
unto him, There were two
men
in one
city
; the one
rich
, and the other
poor
.
The rich man had exceeding
many
flocks
and herds
:
But the poor man had nothing, save one
little
ewe lamb
, which he had bought
and nourished up
: and it grew up
together
with him, and with his children
; it did eat
of his own meat
, and drank
of his own cup
, and lay
in his bosom
, and was unto him as a daughter
.
And there came a traveller
unto the rich
man
, and he spared
to take
of his own flock
and of his own herd
, to dress
for the wayfaring man
that was come
unto him; but took
the poor
man's
lamb
, and dressed
it for the man
that was come
to him.
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 he shall restore the lamb
fourfold
, because
he did
this thing
, and because
he had no pity
.
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
;
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
.
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
.
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
.
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
.
For thou didst it secretly
: but I will do
this thing
before all Israel
, and before the sun
.
And David said
unto Nathan
, I have sinned
against the LORD
. And Nathan
said
unto David
, The LORD
also hath put away
thy sin
; thou shalt not die
.
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
.
And Nathan departed
unto his house
. And the LORD
struck
the child
that Uriah's
wife
bare
unto David
, and it was very sick
.
David therefore besought
God
for the child
; and David
fasted
, and went in
, and lay
all night
upon the earth
.
And the elders of his house
arose
, and went to him, to raise him up
from the earth
: but he would
not, neither did he eat
bread
with them.
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 spake
unto him, and he would not hearken
unto our voice
: how will he then
vex
himself
, if we tell
him that the child
is dead
?
But when David saw
that his servants
whispered
, David
perceived
that the child
was dead
: therefore David
said
unto his servants
, Is the child
dead
? And they said
, He is dead
.
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
bread
before him, and he did eat
.
Then said his servants
unto him, What thing
is this that thou hast done
? thou didst fast
and weep
for the child
, while it was alive
; but when the child
was dead
, thou didst rise
and eat
bread
.
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
?
But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast
? can
I bring him back again
? I shall go
to him, but he shall not return
to me.
And David comforted
Bathsheba
his wife
, and went in
unto her, and lay
with her: and she bare
a son
, and he called
his name
Solomon
: and the LORD
loved
him.
And he sent by the hand
of Nathan
the prophet
; and he called
his name
Jedidiah
, because of the LORD
.
And Joab fought
against Rabbah
of the children
of Ammon
, and took
the royal
city
.
And Joab sent
messengers
to David
, and said
, I have fought
against Rabbah
, and have taken
the city
of waters
.
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 David gathered
all the people
together
, and went
to Rabbah
, and fought
against it, and took
it.
And he took their king's
crown
from off his head
, the weight
whereof 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 brought forth the people
that were therein, and put
them under saws
, and under harrows
of iron
, and under axes
of iron
, and made them pass
through the brickkiln
: and thus did
he unto all the cities
of the children
of Ammon
. So David
and all the people
returned
unto Jerusalem
.