2 Samuel 12

Nathan Rebukes David

1Then the LordH3068 sentH7971 1NathanH5416 to DavidH1732. And 2he cameH935 to him and 3saidH559, “There were twoH8147 menH376 in a cityH5892, the oneH259 wealthyH6223 and the otherH259 poorH7326.2The wealthyH6223 manH6223 hadH1961 a greatH3966 manyH7235 flocksH6629 and herdsH1241.3But the poorH7326 man had nothingH369 at allH3605 exceptH3588H518 4oneH259 littleH6996 eweH3535 lambH3535 WhichH834 he boughtH7069 and nurturedH2421; And it grewH1431 upH1431 togetherH3164 with him and his childrenH1121. It would eatH398 5scrapsH6595 from him and drinkH8354 from his cupH3563 and lieH7901 6in his lapH2436, And was like a daughterH1323 to him.4Now a visitorH1982 cameH935 to the wealthyH6223 manH376, And he couldH2550 not bringH2550 himselfH2550 to takeH3947 any animal from his own flockH6629 or his own herdH1241, To prepareH6213 for the travelerH732 who had comeH935 to him; So he tookH3947 the poorH7326 man’sH376 eweH3535 lambH3535 and preparedH6213 it for the manH376 who had comeH935 to him.” 5Then David’sH1732 angerH639 burnedH2734 greatlyH3966 against the manH376, and he saidH559 to NathanH5416, “As the LordH3068 livesH2416, the manH376 who has doneH6213 thisH2088 certainlyH3588 78deservesH1121 to dieH4194! 6So he must makeH7999 restitutionH7999 for the lambH3535 9fourH706 timesH706 overH706, sinceH6118H834 he didH6213 thisH2088 thingH1697 and 10hadH2550 noH3808 compassionH2550.”

7NathanH5416 then saidH559 to DavidH1732, “11You yourselfH859 are the manH376! ThisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 the LordH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478 saysH559: ‘12It is I who anointedH4886 you as kingH4428 overH5921 IsraelH3478, and it is I who rescuedH5337 you from the handH3027 of SaulH7586. 8I also gaveH5414 you 13your master’sH113 houseH1004 and put your master’sH113 wivesH802 14into your careH2436, and I gaveH5414 you the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478 and JudahH3063; and ifH518 that had been tooH4592 littleH4592, I would have addedH3254 to you 15many more things like theseH2007! 9WhyH4069 16have you despisedH959 the wordH1697 of the LordH3068, by doingH6213 evilH7451 in His sightH5869? 17You have struckH5221 andH5221 killedH5221 UriahH223 the HittiteH2850 with the swordH2719, you 18have takenH3947 his wifeH802 as your wifeH802, and you have slaughteredH2026 him with the swordH2719 of the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983. 10NowH6258 then, 19the swordH2719 shall neverH3808H5704H5769 leaveH5493 your houseH1004, becauseH6118H3588 you have despisedH959 Me and have takenH3947 the wifeH802 of UriahH223 the HittiteH2850 to be your wifeH802.’ 11ThisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 the LordH3068 saysH559: ‘BeholdH2009, I am going to raiseH6965 upH6965 evilH7463 againstH5921 you from your own householdH1004; 20I will even takeH3947 your wivesH802 before your eyesH5869 and giveH5414 them to your companionH7453, and he will sleepH7901 with your wivesH802 in 21broadH5869 daylightH8121H2088. 12IndeedH3588, 22you didH6213 it secretlyH5643, but 23I will doH6213 thisH2088 thingH1697 beforeH5048 allH3605 IsraelH3478, and 24in openH5048 daylightH8121.’” 13Then DavidH1732 saidH559 to NathanH5416, “25I have sinnedH2398 against the LordH3068.” And NathanH5416 saidH559 to DavidH1732, “The LordH3068 alsoH1571 has 26allowedH5674 your sinH2403 toH5674 passH5674; you shall not dieH4191. 14HoweverH657, sinceH3588 by thisH2088 deedH1697 you have 27shownH5006 utterH5006 disrespectH5006 for the 28LordH3068, the childH1121 himselfH1571 who is bornH3209 to you shall certainlyH4191 dieH4191.”

Loss of a Child

15Then NathanH5416 wentH1980 to his houseH1004.

Later the LordH3068 struckH5062 the childH3206 that Uriah’sH223 29widowH802 boreH3205 to DavidH1732, so that he was very sickH605. 16DavidH1732 therefore pleadedH1245 with GodH430 for the childH5288; and DavidH1732 30fastedH6684H6685 and wentH935 and 31layH7901 allH3885 nightH3885 on the groundH776. 1732The eldersH2205 of his householdH1004 stoodH6965 besideH5921 him in order to helpH6965 him upH6965 from the groundH776, but he was unwillingH3808H14 and would not eatH1262 foodH3899 with them. 18Then it happenedH1961 on the seventhH7637 dayH3117 that the childH3206 diedH4191. And David’sH1732 servantsH5650 wereH3372 afraidH3372 to tellH5046 him that the childH3206 was deadH4191, for they saidH559, “BeholdH2009, while the childH3206 was still aliveH2416, we spokeH1696 to him and he did not listenH8085 to 33usH6963. HowH349 then can we tellH559 him that the childH3206 is deadH4191, since he might doH6213 himself harmH7463?” 19But when DavidH1732 sawH7200 that his servantsH5650 were whisperingH3907 together, DavidH1732 perceivedH995 that the childH3206 was deadH4191; so DavidH1732 saidH559 to his servantsH5650, “Is the childH3206 deadH4191?” And they saidH559, “He is deadH4191.” 20So DavidH1732 gotH6965 upH6965 from the groundH776, 34washedH7364, anointedH5480 himself, and changedH2498 his clothesH8071; and he wentH935 intoH935 the houseH1004 of the LordH3068 and 35worshipedH2331. Then he wentH935 to his own houseH1004, and when he askedH7592, they servedH7760 him foodH3899, and he ateH398.

21Then his servantsH5650 saidH559 to him, “WhatH4100 is thisH2088 thingH1697 that you have doneH6213? You fastedH6684 and weptH1058 for the childH3206 while he was 36aliveH2416; but whenH3512 the childH3206 diedH4191, you gotH6965 upH6965 and ateH398 foodH3899.” 22And he saidH559, “While the childH3206 was stillH5750 aliveH2416, 37I fastedH6684 and weptH1058; for I saidH559, ‘38WhoH4310 knowsH3045, the LordH3068 may beH2603 graciousH2603 to me, and the childH3206 may liveH2416.’ 23But nowH6258 he has diedH4191; whyH4100 should I fastH6684? CanH3201 I bringH7725 him backH7725 againH5750? 39I am goingH1980 to him, but 40he will not returnH7725 to me.”

Solomon Born

24Then DavidH1732 comfortedH5162 his wifeH802 BathshebaH1339, and wentH935 inH935 to her and sleptH7901 with her; and she gaveH3205 birthH3205 to a sonH1121, and 4142he namedH7121H8034 him SolomonH8010. Now the LordH3068 lovedH157 him, 25and sentH7971 word throughH3027 NathanH5416 the prophetH5030, and he namedH7121H8034 him 43JedidiahH3041 for the Lord’sH3068 sakeH5668.

War Again

2644Now JoabH3097 foughtH3898 against 45RabbahH7237 of the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983, and capturedH3920 the royalH4410 cityH5892. 27Then JoabH3097 sentH7971 messengersH4397 to DavidH1732 and saidH559, “I have foughtH3898 against RabbahH7237, I have evenH1571 capturedH3920 the cityH5892 of watersH4325. 28NowH6258 then, gatherH622 the restH3499 of the peopleH5971 and campH2583 oppositeH5921 the cityH5892 and captureH3920 it, orH6435 I will captureH3920 the cityH5892 myselfH589 and it will be namedH7121H8034 afterH5921 me.” 29So DavidH1732 gatheredH622 allH3605 the peopleH5971 and wentH1980 to RabbahH7237, and he foughtH3898 against it and capturedH3920 it. 30Then 46he tookH3947 the crownH5850 of 47their kingH4428 from his headH7218; and its weightH4948 was a 48talentH3603 of goldH2091, and it had a preciousH3368 stoneH68; and it was placed on David’sH1732 headH7218. And he broughtH3318 outH3318 the plunderH7998 of the cityH5892 in greatH3966 amountsH7235. 31He also broughtH3318 outH3318 the peopleH5971 whoH834 were in it, and 49putH7760 some to work at sawsH4050, ironH1270 picksH2757, and ironH1270 axesH4037, and made 50others 51serveH5674 at the brickH4404 52worksH4404. And he didH6213 the sameH3651 to allH3605 the citiesH5892 of the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983. Then DavidH1732 and allH3605 the peopleH5971 returnedH7725 to JerusalemH3389.