2 Samuel 12
1 So YHWH sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him, "Tell me how you judge this case. There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor.
And the Lord sent Nathan unto David, and he came unto him and said to him, Two men were once in one city, the one rich and the other poor.
2 The rich man had very many flocks and herds,
The rich man had flocks and herds, in great abundance.
3 but the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb, which he had acquired. And he raised it and it grew up alongside him and his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and sleep in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him.
But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe, which he had bought; and he nourished it, and it grew up with him and with his children together; of his bread it used to eat, and out of his cup it used to drink, and in his bosom it used to lie, and it was to him as a daughter.
4 Now a traveler came to the rich man, but he was unwilling to take from his own flock or his own herd to prepare for the traveler who had come to him, but took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him."
And there came a traveler unto the rich man; and he felt compunction to take from his own flocks and from his own herds to dress for the wayfarer that was come to him; but he took the ewe of the poor man, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.
5 Then David became very angry with that man, and he said to Nathan, "As YHWH lives, the man who has done this deserves death.
And the anger of David was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, surely the man that hath done this deserveth to die;
6 He must restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity."
And the ewe he shall pay fourfold, for punishment that he hath done this thing, and because he had no compassion.
7 Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man. This is what YHWH, the God of Israel, says: 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul.
Then said Nathan to David, Thou art the man! Thus hath said the Lord, the God of Israel, It is I who anointed thee as king over Israel, and it is I who delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;
8 I gave you your master's house, and your master's wives into your care, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that would have been too little, I would have added to you many more such things.
And I gave unto thee the house of thy master, and [put] the wives of thy master into thy bosom, and gave unto thee the house of Israel and Judah: and if this be too little, I could bestow on thee yet many more like these things.
9 Why have you despised YHWH, to do that which is evil in his sight? You have struck Uriah the Hethite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have slain him with the sword of the people of Ammon.
Wherefore hast thou despised the word of the Lord to do what is evil in his eyes? Uriyah the Hittite hast thou smitten with the sword, and his wife hast thou taken unto thee for wife; but him hast thou slain with the sword of the children of 'Ammon.
10 Now therefore the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hethite to be your wife.'
And now, the sword shall not depart from thy house for ever; for the reason that thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriyah the Hittite to be thy wife.
11 "This is what YHWH says: 'Look, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes, and give them to your neighbor, and he will lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.
Thus hath said the Lord, Behold, I will raise up against thee evil out of thy own house, and I will take away thy wives before thy eyes, and I will give them unto thy neighbor; and he shall lie with thy wives before the face of this sun.
12 For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.'"
For thou hast done it in secret; but I will surely do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.
13 David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against YHWH." Nathan said to David, "YHWH also has put away your sin. You will not die.
Then said David unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said to David, Also the Lord hath caused thy sin to pass away: thou shalt not die.
14 However, because by this deed you have shown utter contempt for YHWH, the child also who is born to you shall surely die."
Nevertheless, because thou hast given great cause to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme through this thing, the child also that hath been born unto thee shall surely die.
15 Then Nathan went to his home. And God struck the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and it was very sick.
And Nathan went to his house; and the Lord struck the child that Uriyah's wife had born unto David, that it became very sick.
16 Then David sought from God on behalf of the child. And David fasted, and went in and lay all night on the ground.
And David besought God in behalf of the lad; and David kept a fast, and came home, and lay over night upon the earth.
17 And the elders of his house approached him to lift him up from the ground, but he was unwilling, and he would not eat food with them.
And the elders of the house arose about him, to raise him up from the earth; but he would not, and he did not partake of any bread with them.
18 It happened on the seventh day, that the child died. The servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead; for they said, "Look, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to our voice. How will he then harm himself, 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 would not hearken to our voice: how then shall we say to him, The child is dead! he might do [himself] a hurt.
19 But when David noticed that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; and David said to his servants, "Is the child dead?" They said, "He is dead."
But when David saw that his servants were whispering to each other, David understood that the child was dead; wherefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? and they said, he is dead.
20 Then David arose from the ground, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his clothing; and he came into the house of YHWH, and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and he asked for bread to eat. And they set bread before him, and he ate.
David then rose up from the earth, and washed and anointed himself, and changed his garments, and went into the house of the Lord and prostrated himself; and then he came to his own house, and asked that they should set food before him, and he ate.
21 Then his servants said to him, "What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept and kept vigil for the child while he was alive; but when the child was dead, you rose up and ate bread."
And his servants then said unto him, What is this thing which thou hast done? On account of the child when living thou didst fast and weep; but as soon as the child was dead thou didst arise and eat bread!
22 He said, "While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, 'Who knows whether YHWH will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?'
And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; because I said, Who knoweth, but that the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?
23 But now he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me."
But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast then? can I restore him again? I am going to him; but he will not return to me.
24 David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her, and lay with her. She bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. YHWH loved him;
And David comforted Bath-sheba' his wife, and he went in unto her, and lay with her; and she bore a son, and called his name Solomon; and the Lord loved him.
25 and he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he named him Jedidiah, for YHWH's sake.
And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and called his name, Yedideyah in behalf of the Lord.
26 Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the people of Ammon, and took the royal city.
And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of 'Ammon, and captured the royal city.
27 Joab sent messengers to David, and said, "I have fought against Rabbah, and have also taken the water supply of the city.
And Joab sent messengers to David; and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and have also captured the water-town.
28 Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and besiege the city and capture it yourself, or I will capture the city, and it will be named after me."
And now gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and capture it: lest I capture the city myself, and it be called by my name.
29 David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it.
And David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and captured it.
30 He took the crown of their king from off his head; and its weight was a talent of gold, and in it were precious stones; and it was set on David's head. He brought out the spoil of the city, a very great amount.
And he took the crown of Malkam from off his head, and its weight was a talent of gold, and [on it was] a precious stone, and it was set on the head of David; and the booty of the city he brought out in great abundance.
31 He brought out the people who were in it, and put them to work with saws, and iron picks, and iron axes, and to labor at the brick kiln. And he did the same to all the cities of the people of Ammon. David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.
And the people that were therein he brought forward, and put them under saws, and under iron threshing-wagons, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through brick-kilns; and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of 'Ammon: and David returned with them with all the people unto Jerusalem.
