New Heart English Bible

2Samuel 12

1 The LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, "There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.

2 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 raised. It grew up together with him, and with his children. It ate of his own food, drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was to him like a daughter.

4 A traveler came to the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man who had come to him, but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man who had come to him."

5 David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As the LORD lives, the man who has done this is worthy to die.

6 He shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity."

7 Nathan said to David, "You are the man. This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul.

8 I gave you your master's house, and your master's wives into your bosom, 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.

9 Why have you despised the LORD, 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.

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.'

11 "This is what the LORD 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.

12 For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.'"

13 David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has put away your sin. You will not die.

14 However, because by this deed you have shown utter contempt for the LORD, the child also who is born to you 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.

16 Then David sought from God on behalf of the child. And David fasted, and went in and lay all night on the ground.

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.

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?"

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."

20 Then David arose from the ground, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his clothing; and he came into the house of the LORD, 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.

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."

22 He said, "While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, 'Who knows whether the LORD will not 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."

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. The LORD loved him;

25 and he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he named him Jedidiah, for the LORD's sake.

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

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."

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

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.