2Samuel 12

Nathan Rebukes David

12So the LORD sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: "There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor.H3068H7971H5416H1732H935H559H8147H582H259H5892H259H6223H259H73262The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle.H6223H3966H7235H6629H12413The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man's own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter.H7326H259H6996H3535H7069H2421H1431H3162H1121H398H6595H8354H3563H7901H2436H13234One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man's lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest."H935H1982H6223H376H2550H3947H6629H1241H6213H732H935H3947H7326H376H3535H6213H376H9355David was furious. "As surely as the LORD lives," he vowed, "any man who would do such a thing deserves to die!H1732H639H3966H2734H376H559H5416H3068H2416H376H6213H1121H41946He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity."H7999H3535H706H6118H6213H1697H834H25507Then Nathan said to David, "You are that man! The LORD, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul.H5416H559H1732H376H559H3068H430H3478H4886H4428H3478H5337H3027H75868I gave you your master's house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more.H5414H113H1004H113H802H2436H5414H1004H3478H3063H4592H3254H2007H20079Why, then, have you despised the word of the LORD and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife.H959H1697H3068H6213H7451H5869H5221H223H2850H2719H3947H802H802H2026H2719H1121H598310From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah's wife to be your own.H2719H5704H5769H5493H1004H6118H959H3947H802H223H2850H80211"This is what the LORD says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view.H559H3068H6965H7451H1004H3947H802H5869H5414H7453H7901H802H5869H812112You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel."H6213H5643H6213H1697H3478H8121

David Confesses His Guilt

13Then David confessed to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan replied, "Yes, but the LORD has forgiven you, and you won't die for this sin.H1732H559H5416H2398H3068H5416H559H1732H3068H5674H2403H419114Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the LORD

by doing this, your child will die."H657H1697H5006H5006H341H3068H5006H1121H3209H4191H419115After Nathan returned to his home, the LORD sent a deadly illness to the child of David and Uriah's wife.H5416H3212H1004H3068H5062H3206H223H802H3205H1732H60516David begged God to spare the child. He went without food and lay all night on the bare ground.H1732H1245H430H5288H1732H6684H6685H935H7901H3885H77617The elders of his household pleaded with him to get up and eat with them, but he refused.H2205H1004H6965H6965H776H14H1262H389918Then on the seventh day the child died. David's advisers were afraid to tell him. "He wouldn't listen to reason while the child was ill," they said. "What drastic thing will he do when we tell him the child is dead?"H7637H3117H3206H4191H5650H1732H3372H5046H3206H4191H559H3206H2416H1696H8085H6963H6213H7451H6213H559H3206H419119When David saw them whispering, he realized what had happened. "Is the child dead?" he asked."Yes," they replied, "he is dead."H1732H7200H5650H3907H1732H995H3206H4191H1732H559H5650H3206H4191H559H419120Then David got up from the ground, washed himself, put on lotions

, and changed his clothes. He went to the Tabernacle and worshiped the LORD. After that, he returned to the palace and was served food and ate.H1732H6965H776H7364H5480H2498H8071H935H1004H3068H7812H935H1004H7592H7760H3899H39821His advisers were amazed. "We don't understand you," they told him. "While the child was still living, you wept and refused to eat. But now that the child is dead, you have stopped your mourning and are eating again."H559H5650H1697H6213H6684H1058H3206H2416H3206H4191H6965H398H389922David replied, "I fasted and wept while the child was alive, for I said, 'Perhaps the LORD will be gracious to me and let the child live.'H559H3206H2416H6684H1058H559H3045H3068H2603H2603H3206H241623But why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him one day, but he cannot return to me."H4191H6684H3201H7725H1980H772524Then David comforted Bathsheba, his wife, and slept with her. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and David

named him Solomon. The LORD loved the childH1732H5162H1339H802H935H7901H3205H1121H7121H8034H8010H3068H15725and sent word through Nathan the prophet that they should name him Jedidiah (which means "beloved of the LORD"), as the LORD had commanded

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David Captures Rabbah

26Meanwhile, Joab was fighting against Rabbah, the capital of Ammon, and he captured the royal fortifications

.H3097H3898H7237H1121H5983H3920H4410H589227Joab sent messengers to tell David, "I have fought against Rabbah and captured its water supply

.H3097H7971H4397H1732H559H3898H7237H3920H5892H432528Now bring the rest of the army and capture the city. Otherwise, I will capture it and get credit for the victory."H622H3499H5971H622H2583H5892H3920H3920H5892H7121H803429So David gathered the rest of the army and went to Rabbah, and he fought against it and captured it.H1732H622H5971H622H3212H7237H3898H392030David removed the crown from the king's head

, and it was placed on his own head. The crown was made of gold and set with gems, and it weighed seventy-five pounds. David took a vast amount of plunder from the city.H3947H4428H5850H7218H4948H3603H2091H3368H68H1732H7218H3318H7998H5892H3966H723531He also made slaves of the people of Rabbah and forced them to labor with

saws, iron picks, and iron axes, and to work in the brick kilns. That is how he dealt with the people of all the Ammonite towns. Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem.H3318H5971H7760H4050H2757H1270H4037H1270H5674H4404H6213H5892H1121H5983H1732H5971H7725H3389