2Samuel 12 - Prayer Tents

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.H3068H7971H5416H1732H935H559H8147H582H259H5892H259H6223H259H7326 2The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle.H6223H3966H7235H6629H1241 3The 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.H7326H259H6996H3535H7069H2421H1431H3162H1121H398H6595H8354H3563H7901H2436H1323 4One 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."H935H1982H6223H376H2550H3947H6629H1241H6213H732H935H3947H7326H376H3535H6213H376H935 5David was furious. "As surely as the LORD lives," he vowed, "any man who would do such a thing deserves to die!H1732H639H3966H2734H376H559H5416H3068H2416H376H6213H1121H4194 6He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity."H7999H3535H706H6118H6213H1697H834H2550 7Then 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.H5416H559H1732H376H559H3068H430H3478H4886H4428H3478H5337H3027H7586 8I 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.H5414H113H1004H113H802H2436H5414H1004H3478H3063H4592H3254H2007H2007 9Why, 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.H959H1697H3068H6213H7451H5869H5221H223H2850H2719H3947H802H802H2026H2719H1121H5983 10From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah's wife to be your own.H2719H5704H5769H5493H1004H6118H959H3947H802H223H2850H802 11"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.H559H3068H6965H7451H1004H3947H802H5869H5414H7453H7901H802H5869H8121 12You 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.H1732H559H5416H2398H3068H5416H559H1732H3068H5674H2403H4191 14Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the LORD by doing this, your child will die."H657H1697H5006H5006H341H3068H5006H1121H3209H4191H4191 15After Nathan returned to his home, the LORD sent a deadly illness to the child of David and Uriah's wife.H5416H3212H1004H3068H5062H3206H223H802H3205H1732H605 16David begged God to spare the child. He went without food and lay all night on the bare ground.H1732H1245H430H5288H1732H6684H6685H935H7901H3885H776 17The elders of his household pleaded with him to get up and eat with them, but he refused.H2205H1004H6965H6965H776H14H1262H3899 18Then 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?"H7637H3117H3206H4191H5650H1732H3372H5046H3206H4191H559H3206H2416H1696H8085H6963H6213H7451H6213H559H3206H4191 19When David saw them whispering, he realized what had happened. "Is the child dead?" he asked."Yes," they replied, "he is dead."H1732H7200H5650H3907H1732H995H3206H4191H1732H559H5650H3206H4191H559H4191 20Then 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.H1732H6965H776H7364H5480H2498H8071H935H1004H3068H7812H935H1004H7592H7760H3899H398 21His 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."H559H5650H1697H6213H6684H1058H3206H2416H3206H4191H6965H398H3899 22David 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.'H559H3206H2416H6684H1058H559H3045H3068H2603H2603H3206H2416 23But 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."H4191H6684H3201H7725H1980H7725 24Then 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 childH1732H5162H1339H802H935H7901H3205H1121H7121H8034H8010H3068H157 25and sent word through Nathan the prophet that they should name him Jedidiah (which means "beloved of the LORD"), as the LORD had commanded.H7971H3027H5416H5030H7121H8034H3041H3068

David Captures Rabbah

26Meanwhile, Joab was fighting against Rabbah, the capital of Ammon, and he captured the royal fortifications.H3097H3898H7237H1121H5983H3920H4410H5892 27Joab sent messengers to tell David, "I have fought against Rabbah and captured its water supply.H3097H7971H4397H1732H559H3898H7237H3920H5892H4325 28Now bring the rest of the army and capture the city. Otherwise, I will capture it and get credit for the victory."H622H3499H5971H622H2583H5892H3920H3920H5892H7121H8034 29So David gathered the rest of the army and went to Rabbah, and he fought against it and captured it.H1732H622H5971H622H3212H7237H3898H3920 30David 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.H3947H4428H5850H7218H4948H3603H2091H3368H68H1732H7218H3318H7998H5892H3966H7235 31He 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