NET Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1So the LORD sent Nathan to David. When he came to David, Nathan said, "There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor.

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

2The rich man had a great many flocks and herds.

2"The rich man had a great many flocks and herds.

3But the poor man had nothing except for a little lamb he had acquired. He raised it, and it grew up alongside him and his children. It used to eat his food, drink from his cup, and sleep in his arms. It was just like a daughter to him.

3"But the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb Which he bought and nourished; And it grew up together with him and his children. It would eat of his bread and drink of his cup and lie in his bosom, And was like a daughter to him.

4"When a traveler arrived at the rich man's home, he did not want to use one of his own sheep or cattle to feed the traveler who had come to visit him. Instead, he took the poor man's lamb and cooked it for the man who had come to visit him."

4"Now a traveler came to the rich man, And he was unwilling to take from his own flock or his own herd, To prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him; Rather he took the poor man's ewe lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him."

5Then David became very angry at this man. He said to Nathan, "As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die!

5Then David's anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As the LORD lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die.

6Because he committed this cold-hearted crime, he must pay for the lamb four times over!"

6"He must make restitution for the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and had no compassion."

7Nathan said to David, "You are that man! This is what the LORD God of Israel says: 'I chose you to be king over Israel and I rescued you from the hand of Saul.

7Nathan then said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel, 'It is I who anointed you king over Israel and it is I who delivered you from the hand of Saul.

8I gave you your master's house, and put your master's wives into your arms. I also gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all that somehow seems insignificant, I would have given you so much more as well!

8I also gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your care, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added to you many more things like these!

9Why have you shown contempt for the word of the LORD by doing evil in my sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and you have taken his wife as your own! You have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.

9'Why have you despised the word of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon.

10So now the sword will never depart from your house. For you have despised me by taking the wife of Uriah the Hittite as your own!'

10'Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.'

11This is what the LORD says: 'I am about to bring disaster on you from inside your own household! Right before your eyes I will take your wives and hand them over to your companion. He will have sexual relations with your wives in broad daylight!

11"Thus says the LORD, 'Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight.

12Although you have acted in secret, I will do this thing before all Israel, and in broad daylight.'"

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

13Then David exclaimed to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD!" Nathan replied to David, "Yes, and the LORD has forgiven your sin. You are not going to die.

13Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has taken away your sin; you shall not die.

14Nonetheless, because you have treated the LORD with such contempt in this matter, the son who has been born to you will certainly die."

14"However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die."

15Then Nathan went to his home. The LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David, and the child became very ill.

15So Nathan went to his house. Then the LORD struck the child that Uriah's widow bore to David, so that he was very sick.

16Then David prayed to God for the child and fasted. He would even go and spend the night lying on the ground.

16David therefore inquired of God for the child; and David fasted and went and lay all night on the ground.

17The elders of his house stood over him and tried to lift him from the ground, but he was unwilling, and refused to eat food with them.

17The elders of his household stood beside him in order to raise him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat food with them.

18On the seventh day the child died. But the servants of David were afraid to inform him that the child had died, for they said, "While the child was still alive he would not listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He will do himself harm!"

18Then it happened 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 still alive, we spoke to him and he did not listen to our voice. How then can we tell him that the child is dead, since he might do himself harm!"

19When David saw that his servants were whispering to one another, he realized that the child was dead. So David asked his servants, "Is the child dead?" They replied, "Yes, he's dead."

19But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; so David said to his servants, "Is the child dead?" And they said, "He is dead."

20So David got up from the ground, bathed, put on oil, and changed his clothes. He went to the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then, when he entered his palace, he requested that food be brought to him, and he ate.

20So David arose from the ground, washed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he came into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he came to his own house, and when he requested, they set food before him and he ate.

21His servants said to him, "What is this that you have done? While the child was still alive, you fasted and wept. Once the child was dead you got up and ate food!"

21Then his servants said to him, "What is this thing that you have done? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept; but when the child died, you arose and ate food."

22He replied, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept because I thought, 'Perhaps the LORD will show pity and the child will live.

22He said, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, 'Who knows, the LORD may be gracious to me, that the child may live.'

23But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Am I able to bring him back? I will go to him, but he cannot return to me!'"

23"But now he has died; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me."

24So David comforted his wife Bathsheba. He went to her and had marital relations with her. She gave birth to a son, and David named him Solomon. Now the LORD loved the child

24Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and went in to her and lay with her; and she gave birth to a son, and he named him Solomon. Now the LORD loved him

25and sent word through Nathan the prophet that he should be named Jedidiah for the LORD's sake.

25and sent word through Nathan the prophet, and he named him Jedidiah for the LORD'S sake.

26So Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal city.

26Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the sons of Ammon and captured the royal city.

27Joab then sent messengers to David, saying, "I have fought against Rabbah and have captured the water supply of the city.

27Joab sent messengers to David and said, "I have fought against Rabbah, I have even captured the city of waters.

28So now assemble the rest of the army and besiege the city and capture it. Otherwise I will capture the city and it will be named for me."

28"Now therefore, gather the rest of the people together and camp against the city and capture it, or I will capture the city myself and it will be named after me."

29So David assembled all the army and went to Rabbah and fought against it and captured it.

29So David gathered all the people and went to Rabbah, fought against it and captured it.

30He took the crown of their king from his head--it was gold, weighed about seventy-five pounds, and held a precious stone--and it was placed on David's head. He also took from the city a great deal of plunder.

30Then he took the crown of their king from his head; and its weight was a talent of gold, and in it was a precious stone; and it was placed on David's head. And he brought out the spoil of the city in great amounts.

31He removed the people who were in it and made them do hard labor with saws, iron picks, and iron axes, putting them to work at the brick kiln. This was his policy with all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem.

31He also brought out the people who were in it, and set them under saws, sharp iron instruments, and iron axes, and made them pass through the brickkiln. And thus he did to all the cities of the sons of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

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