2 Samuel 12
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1The LORD sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, "There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor.1so the LORD sent Nathan to David. Nathan approached David and said, "There are two men in the city. One is rich and one is poor.
2The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle,2The rich man has many flocks and herds,
3but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.3but the poor man had nothing except for one little ewe lamb that he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It used to share his food and drink from his own cup. It even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.
4"Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him."4A traveler arrived to visit the rich man. Because he was unwilling to take an animal from one of his own flocks or herds to prepare for the guest who had come to visit him, he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to visit him."
5David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, "As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this must die!5David flew into a rage at the man and told Nathan, "As the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die!
6He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity."6He will restore the lamb four times its value, because he did this thing, and because he did it without compassion."
7Then 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 from the hand of Saul.7But Nathan replied to David, "You are the man! This is what the LORD God of Israel says: "'I anointed you king—and you became king over Israel. "'I delivered you from Saul's control.
8I gave your master's house to you, and your master's wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more.8"'I gave you your former master's household. "'I placed your former master's wives right in your arms. "'I gave you Israel and Judah. "'And if this had been too little, I would have added much more than that to you!
9Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.9"'Why did you despise what the LORD has promised by doing what is detestable in his sight? "'You struck down Uriah the Hittite with a battle sword. "'You took his wife to be your own. "'You killed him with the sword of the Ammonite army.
10Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.'10"'Therefore the sword will never leave your household, because you have despised me by taking the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.'
11"This is what the LORD says: 'Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight.11"This is what the LORD says: "'Listen very carefully! "'I'm raising up evil against you right out of your own household. "'I'm going to take your wives away from you right before your eyes. "'Then I'll give them to your neighbor. "'And then he's going to have sex with your wives in broad daylight!
12You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.'"12"'What you did in secret I'm going to do right in front of all Israel and in broad daylight as well!'"
13Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan replied, "The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.13At this point, David told Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan responded to David, "There's one other thing: the LORD has forgiven your sin. You won't die.
14But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the LORD, the son born to you will die."14Nevertheless, because you have despised the LORD's enemies with utter contempt, the son born to you will most certainly die."
15After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David, and he became ill.15Then Nathan went home. After this, the LORD afflicted the child that Uriah's wife had born to David, and the child became very ill.
16David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth on the ground.16David begged God on behalf of the youngster. He fasted, went inside, and spent the night lying on the ground.
17The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them.17His closest advisors at the palace got up, remained with him, and tried to help him get up from the ground, but he would not do so. He also wouldn't eat with them.
18On the seventh day the child died. David's attendants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, "While the child was still living, he wouldn't listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we now tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate."18A week later, the child died, and David's staff was afraid to tell him that the child had died. They were telling themselves, "Look, when the child was still alive, we talked to him but he wouldn't listen to what we said. Now what kind of trouble will he bring on himself if we tell him that the child has died?"
19David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realized the child was dead. "Is the child dead?" he asked. "Yes," they replied, "he is dead."19But as David observed his staff whispering together, he perceived that the child had died, so he asked his staff, "Is the child dead?" They replied, "He has died."
20Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.20At this, David got up from the ground, washed, anointed himself, changed his clothes, and went into the LORD's tent to worship. Then he went back to his palace where, at his request, they served him food and he ate.
21His attendants asked him, "Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!"21His staff asked him, "What's this about? When the child was alive, you fasted and cried. Now that the child has died, you get up and eat!"
22He answered, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, 'Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.'22He answered, "When the child was alive, I fasted and cried. I asked myself, 'Who knows? Maybe the LORD will show grace to me and the child will live.'
23But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me."23But now that he has died, what's the point of fasting? Can I bring him back again? I'll be going to be with him, but he won't be returning to me."
24Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and made love to her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The LORD loved him;24Then David consoled his wife Bathsheba. He went in and had sex with her, and she bore a son whom he named Solomon. The LORD loved him,
25and because the LORD loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah.25and sent a message written by Nathan the prophet to call his name Jedidiah, for the Lord's sake.
26Meanwhile Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal citadel.26Meanwhile, Joab attacked the Ammonite city of Rabbah and captured its stronghold.
27Joab then sent messengers to David, saying, "I have fought against Rabbah and taken its water supply.27Then Joab sent messengers to David to tell him, "I just attacked Rabbah and captured its municipal water supply,
28Now muster the rest of the troops and besiege the city and capture it. Otherwise I will take the city, and it will be named after me."28so call out the rest of the army, attack the city, and capture it. Otherwise, I'll take the city myself and name it after me."
29So David mustered the entire army and went to Rabbah, and attacked and captured it.29So David mustered his entire army and marched on Rabbah, attacked it, and captured it.
30David took the crown from their king's head, and it was placed on his own head. It weighed a talent of gold, and it was set with precious stones. David took a great quantity of plunder from the city30He confiscated the crown of their king from his head—it weighed one talent in gold and was set with precious stones—and it was placed on David's head. He confiscated a great amount of war booty that had been plundered from the city,
31and brought out the people who were there, consigning them to labor with saws and with iron picks and axes, and he made them work at brickmaking. David did this to all the Ammonite towns. Then he and his entire army returned to Jerusalem.31brought back the people who had lived in it, placing them under conscripted labor with saws, iron picks, and axes. He did this to every Ammonite city, and then David and his entire army returned to Jerusalem.
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2 Samuel 11
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