[[2 Samuel 11|<< 2 Samuel 11]] | [[2 Samuel|2 Samuel]] | [[2 Samuel 13|2 Samuel 13 >>]] ### 2 Samuel 12 1 AND the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. ^1 2 The rich _man_ had exceeding many flocks and herds: ^2 3 But the poor _man_ had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. ^3 4 And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. ^4 5 And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, _As_ the LORD lives, the man that has done this _thing_ shall surely die: ^5 6 And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. ^6 7 ¶ And Nathan said to David, Thou _art_ the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; ^7 8 And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if _that_ _had_ _been_ too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. ^8 9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife _to_ _be_ thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. ^9 10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. ^10 11 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give _them_ unto thy neighbor, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. ^11 12 For thou didst _it_ secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun. ^12 13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also has put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. ^13 14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also _that_ _is_ born unto thee shall surely die. ^14 15 ¶ And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bore unto David, and it was very sick. ^15 16 David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. ^16 17 And the elders of his house arose, _and_ _went_ to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them. ^17 18 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead? ^18 19 But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead. ^19 20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed _himself_, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat. ^20 21 Then said his servants unto him, What thing _is_ this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, _while_ _it_ _was_ alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. ^21 22 And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell _whether_ GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? ^22 23 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. ^23 24 ¶ And David comforted Bath-sheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him. ^24 25 And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD. ^25 26 ¶ And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city. ^26 27 And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and have taken the city of waters. ^27 28 Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and take it: lest I take the city, and it be called after my name. ^28 29 And David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it. ^29 30 And he took their king's crown from off his head, the weight whereof _was_ a talent of gold with the precious stones: and it was _set_ on David's head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city in great abundance. ^30 31 And he brought forth the people that _were_ therein, and put _them_ under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brickkiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem. ^31