2 Samuel 12

Chapter 12

Nathan Rebukes David

1 So 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.2 The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle.3 The 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.

4 One 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.”
5 David was furious. “As surely as the LORD lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die!

6 He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.”
7 Then 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.8 I 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.9 Why, 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.

10 From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own.
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.

12 You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.”

David Confesses His Guilt

13 Then 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.

14 Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the LORDt by doing this, your child will die.”
15 After Nathan returned to his home, the LORD sent a deadly illness to the child of David and Uriah’s wife.16 David begged God to spare the child. He went without food and lay all night on the bare ground.

17 The elders of his household pleaded with him to get up and eat with them, but he refused.

18 Then 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?”

19 When David saw them whispering, he realized what had happened. “Is the child dead?” he asked.
“Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.”

20 Then David got up from the ground, washed himself, put on lotions,t 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.

21 His 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.”
22 David 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.’

23 But 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.”
24 Then David comforted Bathsheba, his wife, and slept with her. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and Davidt named him Solomon. The LORD loved the child

25 and sent word through Nathan the prophet that they should name him Jedidiah (which means “beloved of the LORD”), as the LORD had commanded.t

David Captures Rabbah

26 Meanwhile, Joab was fighting against Rabbah, the capital of Ammon, and he captured the royal fortifications.t27 Joab sent messengers to tell David, “I have fought against Rabbah and captured its water supply.t

28 Now bring the rest of the army and capture the city. Otherwise, I will capture it and get credit for the victory.”
29 So David gathered the rest of the army and went to Rabbah, and he fought against it and captured it.30 David removed the crown from the king’s head,t and it was placed on his own head. The crown was made of gold and set with gems, and it weighed seventy-five pounds.t David took a vast amount of plunder from the city.

31 He also made slaves of the people of Rabbah and forced them to labor witht saws, iron picks, and iron axes, and to work in the brick kilns.t That is how he dealt with the people of all the Ammonite towns. Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem.

2 SAMUEL 12

1  t and he sent Nathan the prophet to tell this story to David:
A rich man and a poor man lived in the same town. 2 The rich man owned a lot of sheep and cattle,

3 but the poor man had only one little lamb that he had bought and raised. The lamb became a pet for him and his children. He even let it eat from his plate and drink from his cup and sleep on his lap. The lamb was like one of his own children.

4 One day someone came to visit the rich man, but the rich man didn't want to kill any of his own sheep or cattle and serve it to the visitor. So he stole the poor man's lamb and served it instead.
5 David was furious with the rich man and said to Nathan, “I swear by the living [Lord] that the man who did this deserves to die!

6 And because he didn't have pity on the poor man, he will have to pay four times what the lamb was worth.”

7 Then Nathan told David:
You are that rich man! Now listen to what the [Lord] God of Israel says to you: “I chose you to be the king of Israel. I kept you safe from Saul 8 and even gave you his house and his wives. I let you rule Israel and Judah, and if that had not been enough, I would have given you much more.

9 Why did you disobey me and do such a horrible thing? You murdered Uriah the Hittite by letting the Ammonites kill him, so you could take his wife.
10 “Because you wouldn't obey me and took Uriah's wife for yourself, your family will never live in peace. 11 t Someone from your own family will cause you a lot of trouble, and I will take your wives and give them to another man before your very eyes. He will go to bed with them while everyone looks on.

12 What you did was in secret, but I will do this in the open for everyone in Israel to see.”

13-14 David said, “I have disobeyed the [Lord].”
“Yes, you have!” Nathan answered. “You showed you didn't care what the [Lord] wanted.t He has forgiven you, and you won't die. But your newborn son will.”

15 Then Nathan went back home.

David's Young Son Dies

17 His officials stood beside him and tried to talk him into getting up. But he would not get up or eat with them.

18 After the child had been sick for seven days, he died, but the officials were afraid to tell David. They said to each other, “Even when the boy was alive, David wouldn't listen to us. How can we tell him his son is dead? He might do something terrible!”

19 David noticed his servants whispering, and he knew the boy was dead. “Did my son die?” he asked his servants.
“Yes, he did,” they answered.

20 David got up off the floor; he took a bath, combed his hair, and dressed. He went into the [Lord]'s tent and worshiped, then he went back home. David asked for something to eat, and when his servants brought him some food, he ate it.

21 His officials said, “What are you doing? You went without eating and cried for your son while he was alive! But now that he's dead, you're up and eating.”

22 David answered:
While he was still alive, I went without food and cried because there was still hope. I said to myself, “Who knows? Maybe the [Lord] will have pity on me and let the child live.”

23 But now that he's dead, why should I go without eating? I can't bring him back! Someday I will join him in death, but he can't return to me.

Solomon Is Born

25 and sent Nathan the prophet to tell David, “The [Lord] will call him Jedidiah.”t

The End of the War //with Ammon

(1 Chronicles 20.1b-3)

27 and sent a messenger to tell David:
I have attacked Rabbah and captured the fortress guarding the city water supply.

28 Call the rest of the army together. Then surround the city, and capture it yourself. If you don't, everyone will remember that I captured the city.
29 David called the rest of the army together and attacked Rabbah. He captured the city 30 and took the crown from the statue of their god Milcom.t The crown was made of about 35 kilograms of gold, and there was a valuable jewel on it. David put the jewel on his own crown.t He also carried off everything else of value.

31 David made the people of Rabbah tear down the city wallst with iron picks and axes, and then he put them to work making bricks. He did the same thing with all the other Ammonite cities.
David went back to Jerusalem, and the people of Israel returned to their homes.