^{1 Ref} Yahweh sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, "There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.

^{2 Ref} The rich man had very many flocks and herds,

^{3 Ref} but the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and raised. It grew up together with him, and with his children. It ate of his own food, drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was to him like a daughter.

^{4 Ref} A traveler came to the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man who had come to him, but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man who had come to him."

^{5 Ref} David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As Yahweh lives, the man who has done this is worthy to die!

^{6 Ref} He shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity!"

^{7 Ref} Nathan said to David, "You are the man. This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul.

^{8 Ref} I gave you your master's house, and your master's wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that would have been too little, I would have added to you many more such things.

^{9 Ref} Why have you despised the word of Yahweh, to do that which is evil in his sight? You have struck Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

^{10 Ref} Now therefore the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.'

^{11 Ref} This is what Yahweh says: 'Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes, and give them to your neighbor, and he will lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.

^{12 Ref} For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.'"

^{13 Ref} David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against Yahweh." Nathan said to David, "Yahweh also has put away your sin. You will not die.

^{14 Ref} However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to Yahweh's enemies to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die."

^{15 Ref} Nathan departed to his house. Yahweh struck the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and it was very sick.

^{16 Ref} David therefore begged God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night on the earth.

^{17 Ref} The elders of his house arose, [and stood] beside him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.

^{18 Ref} It happened on the seventh day, that the child died. 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 to him, and he didn't listen to our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead!

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

^{20 Ref} Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his clothing; and he came into the house of Yahweh, and worshiped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he ate.

^{21 Ref} Then said his servants to him, What thing is this that you have done? you did fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, you did rise and eat bread.

^{22 Ref} He said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who knows whether Yahweh will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?

^{23 Ref} But now he is dead, why should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.

^{24 Ref} David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her, and lay with her: and she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. Yahweh loved him;

^{25 Ref} and he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he named him Jedidiah, for Yahweh's sake.

^{26 Ref} Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city.

^{27 Ref} Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah; yes, I have taken the city of waters.

^{28 Ref} 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.

²⁹ David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it.

^{30 Ref} He took the crown of their king from off his head; and the weight of it was a talent of gold, and [in it were] precious stones; and it was set on David's head. He brought forth the spoil of the city, exceeding much.

^{31 Ref} He brought forth the people who were therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brick kiln: and thus did he to all the cities of the children of Ammon. David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

^{1 Ref} And Jehovah 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.

^{2 Ref} The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds;

^{3 Ref} 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 morsel, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.

^{4 Ref} 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.

^{5 Ref} And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As Jehovah liveth, the man that hath done this is worthy to die:

^{6 Ref} and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.

^{7 Ref} And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;

^{8 Ref} 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 have added unto thee such and such things.

^{9 Ref} Wherefore hast thou despised the word of Jehovah, to do that which is evil in his sight? thou hast smitten 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.

^{10 Ref} Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thy house, because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.

^{11 Ref} Thus saith Jehovah, 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.

^{12 Ref} For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.

^{13 Ref} And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against Jehovah. And Nathan said unto David, Jehovah also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

^{14 Ref} Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of Jehovah to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.

^{15 Ref} And Nathan departed unto his house. And Jehovah struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.

^{16 Ref} David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.

^{17 Ref} And the elders of his house arose, `and stood' beside him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.

^{18 Ref} 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 spake unto him, and he hearkened not unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead!

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

^{20 Ref} Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel; and he came into the house of Jehovah, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.

^{21 Ref} 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.

^{22 Ref} And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who knoweth whether Jehovah will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?

^{23 Ref} But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.

^{24 Ref} And David comforted Bath-sheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon. And Jehovah loved him;

^{25 Ref} and he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, for Jehovah's sake.

^{26 Ref} Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city.

^{27 Ref} And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah; yea, I have taken the city of waters.

^{28 Ref} 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.

²⁹ And David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it.

^{30 Ref} And he took the crown of their king from off his head; and the weight thereof was a talent of gold, and `in it were' precious stones; and it was set on David's head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city, exceeding much.

^{31 Ref} 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. And David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem.