^{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.