Dual Panel1So the Lord <03068> sent <07971> Nathan <05416> to <0413> David <01732>. When he came <0935> to <0413> David, Nathan said <0559>, “There were <01961> two <08147> men <0582> in a certain <0259> city <05892>, one <0259> rich <06223> and the other <0259> poor <07326>.
2The rich man <06223> had <01961> a great <03966> many <07235> flocks <06629> and herds <01241>.
3But the poor man <07326> had nothing <03605> <0369> except for <0518> a little <06996> lamb <03535> he had acquired <07069>. He raised <02421> it, and it grew up <01431> alongside <03162> him and his children <01121>. It used to eat <0398> his food <06595>, drink <08354> from his cup <03563>, and sleep <07901> in his arms <02436>. It was <01961> just like a daughter <01323> to him.
4“When <0935> a traveler <01982> arrived at the rich <06223> man’s <0376> home, he did not want <02550> to use <03947> one of his own sheep <06629> or cattle <01241> to feed <06213> the traveler <0732> who had come <0935> to visit him. Instead, he took <03947> the poor <07326> man’s <0376> lamb <03535> and cooked <06213> it for the man <0376> who had come <0935> to <0413> visit him.”
5Then David <01732> became very <03966> angry <0639> <02734> at this man <0376>. He said <0559> to <0413> Nathan <05416>, “As surely <02416> as the Lord <03068> lives, the man <0376> who did <06213> this <02063> deserves to die <04194>!
6Because <06118> he committed <06213> this <02088> cold-hearted <02550> <03808> crime <01697>, he must pay <07999> for the lamb <03535> four times over <0706>!”
7Nathan <05416> said <0559> to <0413> David <01732>, “You <0859> are that man <0376>! This is what <03541> the Lord <03068> God <0430> of Israel <03478> says <0559>: ‘I <0595> chose <04886> you to be king <04428> over <05921> Israel <03478> and I <0595> rescued <05337> you from the hand <03027> of Saul <07586>.
8I gave <05414> you your master’s <0113> house <01004>, and put your master’s <0113> wives <0802> into your arms <02436>. I also gave <05414> you the house <01004> of Israel <03478> and Judah <03063>. And if <0518> all that somehow seems insignificant <04592>, I would have given <03254> you so much <03254> more as well!
9Why <04069> have you shown contempt <0959> for the word <01697> of the Lord <03068> by doing <06213> evil <07451> in my sight <05869>? You have struck down <05221> Uriah <0223> the Hittite <02850> with the sword <02719> and you have taken <03947> his wife <0802> as your own! You have killed <02026> him with the sword <02719> of the Ammonites <05983> <01121>.
10So now <06258> the sword <02719> will never <05769> <03808> depart <05493> from <05704> your house <01004>. For <03588> <06118> you have despised <0959> me by taking <03947> the wife <0802> of Uriah <0223> the Hittite <02850> as your own!’
11This is what <03541> the Lord <03068> says <0559>: ‘I am about to bring <06965> disaster <07451> on <05921> you from inside your own household <01004>! Right before your eyes <05869> I will take <03947> your wives <0802> and hand <05414> them over <05414> to your companion <07453>. He will have sexual relations <07901> with <05973> your wives <0802> in broad daylight <02063> <08121> <05869>!
12Although <03588> you <0859> have acted <06213> in secret <05643>, I <0589> will do <06213> this <02088> thing <01697> before <05048> all <03605> Israel <03478>, and in broad daylight <00> <08121> <05048>.’”
13Then David <01732> exclaimed <0559> to <0413> Nathan <05416>, “I have sinned <02398> against the Lord <03068>!” Nathan <05416> replied <0559> to <0413> David <01732>, “Yes, and <01571> the Lord <03068> has forgiven <05674> your sin <02403>. You are not <03808> going to die <04191>.
14Nonetheless <0657>, because <03588> you have treated <05006> <05006> the Lord <03068> with such contempt <05006> <05006> in this <02088> matter <01697>, the son <01121> who has been born <03209> to you will certainly die <04191> <04191>.”
15Then Nathan <05416> went <01980> to <0413> his home <01004>. The Lord <03068> struck <05062> the child <03206> that <0834> Uriah’s <0223> wife <0802> had borne <03205> to David <01732>, and the child became very ill <0605>.
16Then David <01732> prayed <01245> to God <0430> for <01157> the child <05288> and fasted <06685> <06684>. He <01732> would even go <0935> and spend the night <03885> lying <07901> on the ground <0776>.
17The elders <02205> of his house <01004> stood <06965> over <05921> him and tried to lift <06965> him from <04480> the ground <0776>, but he was unwilling <014> <03808>, and refused to eat food <03899> with <0854> them.
18On the seventh <07637> day <03117> the child <03206> died <04191>. But the servants <05650> of David <01732> were afraid <03372> to inform <05046> him that <03588> the child <03206> had died <04191>, for <03588> they said <0559>, “While <02009> the child <03206> was still alive <02416> he would not <03808> listen <08085> to <0413> us <06963> when we spoke to him. How <0349> can we tell <0559> him that the child <03206> is dead <04191>? He will do <06213> himself harm <07451>!”
19When David <01732> saw <07200> that <03588> his servants <05650> were whispering <03907> to one another, he <01732> realized <0995> that <03588> the child <03206> was dead <04191>. So David <01732> asked <0559> his servants <05650>, “Is the child <03206> dead <04191>?” They replied <0559>, “Yes, he’s dead <04191>.”
20So David <01732> got up <06965> from the ground <0776>, bathed <07364>, put on oil <05480>, and changed <02498> his clothes <08071>. He went <0935> to the house <01004> of the Lord <03068> and worshiped <07812>. Then, when he entered <0935> his palace <01004>, he requested <07592> that food <03899> be brought <07760> to <0413> him, and he ate <0398>.
21His servants <05650> said <0559> to <0413> him, “What <04100> is this <02088> that <0834> you have done <06213>? While <05668> the child <03206> was still alive <02416>, you fasted <06684> and wept <01058>. Once the child <03206> was dead <04191> you got up <06965> and ate <0398> food <03899>!”
22He replied <0559>, “While the child <03206> was still <05750> alive <02416>, I fasted <06684> and wept <01058> because <03588> I thought <0559>, ‘Perhaps <03045> <04310> the Lord <03068> will show pity <02603> and the child <03206> will live <02416>.
23But now <06258> he is dead <04191>. Why <04100> should I <0589> fast <06684>? Am I able <03201> to bring <07725> him back <07725>? I <0589> will go <01980> to <0413> him <01931>, but he cannot <03808> return <07725> to <0413> me!’”
24So David <01732> comforted <05162> his wife <0802> Bathsheba <01339>. He went <0935> to <0413> her and had marital relations <07901> with <05973> her. She gave birth <03205> to a son <01121>, and David named <08034> <07121> him Solomon <08010>. Now the Lord <03068> loved <0157> the child
25and sent <07971> word through <03027> Nathan <05416> the prophet <05030> that he should be named <08034> <07121> Jedidiah <03041> for <05668> the Lord’s <03068> sake <05668>.
26So Joab <03097> fought <03898> against Rabbah <07237> of the Ammonites <05983> <01121> and captured <03920> the royal <04410> city <05892>.
27Joab <03097> then sent <07971> messengers <04397> to <0413> David <01732>, saying <0559>, “I have fought <03898> against Rabbah <07237> and <01571> have captured <03920> the water <04325> supply of the city <05892>.
28So now <06258> assemble <0622> the <0853> rest <03499> of the army <05971> and besiege <02583> the city <05892> and capture <03920> it. Otherwise <06435> I <0589> will capture <03920> the city <05892> and it will be named <08034> <07121> for <05921> me.”
29So David <01732> assembled <0622> all <03605> the army <05971> and went <01980> to Rabbah <07237> and fought <03898> against it and captured <03920> it.
30He took <03947> the crown <05850> of their king <04428> from <05921> his head <07218>– it was gold <02091>, weighed <04948> about seventy-five pounds <03603>, and held a precious <03368> stone <068>– and it was <01961> placed on <05921> David’s <01732> head <07218>. He also took <03318> from the city <05892> a great <03966> deal <07235> of plunder <07998>.
31He removed <03318> the people <05971> who <0834> were in it and made <07760> them do hard labor with saws <04050>, iron <01270> picks <02757>, and iron <01270> axes <04037>, putting <05674> them to work <05674> at the brick kiln <04404>. This was <03651> his policy <06213> with all <03605> the Ammonite <05983> cities <05892>. Then David <01732> and all <03605> the army <05971> returned <07725> to Jerusalem <03389>.