| Berean Study Bible | New International Version |
| 1Then the LORD sent Nathan to David, and when he arrived, he said, “There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor. | 1The LORD sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, "There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. |
| 2The rich man had a great number of sheep and cattle, | 2The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, |
| 3but the poor man had nothing except one small ewe lamb that he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food and drank from his cup; it slept in his arms and was like a daughter to him. | 3but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him. |
| 4Now a traveler came to the rich man, who refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for his guest.” | 4"Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him." |
| 5David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan: “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die! | 5David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, "As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this must die! |
| 6Because he has done this thing and has shown no pity, he must pay for the lamb four times over.” | 6He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity." |
| 7Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. | 7Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. |
| 8I gave your master’s house to you and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah, and if that was not enough, I would have given you even more. | 8I gave your master's house to you, and your master's wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. |
| 9Why then have you despised the command of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You put Uriah the Hittite to the sword and took his wife as your own, for you have slain him with the sword of the Ammonites. | 9Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. |
| 10Now, 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 own.’ | 10Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.' |
| 11This is what the LORD says: ‘I will raise up adversity against you from your own house. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to another, and he will lie with them in broad daylight. | 11"This is what the LORD says: 'Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. |
| 12You have acted in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’ ” | 12You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.'" |
| 13Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” “The LORD has taken away your sin,” Nathan replied. “You will not die. | 13Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan replied, "The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. |
| 14Nevertheless, because by this deed you have shown utter contempt for the word of the LORD, the son born to you will surely die.” | 14But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the LORD, the son born to you will die." |
| 15After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became ill. | 15After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David, and he became ill. |
| 16David pleaded with God for the boy. He fasted and went into his house and spent the night lying in sackcloth on the ground. | 16David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth on the ground. |
| 17The elders of his household stood beside him to help him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat anything with them. | 17The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them. |
| 18On the seventh day the child died. But David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Look, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not listen to us. So how can we tell him the child is dead? He may even harm himself.” | 18On the seventh day the child died. David's attendants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, "While the child was still living, he wouldn't listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we now tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate." |
| 19When David saw that his servants were whispering to one another, he perceived that the child was dead. So he asked his servants, “Is the child dead?” “He is dead,” they replied. | 19David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realized the child was dead. "Is the child dead?" he asked. "Yes," they replied, "he is dead." |
| 20Then David got up from the ground, washed and anointed himself, changed his clothes, and went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they set food before him, and he ate. | 20Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate. |
| 21“What is this you have done?” his servants asked. “While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but when he died, you got up and ate.” | 21His attendants asked him, "Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!" |
| 22David answered, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let him live.’ | 22He answered, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, 'Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.' |
| 23But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” | 23But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me." |
| 24Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and lay with her. So she gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. Now the LORD loved the child | 24Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and made love to her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The LORD loved him; |
| 25and sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah because the LORD loved him. | 25and because the LORD loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah. |
| 26Meanwhile, Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal fortress. | 26Meanwhile Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal citadel. |
| 27Then Joab sent messengers to David to say, “I have fought against Rabbah and have captured the water supply of the city. | 27Joab then sent messengers to David, saying, "I have fought against Rabbah and taken its water supply. |
| 28Now, therefore, assemble the rest of the troops, lay siege to the city, and capture it. Otherwise I will capture the city, and it will be named after me.” | 28Now muster the rest of the troops and besiege the city and capture it. Otherwise I will take the city, and it will be named after me." |
| 29So David assembled all the troops and went to Rabbah; and he fought against it and captured it. | 29So David mustered the entire army and went to Rabbah, and attacked and captured it. |
| 30Then he took the crown from the head of their king. It weighed a talent of gold and was set with precious stones, and it was placed on David’s head. And David took a great amount of plunder from the city. | 30David took the crown from their king's head, and it was placed on his own head. It weighed a talent of gold, and it was set with precious stones. David took a great quantity of plunder from the city |
| 31David brought out the people who were there and put them to work with saws, iron picks, and axes, and he made them work at the brick kilns. He did the same to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all his troops returned to Jerusalem. | 31and brought out the people who were there, consigning them to labor with saws and with iron picks and axes, and he made them work at brickmaking. David did this to all the Ammonite towns. Then he and his entire army returned to Jerusalem. |
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