| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1And the LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. | 1So the LORD sent Nathan to David. When he came to David, Nathan said, "There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor. |
| 2The rich man had very many flocks and herds, | 2The rich man had a great many flocks and herds. |
| 3but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him. | 3But the poor man had nothing except for a little lamb he had acquired. He raised it, and it grew up alongside him and his children. It used to eat his food, drink from his cup, and sleep in his arms. It was just like a daughter to him. |
| 4Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” | 4"When a traveler arrived at the rich man's home, he did not want to use one of his own sheep or cattle to feed the traveler who had come to visit him. Instead, he took the poor man's lamb and cooked it for the man who had come to visit him." |
| 5Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, | 5Then David became very angry at this man. He said to Nathan, "As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die! |
| 6and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.” | 6Because he committed this cold-hearted crime, he must pay for the lamb four times over!" |
| 7Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. | 7Nathan said to David, "You are that man! This is what the LORD God of Israel says: 'I chose you to be king over Israel and I rescued you from the hand of Saul. |
| 8And I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. | 8I gave you your master's house, and put your master's wives into your arms. I also gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all that somehow seems insignificant, I would have given you so much more as well! |
| 9Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. | 9Why have you shown contempt for the word of the LORD by doing evil in my sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and you have taken his wife as your own! You have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. |
| 10Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ | 10So now the sword will never depart from your house. For you have despised me by taking the wife of Uriah the Hittite as your own!' |
| 11Thus says the LORD, ‘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 shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. | 11This is what the LORD says: 'I am about to bring disaster on you from inside your own household! Right before your eyes I will take your wives and hand them over to your companion. He will have sexual relations with your wives in broad daylight! |
| 12For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.’” | 12Although you have acted in secret, I will do this thing before all Israel, and in broad daylight.'" |
| 13David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. | 13Then David exclaimed to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD!" Nathan replied to David, "Yes, and the LORD has forgiven your sin. You are not going to die. |
| 14Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the LORD, the child who is born to you shall die.” | 14Nonetheless, because you have treated the LORD with such contempt in this matter, the son who has been born to you will certainly die." |
| 15Then Nathan went to his house. And the LORD afflicted the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and he became sick. | 15Then Nathan went to his home. The LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David, and the child became very ill. |
| 16David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. | 16Then David prayed to God for the child and fasted. He would even go and spend the night lying on the ground. |
| 17And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground, but he would not, nor did he eat food with them. | 17The elders of his house stood over him and tried to lift him from the ground, but he was unwilling, and refused to eat food with them. |
| 18On the seventh day the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to us. How then can we say to him the child is dead? He may do himself some harm.” | 18On the seventh day the child died. But the servants of David were afraid to inform him that the child had died, for they said, "While the child was still alive he would not listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He will do himself harm!" |
| 19But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David understood that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” They said, “He is dead.” | 19When David saw that his servants were whispering to one another, he realized that the child was dead. So David asked his servants, "Is the child dead?" They replied, "Yes, he's dead." |
| 20Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. He then went to his own house. And when he asked, they set food before him, and he ate. | 20So David got up from the ground, bathed, put on oil, and changed his clothes. He went to the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then, when he entered his palace, he requested that food be brought to him, and he ate. |
| 21Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.” | 21His servants said to him, "What is this that you have done? While the child was still alive, you fasted and wept. Once the child was dead you got up and ate food!" |
| 22He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ | 22He replied, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept because I thought, 'Perhaps the LORD will show pity and the child will live. |
| 23But 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.” | 23But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Am I able to bring him back? I will go to him, but he cannot return to me!'" |
| 24Then David comforted his wife, Bathsheba, and went in to her and lay with her, and she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. And the LORD loved him | 24So David comforted his wife Bathsheba. He went to her and had marital relations with her. She gave birth to a son, and David named him Solomon. Now the LORD loved the child |
| 25and sent a message by Nathan the prophet. So he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD. | 25and sent word through Nathan the prophet that he should be named Jedidiah for the LORD's sake. |
| 26Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and took the royal city. | 26So Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal city. |
| 27And Joab sent messengers to David and said, “I have fought against Rabbah; moreover, I have taken the city of waters. | 27Joab then sent messengers to David, saying, "I have fought against Rabbah and have captured the water supply of the city. |
| 28Now then gather the rest of the people together and encamp against the city and take it, lest I take the city and it be called by my name.” | 28So now assemble the rest of the army and besiege the city and capture it. Otherwise I will capture the city and it will be named for me." |
| 29So David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah and fought against it and took it. | 29So David assembled all the army and went to Rabbah and fought against it and captured it. |
| 30And he took the crown of their king from his head. The weight of it was a talent of gold, and in it was a precious stone, and it was placed on David’s head. And he brought out the spoil of the city, a very great amount. | 30He took the crown of their king from his head--it was gold, weighed about seventy-five pounds, and held a precious stone--and it was placed on David's head. He also took from the city a great deal of plunder. |
| 31And he brought out the people who were in it and set them to labor with saws and iron picks and iron axes and made them toil at the brick kilns. And thus he did to all the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem. | 31He removed the people who were in it and made them do hard labor with saws, iron picks, and iron axes, putting them to work at the brick kiln. This was his policy with all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem. |
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