| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Then the LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him: “There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor. | 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. |
| 2The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds. | 2The rich man had a great number of sheep and cattle, |
| 3But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him. | 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. |
| 4And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come 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.” |
| 5So David’s anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this shall surely die! | 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! |
| 6And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity.” | 6Because he has done this thing and has shown no pity, he must pay for the lamb four times over.” |
| 7Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. | 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. |
| 8I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more! | 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. |
| 9Why have you despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon. | 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. |
| 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.’ | 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.’ |
| 11Thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from 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 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. |
| 12For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun.’ ” | 12You have acted in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’ ” |
| 13So David 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 said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” “The LORD has taken away your sin,” Nathan replied. “You will not die. |
| 14However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely 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.” |
| 15Then Nathan departed to his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it 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 therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. | 16David pleaded with God for the boy. He fasted and went into his house and spent the night lying in sackcloth on the ground. |
| 17So the elders of his house arose and went to him, to raise him up from the ground. But he would not, nor did he eat food with them. | 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. |
| 18Then on the seventh day it came to pass that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead. For they said, “Indeed, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not heed our voice. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He may do some harm!” | 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.” |
| 19When David saw that his servants were whispering, David perceived that the child was dead. Therefore David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” And they said, “He is dead.” | 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. |
| 20So David arose from the ground, washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house; and when he requested, they set food before him, and he ate. | 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. |
| 21Then his servants said to him, “What is this 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.” | 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.” |
| 22And he said, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who can tell whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ | 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.’ |
| 23But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.” | 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.” |
| 24Then David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her and lay with her. So she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. Now the LORD loved him, | 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 |
| 25and He sent word by the hand of Nathan the prophet: So he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD. | 25and sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah because the LORD loved him. |
| 26Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the people of Ammon, and took the royal city. | 26Meanwhile, Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal fortress. |
| 27And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, “I have fought against Rabbah, and I have taken the city’s water supply. | 27Then Joab sent messengers to David to say, “I have fought against Rabbah and have captured the water supply of the city. |
| 28Now 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.” | 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.” |
| 29So David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah, fought against it, and took it. | 29So David assembled all the troops and went to Rabbah; and he fought against it and captured it. |
| 30Then he took their king’s crown from his head. Its weight was a talent of gold, with precious stones. And it was set on David’s head. Also he brought out the spoil of the city in great abundance. | 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. |
| 31And he brought out the people who were in it, and put them to work with saws and iron picks and iron axes, and made them cross over to the brick works. So he did to all the cities of the people of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem. | 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. |
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