2 Samuel 12:1-12 ▼

1 AND the LORD sent Nathan the prophet to David. And he came to him and said to him, There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor.

2 The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds;

3 But the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb which he had bought; and it lived together with him and with his children; it did eat of his food and drink from his cup and lie in his bosom, and it was to him like a daughter.

4 And there came a guest to the rich man, and he refused to take of his own herds or flocks to make a banquet for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man's ewe lamb and prepared it for the guest who had come to him.

5 And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said, As the LORD lives, the man who has done this thing is worthy of death;

6 And he shall restore the ewe lamb fourfold because he did this thing and because he had no pity.

7 And Nathan said to David, You are the man. Thus says the LORD God of Israel, I anointed you king over my people Israel and I delivered you out of the hands of Saul,

8 And I gave you your master's daughters and your master's wives into your bosom, and I also gave you the daughters of Israel and of Judah; and if they were too few you should have told me, and I would have added to you twice that many.

9 Why have you despised the commandment of the LORD and have done that which is evil in the sight of the LORD? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have slain him with the sword of the Ammonites.

10 Now therefore the sword shall not depart from your house for ever; because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.

11 Thus 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 them in the broad daylight.

12 For you did it secretly; but I will do this thing in the sight of all Israel, in the daytime.