2 Samuel, 12

1. The LORD sent Nathan to David, and when he came to him, he said: "Judge this case for me! In a certain town there were two men, one rich, the other poor.

1. Yahweh sent the prophet Nathan to David. He came to him and said: In the same town were two men, one rich, the other poor.

2. The rich man had flocks and herds in great numbers.

2. The rich man had flocks and herds in great abundance;

3. But the poor man had nothing at all except one little ewe lamb that he had bought. He nourished her, and she grew up with him and his children. She shared the little food he had and drank from his cup and slept in his bosom. She was like a daughter to him.

3. the poor man had nothing but a ewe lamb, only a single little one which he had bought. He fostered it and it grew up with him and his children, eating his bread, drinking from his cup, sleeping in his arms; it was like a daughter to him.

4. Now, the rich man received a visitor, but he would not take from his own flocks and herds to prepare a meal for the wayfarer who had come to him. Instead he took the poor man's ewe lamb and made a meal of it for his visitor."

4. When a traveller came to stay, the rich man would not take anything from his own flock or herd to provide for the wayfarer who had come to him. Instead, he stole the poor man's lamb and prepared that for his guest.

5. David grew very angry with that man and said to Nathan: "As the LORD lives, the man who has done this merits death!

5. David flew into a great rage with the man. 'As Yahweh lives,' he said to Nathan 'the man who did this deserves to die.

6. He shall restore the ewe lamb fourfold because he has done this and has had no pity."

6. For doing such a thing and for having shown no pity, he shall make fourfold restitution for the lamb.'

7. Then Nathan said to David: "You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'I anointed you king of Israel. I rescued you from the hand of Saul.

7. Nathan then said to David, 'You are the man! Yahweh, God of Israel, says this, "I anointed you king of Israel, I saved you from Saul's clutches,

8. I gave you your lord's house and your lord's wives for your own. I gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were not enough, I could count up for you still more.

8. I gave you your master's household and your master's wives into your arms, I gave you the House of Israel and the House of Judah; and, if this is still too little, I shall give you other things as well.

9. Why have you spurned the LORD and done evil in his sight? You have cut down Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you took his wife as your own, and him you killed with the sword of the Ammonites.

9. Why did you show contempt for Yahweh, by doing what displeases him? You put Uriah the Hittite to the sword, you took his wife to be your wife, causing his death by the sword of the Ammonites.

10. Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah to be your wife.'

10. For this, your household will never be free of the sword, since you showed contempt for me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite, to make her your wife."

11. Thus says the LORD: 'I will bring evil upon you out of your own house. I will take your wives while you live to see it, and will give them to your neighbor. He shall lie with your wives in broad daylight.

11. 'Yahweh says this, "Out of your own household I shall raise misfortune for you. Before your very eyes I shall take your wives and give them to your neighbour, who will lie with your wives in broad daylight.

12. You have done this deed in secret, but I will bring it about in the presence of all Israel, and with the sun looking down.'"

12. You have worked in secret, but I shall work this for all Israel to see, in broad daylight." '

13. Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan answered David: "The LORD on his part has forgiven your sin: you shall not die.

13. David said to Nathan, 'I have sinned against Yahweh.' Nathan then said to David, 'Yahweh, for his part, forgives your sin; you are not to die.

14. But since you have utterly spurned the LORD by this deed, the child born to you must surely die."

14. But, since you have outraged Yahweh by doing this, the child born to you will die.'

15. Then Nathan returned to his house. The LORD struck the child that the wife of Uriah had borne to David, and it became desperately ill.

15. And Nathan went home. Yahweh struck the child which Uriah's wife had borne to David and it fell gravely ill.

16. David besought God for the child. He kept a fast, retiring for the night to lie on the ground clothed in sackcloth.

16. David pleaded with Yahweh for the child; he kept a strict fast and went home and spent the night lying on the ground, covered with sacking.

17. The elders of his house stood beside him urging him to rise from the ground; but he would not, nor would he take food with them.

17. The officials of his household stood round him, intending to get him off the ground, but he refused, nor would he take food with them.

18. On the seventh day, the child died. David's servants, however, were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said: "When the child was alive, we spoke to him, but he would not listen to what we said. How can we tell him the child is dead? He may do some harm!"

18. On the seventh day the child died. David's retinue were afraid to tell him that the child was dead. 'Even when the child was alive', they thought, 'we reasoned with him and he would not listen to us. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He will do something desperate.'

19. But David noticed his servants whispering among themselves and realized that the child was dead. He asked his servants, "Is the child dead?" They replied, "Yes, he is."

19. David, however, noticed that his retinue were whispering among themselves, and realised that the child was dead. 'Is the child dead?' he asked the officers. They replied, 'He is dead.'

20. Rising from the ground, David washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes. Then he went to the house of the LORD and worshiped. He returned to his own house, where at his request food was set before him, and he ate.

20. David got off the ground, bathed and anointed himself and put on fresh clothes. Then he went into Yahweh's sanctuary and prostrated himself. On returning to his house, he asked to be served with food and ate it.

21. His servants said to him: "What is this you are doing? While the child was living, you fasted and wept and kept vigil; now that the child is dead, you rise and take food."

21. His retinue said, 'Why are you acting like this? When the child was alive, you fasted and wept; now that the child is dead, you get up and take food!'

22. He replied: "While the child was living, I fasted and wept, thinking, 'Perhaps the LORD will grant me the child's life.'

22. 'When the child was alive', he replied, 'I fasted and wept because I kept thinking, "Who knows? Perhaps Yahweh will take pity on me and the child will live."

23. But 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."

23. But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him but he cannot come back to me.'

24. Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba. He went and slept with her; and she conceived and bore him a son, who was named Solomon. The LORD loved him

24. David consoled his wife Bathsheba. He went to her and slept with her. She conceived and gave birth to a son, whom she called Solomon. Yahweh loved him

25. and sent the prophet Nathan to name him Jedidiah, on behalf of the LORD.

25. and made this known by means of the prophet Nathan, who named him Jedidiah, as Yahweh had instructed.

26. Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured this royal city.

26. Joab assaulted Rabbah-of-the-Ammonites and captured the royal town.

27. He sent messengers to David with the word: "I have fought against Rabbah and have taken the water-city.

27. He then sent messengers to tell David, 'I have assaulted Rabbah and captured the water supply.

28. Therefore, assemble the rest of the soldiers, join the siege against the city and capture it, lest it be I that capture the city and it be credited to me."

28. So now muster the rest of the army, lay siege to the town and take it, or I will take it and the town will be called after me!'

29. So David assembled the rest of the soldiers and went to Rabbah. When he had fought against it and captured it,

29. So David mustered the whole army and marched on Rabbah; he assaulted the town and captured it.

30. he took the crown from Milcom's head. It weighed a talent, of gold and precious stones; it was placed on David's head. He brought out immense booty from the city,

30. He took the crown off Milcom's head; it weighed one talent of gold, and in it was set a precious stone which went on David's head instead. He carried off great quantities of booty from the town.'

31. and also led away the inhabitants, whom he assigned to work with saws, iron picks, and iron axes, or put to work at the brickmold. This is what he did to all the Ammonite cities. David and all the soldiers then returned to Jerusalem.

31. And he expelled its inhabitants, setting them to work with saws, iron picks and iron axes, employing them at brickmaking. He treated all the Ammonite towns in the same way. David and the whole army returned to Jerusalem.