2 Samuel, 12

1. And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.

1. So Yahweh sent the prophet Nathan to David. Nathan went to the king and said to him, "There were two men in a city: one was rich; the other, poor.

2. The rich [man] had exceeding many flocks and herds:

2. The rich man had many sheep and cattle,

3. But the poor [man] had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.

3. but the poor man had only one little ewe lamb he had bought. He himself fed it and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and slept on his lap. It was like a daughter to him.

4. And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.

4. Now a traveler came to the rich man, but he would not take from his own flock or herd to prepare food for the traveler. Instead, he took the poor man's lamb and prepared that for his visitor."

5. And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, [As] the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this [thing] shall surely die:

5. David was furious because of this man and told Nathan, "As Yahweh lives, the man who has done this deserves death!

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

6. He must return the lamb fourfold for acting like this and showing no compassion."

7. And Nathan said to David, Thou [art] the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;

7. Nathan said to David, "You are this man! It is Yahweh, God of Israel, who speaks: 'I anointed you king over Israel and saved you from Saul's hands;

8. And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if [that had been] too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.

8. I gave you your master's house and your master's wives; I also gave you the nation of Israel and Judah. But if this were not enough, I would have given you even more.

9. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife [to be] thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

9. Why did you despise Yahweh by doing what displeases him? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife for yourself. Yes, you killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.

10. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.

10. Now the sword will never be far from your family because you have despised me and taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite for yourself.

11. Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give [them] unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.

11. Thus says Yahweh: Your misfortune will rise from your own house! I will take your wives from you and give them to your neighbor who shall lie with them in broad daylight.

12. For thou didst [it] secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.

12. What you did was done secretly, but what I do will be done before Israel in broad daylight."

13. And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

13. David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against Yahweh." Nathan answered him, "Yahweh has forgiven your sin; you shall not die.

14. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also [that is] born unto thee shall surely die.

14. However, because you have dared to despise Yahweh by doing such a thing, the child that is born to you shall die."

15. And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.

15. Then Nathan left and went to his house. Yahweh struck the child that Uriah's wife bore to David and it became sick.

16. David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.

16. David entreated God for the child; he kept a strict fast and lay on the ground the whole night.

17. And the elders of his house arose, [and went] to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.

17. The elders of his house asked him to rise from the ground but he refused. Nor did he join them to eat.

18. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?

18. On the seventh day, the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead for they said, "When the child was still alive, we spoke to him but he would not listen to us. What will he do if we tell him the child is dead?"

19. But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.

19. When David saw his servants whispering to one another, he realized that the child was dead and asked them, "Is the child dead?" They replied, "He is dead."

20. Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed [himself], and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.

20. Then David rose from the ground, washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes. He entered the house of Yahweh and worshiped. After that, he went to his own house, asked for food and ate.

21. Then said his servants unto him, What thing [is] this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, [while it was] alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.

21. Then his servants asked him, "Why are you acting like this? You fasted and wept for the child while it was alive; but after it died, you got up and took food."

22. And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell [whether] GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?

22. David answered, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept thinking: who knows? Perhaps Yahweh will be kind to me and let my child live.

23. But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.

23. But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back to life? I can go to him but he cannot return to me."

24. And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him.

24. David comforted his wife Bathsheba. He went in and slept with her and she bore a son whom he named Solomon. Yahweh loved him

25. And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD.

25. and made it known through Nathan the prophet, who named him Jedidiah on Yahweh's behalf.

26. And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city.

26. Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and conquered the king's city.

27. And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and have taken the city of waters.

27. Then he sent messengers to David and told him, "I have fought against Rabbah and conquered the city of waters.

28. Now 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.

28. Gather then the rest of the people to attack and capture the city lest I myself do it and the city be called by my name."

29. And David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it.

29. So David mustered the people, attacked and captured Rabbah.

30. And he took their king's crown from off his head, the weight whereof [was] a talent of gold with the precious stones: and it was [set] on David's head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city in great abundance.

30. He took the crown of their god Milkom from its head, the weight of which was a talent of gold, and which had a precious stone embedded in it. This they put on David's head. He carried off an amount of booty

31. And he brought forth the people that [were] therein, and put [them] under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brickkiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem.

31. and brought away the people whom he set to labor with saws, iron picks and iron axes, making them work at the brick-kilns. David dealt like this with all the Ammonite cities, then he returned to Jerusalem with all the people.