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Day 88 of 365

about 20 minutes

2 Samuel 8-12

2 Samuel Chapter 8

¹After this, David struck the Philistines and subdued them; and David took the bridle of the mother city out of the hand of the Philistines. ²He defeated Moab, and measured them with the line, making them to lie down on the ground; and he measured two lines to put to death, and one full line to keep alive. The Moabites became servants to David, and brought tribute. ³David also struck Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his dominion at the River. ⁴David took from him one thousand seven hundred horsemen and twenty thousand footmen. David hamstrung the chariot horses, but reserved enough of them for one hundred chariots. ⁵When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck twenty two thousand men of the Syrians. ⁶Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought tribute. The LORD gave victory to David wherever he went. ⁷David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. ⁸From Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze. ⁹When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had struck all the army of Hadadezer, ¹⁰then Toi sent Joram his son to King David to greet him and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and struck him; for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. Joram brought with him vessels of silver, vessels of gold, and vessels of bronze. ¹¹King David also dedicated these to the LORD, with the silver and gold that he dedicated of all the nations which he subdued— ¹²of Syria, of Moab, of the children of Ammon, of the Philistines, of Amalek, and of the plunder of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah. ¹³David earned a reputation when he returned from striking down eighteen thousand men of the Syrians in the Valley of Salt. ¹⁴He put garrisons in Edom. Throughout all Edom, he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became servants to David. The LORD gave victory to David wherever he went. ¹⁵David reigned over all Israel; and David executed justice and righteousness for all his people. ¹⁶Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder, ¹⁷Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, Seraiah was scribe, ¹⁸Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief ministers.

1: After this, David struck the Philistines and subdued them; and David took the bridle of the mother city out of the hand of the Philistines.

2: He defeated Moab, and measured them with the line, making them to lie down on the ground; and he measured two lines to put to death, and one full line to keep alive. The Moabites became servants to David, and brought tribute.

3: David also struck Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his dominion at the River.

4: David took from him one thousand seven hundred horsemen and twenty thousand footmen. David hamstrung the chariot horses, but reserved enough of them for one hundred chariots.

5: When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck twenty two thousand men of the Syrians.

6: Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought tribute. The LORD gave victory to David wherever he went.

7: David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.

8: From Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze.

9: When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had struck all the army of Hadadezer,

10: then Toi sent Joram his son to King David to greet him and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and struck him; for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. Joram brought with him vessels of silver, vessels of gold, and vessels of bronze.

11: King David also dedicated these to the LORD, with the silver and gold that he dedicated of all the nations which he subdued—

12: of Syria, of Moab, of the children of Ammon, of the Philistines, of Amalek, and of the plunder of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

13: David earned a reputation when he returned from striking down eighteen thousand men of the Syrians in the Valley of Salt.

14: He put garrisons in Edom. Throughout all Edom, he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became servants to David. The LORD gave victory to David wherever he went.

15: David reigned over all Israel; and David executed justice and righteousness for all his people.

16: Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder,

17: Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, Seraiah was scribe,

18: Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief ministers.

2 Samuel Chapter 9

¹David said, “Is there yet any who is left of Saul’s house, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” ²There was of Saul’s house a servant whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David; and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” He said, “I am your servant.” ³The king said, “Is there not yet any of Saul’s house, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “Jonathan still has a son, who is lame in his feet.” ⁴The king said to him, “Where is he?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar.” ⁵Then King David sent and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar. ⁶Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, fell on his face, and showed respect. David said, “Mephibosheth?” He answered, “Behold, your servant!” ⁷David said to him, “Don’t be afraid, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your father. You will eat bread at my table continually.” ⁸He bowed down, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look at such a dead dog as I am?” ⁹Then the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s son. ¹⁰Till the land for him—you, your sons, and your servants. Bring in the harvest, that your master’s son may have bread to eat; but Mephibosheth your master’s son will always eat bread at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. ¹¹Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so your servant will do.” So Mephibosheth ate at the king’s table like one of the king’s sons. ¹²Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. All who lived in Ziba’s house were servants to Mephibosheth. ¹³So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king’s table. He was lame in both his feet.

1: David said, “Is there yet any who is left of Saul’s house, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”

2: There was of Saul’s house a servant whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David; and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” He said, “I am your servant.”

3: The king said, “Is there not yet any of Saul’s house, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “Jonathan still has a son, who is lame in his feet.”

4: The king said to him, “Where is he?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar.”

5: Then King David sent and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar.

6: Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, fell on his face, and showed respect. David said, “Mephibosheth?” He answered, “Behold, your servant!”

7: David said to him, “Don’t be afraid, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your father. You will eat bread at my table continually.”

8: He bowed down, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look at such a dead dog as I am?”

9: Then the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s son.

10: Till the land for him—you, your sons, and your servants. Bring in the harvest, that your master’s son may have bread to eat; but Mephibosheth your master’s son will always eat bread at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

11: Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so your servant will do.” So Mephibosheth ate at the king’s table like one of the king’s sons.

12: Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. All who lived in Ziba’s house were servants to Mephibosheth.

13: So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king’s table. He was lame in both his feet.

2 Samuel Chapter 10

¹After this, the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place. ²David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent by his servants to comfort him concerning his father. David’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon. ³But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think that David honors your father, in that he has sent comforters to you? Hasn’t David sent his servants to you to search the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it?” ⁴So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away. ⁵When they told David this, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. The king said, “Wait at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return.” ⁶When the children of Ammon saw that they had become odious to David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth Rehob and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand footmen, and the king of Maacah with one thousand men, and the men of Tob twelve thousand men. ⁷When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men. ⁸The children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entrance of the gate. The Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the field. ⁹Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel and put them in array against the Syrians. ¹⁰The rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother; and he put them in array against the children of Ammon. ¹¹He said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come and help you. ¹²Be courageous, and let’s be strong for our people and for the cities of our God; and may the LORD do what seems good to him.” ¹³So Joab and the people who were with him came near to the battle against the Syrians, and they fled before him. ¹⁴When the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians had fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, and entered into the city. Then Joab returned from the children of Ammon and came to Jerusalem. ¹⁵When the Syrians saw that they were defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together. ¹⁶Hadadezer sent and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the River; and they came to Helam, with Shobach the captain of the army of Hadadezer at their head. ¹⁷David was told that; and he gathered all Israel together, passed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. The Syrians set themselves in array against David and fought with him. ¹⁸The Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed seven hundred charioteers of the Syrians and forty thousand horsemen, and struck Shobach the captain of their army, so that he died there. ¹⁹When all the kings who were servants to Hadadezer saw that they were defeated before Israel, they made peace with Israel and served them. So the Syrians were afraid to help the children of Ammon any more.

1: After this, the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place.

2: David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent by his servants to comfort him concerning his father. David’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.

3: But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think that David honors your father, in that he has sent comforters to you? Hasn’t David sent his servants to you to search the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it?”

4: So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.

5: When they told David this, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. The king said, “Wait at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return.”

6: When the children of Ammon saw that they had become odious to David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth Rehob and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand footmen, and the king of Maacah with one thousand men, and the men of Tob twelve thousand men.

7: When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men.

8: The children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entrance of the gate. The Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the field.

9: Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel and put them in array against the Syrians.

10: The rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother; and he put them in array against the children of Ammon.

11: He said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come and help you.

12: Be courageous, and let’s be strong for our people and for the cities of our God; and may the LORD do what seems good to him.”

13: So Joab and the people who were with him came near to the battle against the Syrians, and they fled before him.

14: When the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians had fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, and entered into the city. Then Joab returned from the children of Ammon and came to Jerusalem.

15: When the Syrians saw that they were defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together.

16: Hadadezer sent and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the River; and they came to Helam, with Shobach the captain of the army of Hadadezer at their head.

17: David was told that; and he gathered all Israel together, passed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. The Syrians set themselves in array against David and fought with him.

18: The Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed seven hundred charioteers of the Syrians and forty thousand horsemen, and struck Shobach the captain of their army, so that he died there.

19: When all the kings who were servants to Hadadezer saw that they were defeated before Israel, they made peace with Israel and served them. So the Syrians were afraid to help the children of Ammon any more.

2 Samuel Chapter 11

¹At the return of the year, at the time when kings go out, David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem. ²At evening, David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. From the roof, he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to look at. ³David sent and inquired after the woman. One said, “Isn’t this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, Uriah the Hittite’s wife?” ⁴David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in to him, and he lay with her (for she was purified from her uncleanness); and she returned to her house. ⁵The woman conceived; and she sent and told David, and said, “I am with child.” ⁶David sent to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” Joab sent Uriah to David. ⁷When Uriah had come to him, David asked him how Joab did, and how the people fared, and how the war prospered. ⁸David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” Uriah departed out of the king’s house, and a gift from the king was sent after him. ⁹But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and didn’t go down to his house. ¹⁰When they had told David, saying, “Uriah didn’t go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Haven’t you come from a journey? Why didn’t you go down to your house?” ¹¹Uriah said to David, “The ark, Israel, and Judah, are staying in tents; and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open field. Shall I then go into my house to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing!” ¹²David said to Uriah, “Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will let you depart.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next day. ¹³When David had called him, he ate and drank before him; and he made him drunk. At evening, he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but didn’t go down to his house. ¹⁴In the morning, David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. ¹⁵He wrote in the letter, saying, “Send Uriah to the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck and die.” ¹⁶When Joab kept watch on the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew that valiant men were. ¹⁷The men of the city went out and fought with Joab. Some of the people fell, even of David’s servants; and Uriah the Hittite died also. ¹⁸Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war; ¹⁹and he commanded the messenger, saying, “When you have finished telling all the things concerning the war to the king, ²⁰it shall be that, if the king’s wrath arise, and he asks you, ‘Why did you go so near to the city to fight? Didn’t you know that they would shoot from the wall? ²¹Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Didn’t a woman cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’ then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.’ ” ²²So the messenger went, and came and showed David all that Joab had sent him for. ²³The messenger said to David, “The men prevailed against us, and came out to us into the field; and we were on them even to the entrance of the gate. ²⁴The shooters shot at your servants from off the wall; and some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.” ²⁵Then David said to the messenger, “Tell Joab, ‘Don’t let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Make your battle stronger against the city, and overthrow it.’ Encourage him.” ²⁶When Uriah’s wife heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. ²⁷When the mourning was past, David sent and took her home to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

1: At the return of the year, at the time when kings go out, David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem.

2: At evening, David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. From the roof, he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to look at.

3: David sent and inquired after the woman. One said, “Isn’t this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, Uriah the Hittite’s wife?”

4: David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in to him, and he lay with her (for she was purified from her uncleanness); and she returned to her house.

5: The woman conceived; and she sent and told David, and said, “I am with child.”

6: David sent to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” Joab sent Uriah to David.

7: When Uriah had come to him, David asked him how Joab did, and how the people fared, and how the war prospered.

8: David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” Uriah departed out of the king’s house, and a gift from the king was sent after him.

9: But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and didn’t go down to his house.

10: When they had told David, saying, “Uriah didn’t go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Haven’t you come from a journey? Why didn’t you go down to your house?”

11: Uriah said to David, “The ark, Israel, and Judah, are staying in tents; and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open field. Shall I then go into my house to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing!”

12: David said to Uriah, “Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will let you depart.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next day.

13: When David had called him, he ate and drank before him; and he made him drunk. At evening, he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but didn’t go down to his house.

14: In the morning, David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

15: He wrote in the letter, saying, “Send Uriah to the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck and die.”

16: When Joab kept watch on the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew that valiant men were.

17: The men of the city went out and fought with Joab. Some of the people fell, even of David’s servants; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

18: Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war;

19: and he commanded the messenger, saying, “When you have finished telling all the things concerning the war to the king,

20: it shall be that, if the king’s wrath arise, and he asks you, ‘Why did you go so near to the city to fight? Didn’t you know that they would shoot from the wall?

21: Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Didn’t a woman cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’ then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.’ ”

22: So the messenger went, and came and showed David all that Joab had sent him for.

23: The messenger said to David, “The men prevailed against us, and came out to us into the field; and we were on them even to the entrance of the gate.

24: The shooters shot at your servants from off the wall; and some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.”

25: Then David said to the messenger, “Tell Joab, ‘Don’t let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Make your battle stronger against the city, and overthrow it.’ Encourage him.”

26: When Uriah’s wife heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.

27: When the mourning was past, David sent and took her home to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

2 Samuel Chapter 12

¹The LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, “There were two men in one city: the one rich, and the other poor. ²The rich man had very many flocks and herds, ³but the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and raised. It grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food, drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was like a daughter to him. ⁴A traveler came to the rich man, and he didn’t want to take of his own flock and of his own herd to prepare for the wayfaring man who had come to him, but took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” ⁵David’s anger burned hot against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die! ⁶He must restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and because he had no pity!” ⁷Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. ⁸I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that would have been too little, I would have added to you many more such things. ⁹Why have you despised the LORD’s word, to do that which is evil in his sight? You have struck Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. ¹⁰Now therefore the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken Uriah the Hittite’s wife to be your wife.’ ¹¹“This is what the LORD says: ‘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 will lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. ¹²For you did this secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.’ ” ¹³David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin. You will not die. ¹⁴However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the LORD’s enemies to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you will surely die.” ¹⁵Then Nathan departed to his house. The LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and he was very sick. ¹⁶David therefore begged God for the child; and David fasted, and went in and lay all night on the ground. ¹⁷The elders of his house arose beside him, to raise him up from the earth; but he would not, and he didn’t eat bread with them. ¹⁸On the seventh day, the child died. David’s servants 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 didn’t listen to our voice. How will he then harm himself if we tell him that the child is dead?” ¹⁹But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; and David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” They said, “He is dead.” ²⁰Then David arose from the earth, and washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothing; and he came into the LORD’s house, and worshiped. Then he came to his own house; and when he requested, they set bread 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 was dead, you rose up and ate bread.” ²²He said, “While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows whether the LORD will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ ²³But now 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.” ²⁴David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her, and lay with her. She bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. The LORD loved him; ²⁵and he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and he named him Jedidiah, for the LORD’s sake. ²⁶Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city. ²⁷Joab sent messengers to David, and said, “I have fought against Rabbah. Yes, I have taken the city of waters. 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 by my name.” ²⁹David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah, and fought against it and took it. ³⁰He took the crown of their king from off his head; and its weight was a talent of gold, and in it were precious stones; and it was set on David’s head. He brought a great quantity of plunder out of the city. ³¹He brought out the people who were in it, and put them to work under saws, under iron picks, under axes of iron, and made them go to the brick kiln; and he did so to all the cities of the children of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

1: The LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, “There were two men in one city: the one rich, and the other poor.

2: The rich man had very many flocks and herds,

3: but the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and raised. It grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food, drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was like a daughter to him.

4: A traveler came to the rich man, and he didn’t want to take of his own flock and of his own herd to prepare for the wayfaring man who had come to him, but took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”

5: David’s anger burned hot against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die!

6: He must restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and because he had no pity!”

7: Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul.

8: I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that would have been too little, I would have added to you many more such things.

9: Why have you despised the LORD’s word, to do that which is evil in his sight? You have struck Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

10: Now therefore the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken Uriah the Hittite’s wife to be your wife.’

11: “This is what the LORD says: ‘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 will lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.

12: For you did this secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.’ ”

13: David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin. You will not die.

14: However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the LORD’s enemies to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you will surely die.”

15: Then Nathan departed to his house. The LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and he was very sick.

16: David therefore begged God for the child; and David fasted, and went in and lay all night on the ground.

17: The elders of his house arose beside him, to raise him up from the earth; but he would not, and he didn’t eat bread with them.

18: On the seventh day, the child died. David’s servants 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 didn’t listen to our voice. How will he then harm himself if we tell him that the child is dead?”

19: But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; and David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” They said, “He is dead.”

20: Then David arose from the earth, and washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothing; and he came into the LORD’s house, and worshiped. Then he came to his own house; and when he requested, they set bread before him and he ate.

21: Then 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 was dead, you rose up and ate bread.”

22: He said, “While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows whether the LORD will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?’

23: But now 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.”

24: David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her, and lay with her. She bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. The LORD loved him;

25: and he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and he named him Jedidiah, for the LORD’s sake.

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

27: Joab sent messengers to David, and said, “I have fought against Rabbah. Yes, I have taken 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 by my name.”

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

30: He took the crown of their king from off his head; and its weight was a talent of gold, and in it were precious stones; and it was set on David’s head. He brought a great quantity of plunder out of the city.

31: He brought out the people who were in it, and put them to work under saws, under iron picks, under axes of iron, and made them go to the brick kiln; and he did so to all the cities of the children of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

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Scripture text: World English Bible, Catholic Edition (WEBC) — public domain

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