And the LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, “There were two men in a certain town, the one rich and the other poor.

The rich man had very large flocks and herds.

But the poor man had nothing, except for one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he raised her and she grew up together with him and with his sons: it used to eat of his morsel, and used to drink from his cup, and used to lie in his bosom. It was like a daughter to him.

Now there came a traveller to the rich man, and he thought it a pity that he should take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the traveller who had come to him. So he took the poor man’s lamb, and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”

Then David’s anger was very strong against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD is the existing One, the man who has done this to that person deserves to die.

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

Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus said the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘I anointed you to be king over Israel, and I rescued you from the hand of Saul,

and I gave you your lord’s house, and your lord’s wives into your bosom, and I gave you the House of Israel and Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more.

Why then have you despised the word of the LORD to do what is evil before Me? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife. And you have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon,

And now the sword shall never depart from the people of your house, because you have rejected Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’

Thus said 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 neighbour, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.

Because you did it secretly, I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.’”

David said to Nathan, “I am guilty before the LORD.” And Nathan said to David, “The LORD on his part has put away your guilt; you shall not die.

Nevertheless, because by this thing you surely have opened the mouth of the enemies of the LORD’s people, also the son that is born to you shall surely die.

Then Nathan went to his house, and the LORD struck the boy that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and he became severely ill.

And David sought favour from before the LORD on behalf of the boy. David fasted, and he went in, and spent the night lying on the ground.

And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground; but he would not, nor did he eat bread with them.

On the seventh day the boy died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the boy was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the boy was yet alive, we spoke with him, and he did not accept anything from us. How then can we say to him the child is dead? He may do something evil.”

But when David saw that his servants were whispering, David perceived that the boy was dead. And David said to his servants, “The child is dead.” And they said, “He is dead.”

Then David arose from the ground, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his clothes. He went into the sanctuary of the LORD, and bowed down. He then went to his own house, and when he asked, they set food before him, and he ate.

Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing you have done? As long as the boy was alive, you fasted and wept; but when the boy died, you arose and ate bread.”

He said, “As long as the boy was alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows? Perhaps mercy will be shown over me from before the LORD that the boy may live.’

And now he is dead. Why then should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.”

Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and went in to her, and lay with her. And she bore a son, and she called his name Solomon. And the LORD loved him,

and sent a message by Nathan the prophet, and he called his name Jedidiah, by order of the LORD.

Now Joab waged war in Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, and he subdued the royal city.

And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, “I have fought in Rabbah; moreover, I have subdued the royal city.

And now, gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and subdue it, lest I subdue the city, and my name be called over it.”

So David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought in it, and subdued it.

And he took the crown of their king from his head – the weight of it was a talent of gold, and on it was a fine stone – and it was placed on David’s head. And he brought the booty of the city, a very great amount.

And he brought forth the people who were in it, andsawed them with saws and iron picks and iron axes, and he dragged them through the streets. And thus he would do to all the cities of the sons of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.