2 Samuel

2 Samuel 12

1Nathan's parable of the ewe lamb causeth David to pass sentence upon himself. 7Nathan applieth the parable to David; who humbleth himself, and is pardoned. 15The newborn child being stricken of God, David mourneth and prayeth for him while living, but taketh comfort after he is dead. 24Solomon is born, and named Jedidiah. 26Rabbah is taken by David, and the people thereof tortured.


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

a Ps. 51, title; 89.35. ch. 7.2-17; 14.14. Is. 57.17,18. b 1Ki. 20.35-41. ch. 14.4-20. Ju. 9.7-16. Is. 5.1-7. Mat. 13. Lu. 15.

2The rich man had cexceeding many flocks and herds:

c ch. 3.2-5; 5.13-16.

3But the poor man had nothing, *save done 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 1*meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.

*save-excepting.

1Heb. morsel.

*meat-food of any kind.

d ch. 11.3. Mi. 7.5. Pr. 5.19.

4And there came a etraveller 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 ftook the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.

*dress-prepare: the removal of an animal's inward parts in preparation for eating.

e Job 1.7. 1Pe. 5.8. Mat. 12.43. Ja. 1.14. f ch. 11.3,4.

5And gDavid's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing 2shall surely die:

2Or, is worthy to die. Heb. is a child of death. 1Sa. 26.16; 20.31. Ge. 20.3; 38.24.

g Ge. 38.24. Ga. 4.18. Ro. 10.2.

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

h Ex. 22.1. Lu. 19.8. Pr. 6.31.

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

i 1Sa. 13.13. Mat. 14.4. Lu. 19.26. Ro. 2.1. j 1Sa. 16.13; 18-26. ch. 2; 5; 7. Is. 5.4.

8And I gave thee kthy 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.

k ch. 3.7; 16.21. 1Ki. 2.22.

9Wherefore hast thou ldespised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? mthou 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.

l ch. 11.4,14. Ex. 20.13,14. Ps. 51.4,14. Nu. 15.31. m ch. 11.15-17,27.

10Now therefore nthe 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.

n Mat. 26.52; 7.2. Re. 13.10; 16.6. Ju. 1.7. ch. 13-21.

11Thus saith the LORD, Behold, oI 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.

o Am. 7.9; 3.2. De. 28.30. ch. 13-18; 16.22. Mat. 7.2. Ju. 1.7. Ps. 9.15,16. Pr. 1.31. Je. 2.17,19; 4.18; 5.25; 6.19.

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

13And pDavid said unto Nathan, qI have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, rThe LORD also hath 3put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

3Heb. caused to pass over.

p 1Sa. 15.24. q Ps. 51, title-16. ch. 24.10. Ac. 2.37. Lu. 15.21. Ps. 32.1,5. r 1Co. 11.32. Pr. 28.13. Ps. 32.1. Mi. 7.18. Zec. 3.4. Is. 44.22; 38.17. La. 3.32,33.

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

s Is. 52.5. Eze. 36.20,23. Ro. 2.24. Mat. 18.7. Ne. 5.9.

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

t Ge. 4.7. Am. 3.2. He. 12.6. Ex. 20.5. De. 5.9.

16David therefore ubesought God for the child; and David 4fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.

4Heb. fasted a fast.

u Je. 18.8; 50.4. Is. 26.16. v.22. ch. 13.31. Zec. 12.10,11. 1Pe. 5.6.

17And 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.

18And 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 5*vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?

5Heb. do hurt.

*vex-harm.

19But 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.

20Then David varose 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.

*apparel-clothing, garments.

*required-asked.

v Ru. 3.3. Job 1.20; 2.10.. Ps. 39.9; 119.67,71. Mi. 7.7-9.

21Then 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.

22And he said, wWhile 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?

w Jonah 3.6,9; 1.6. Joel 1.14; 2.12,13. Is. 38.1-5. Am. 5.15. Ps. 50.15. Ja. 4.9,10.

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

x Ge. 3.19. Job 30.23; 7.8-10; 14.10-12. He. 9.27.

24¶And David comforted Bath-sheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and yshe bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him.

y Mat. 1.6. 1Ch. 22.9; 3.5. Is. 9.6,7.

25And he sent by the hand of zNathan the prophet; and he called his name 6Jedidiah, because of the LORD.

6That is, Beloved of the LORD, Mat. 3.17; 17.5. Col. 1.13.

z ch. 7.1,2,4. v.1-15. 1Ki. 1.10-44.

26¶And aJoab bfought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city.

a 1Ch. 20.1. b ch. 11.1,17,25. Ps. 127.1,2.

27And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and 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 7it be called after my name.

7Heb. my name is called upon it.

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

30And he ctook 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 8in great abundance.

8Heb. very great.

c 1Ch. 20.2,3.

31And 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 dbrickkiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem.

*harrows-implements used for breaking up and levelling ploughed ground.

d 2Ki. 16.3; 23.10,11.