| Berean Study Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Then the LORD sent Nathan to David, and when he arrived, he said, “There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor. | 1So the LORD sent Nathan to David. When he came to David, Nathan said, "There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor. |
| 2The rich man had a great number of sheep and cattle, | 2The rich man had a great many flocks and herds. |
| 3but the poor man had nothing except one small ewe lamb that he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food and drank from his cup; it slept in his arms and was like a daughter to him. | 3But the poor man had nothing except for a little lamb he had acquired. He raised it, and it grew up alongside him and his children. It used to eat his food, drink from his cup, and sleep in his arms. It was just like a daughter to him. |
| 4Now a traveler came to the rich man, who refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for his guest.” | 4"When a traveler arrived at the rich man's home, he did not want to use one of his own sheep or cattle to feed the traveler who had come to visit him. Instead, he took the poor man's lamb and cooked it for the man who had come to visit him." |
| 5David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan: “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die! | 5Then David became very angry at this man. He said to Nathan, "As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die! |
| 6Because he has done this thing and has shown no pity, he must pay for the lamb four times over.” | 6Because he committed this cold-hearted crime, he must pay for the lamb four times over!" |
| 7Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. | 7Nathan said to David, "You are that man! This is what the LORD God of Israel says: 'I chose you to be king over Israel and I rescued you from the hand of Saul. |
| 8I gave your master’s house to you and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah, and if that was not enough, I would have given you even more. | 8I gave you your master's house, and put your master's wives into your arms. I also gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all that somehow seems insignificant, I would have given you so much more as well! |
| 9Why then have you despised the command of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You put Uriah the Hittite to the sword and took his wife as your own, for you have slain him with the sword of the Ammonites. | 9Why have you shown contempt for the word of the LORD by doing evil in my sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and you have taken his wife as your own! You have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. |
| 10Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’ | 10So now the sword will never depart from your house. For you have despised me by taking the wife of Uriah the Hittite as your own!' |
| 11This is what the LORD says: ‘I will raise up adversity against you from your own house. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to another, and he will lie with them in broad daylight. | 11This is what the LORD says: 'I am about to bring disaster on you from inside your own household! Right before your eyes I will take your wives and hand them over to your companion. He will have sexual relations with your wives in broad daylight! |
| 12You have acted in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’ ” | 12Although you have acted in secret, I will do this thing before all Israel, and in broad daylight.'" |
| 13Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” “The LORD has taken away your sin,” Nathan replied. “You will not die. | 13Then David exclaimed to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD!" Nathan replied to David, "Yes, and the LORD has forgiven your sin. You are not going to die. |
| 14Nevertheless, because by this deed you have shown utter contempt for the word of the LORD, the son born to you will surely die.” | 14Nonetheless, because you have treated the LORD with such contempt in this matter, the son who has been born to you will certainly die." |
| 15After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became ill. | 15Then Nathan went to his home. The LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David, and the child became very ill. |
| 16David pleaded with God for the boy. He fasted and went into his house and spent the night lying in sackcloth on the ground. | 16Then David prayed to God for the child and fasted. He would even go and spend the night lying on the ground. |
| 17The elders of his household stood beside him to help him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat anything with them. | 17The elders of his house stood over him and tried to lift him from the ground, but he was unwilling, and refused to eat food with them. |
| 18On the seventh day the child died. But David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Look, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not listen to us. So how can we tell him the child is dead? He may even harm himself.” | 18On the seventh day the child died. But the servants of David were afraid to inform him that the child had died, for they said, "While the child was still alive he would not listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He will do himself harm!" |
| 19When David saw that his servants were whispering to one another, he perceived that the child was dead. So he asked his servants, “Is the child dead?” “He is dead,” they replied. | 19When David saw that his servants were whispering to one another, he realized that the child was dead. So David asked his servants, "Is the child dead?" They replied, "Yes, he's dead." |
| 20Then David got up from the ground, washed and anointed himself, changed his clothes, and went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they set food before him, and he ate. | 20So David got up from the ground, bathed, put on oil, and changed his clothes. He went to the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then, when he entered his palace, he requested that food be brought to him, and he ate. |
| 21“What is this you have done?” his servants asked. “While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but when he died, you got up and ate.” | 21His servants said to him, "What is this that you have done? While the child was still alive, you fasted and wept. Once the child was dead you got up and ate food!" |
| 22David answered, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let him live.’ | 22He replied, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept because I thought, 'Perhaps the LORD will show pity and the child will live. |
| 23But now that 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.” | 23But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Am I able to bring him back? I will go to him, but he cannot return to me!'" |
| 24Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and lay with her. So she gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. Now the LORD loved the child | 24So David comforted his wife Bathsheba. He went to her and had marital relations with her. She gave birth to a son, and David named him Solomon. Now the LORD loved the child |
| 25and sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah because the LORD loved him. | 25and sent word through Nathan the prophet that he should be named Jedidiah for the LORD's sake. |
| 26Meanwhile, Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal fortress. | 26So Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal city. |
| 27Then Joab sent messengers to David to say, “I have fought against Rabbah and have captured the water supply of the city. | 27Joab then sent messengers to David, saying, "I have fought against Rabbah and have captured the water supply of the city. |
| 28Now, therefore, assemble the rest of the troops, lay siege to the city, and capture it. Otherwise I will capture the city, and it will be named after me.” | 28So now assemble the rest of the army and besiege the city and capture it. Otherwise I will capture the city and it will be named for me." |
| 29So David assembled all the troops and went to Rabbah; and he fought against it and captured it. | 29So David assembled all the army and went to Rabbah and fought against it and captured it. |
| 30Then he took the crown from the head of their king. It weighed a talent of gold and was set with precious stones, and it was placed on David’s head. And David took a great amount of plunder from the city. | 30He took the crown of their king from his head--it was gold, weighed about seventy-five pounds, and held a precious stone--and it was placed on David's head. He also took from the city a great deal of plunder. |
| 31David brought out the people who were there and put them to work with saws, iron picks, and axes, and he made them work at the brick kilns. He did the same to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all his troops returned to Jerusalem. | 31He removed the people who were in it and made them do hard labor with saws, iron picks, and iron axes, putting them to work at the brick kiln. This was his policy with all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem. |
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