2 Samuel 12

David's Anger and Judgment 2 Samuel 12:5–10

⁵Verse 5. David’s anger burned hot against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As Yahweh lives, the man who has done this deserves to die! ⁶Verse 6. He must restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity!” ⁷Verse 7. Nathan said to David, “You are the man. This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. ⁸Verse 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.

⁹Verse 9. Why have you despised Yahweh’s word, to do that which is evil in his sight? You have struck Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. ¹⁰Verse 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.’

God's Judgment Declared 2 Samuel 12:11–14

¹¹Verse 11. “This is what Yahweh 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. ¹²Verse 12. For you did this secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.’” ¹³Verse 13. David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against Yahweh.” Nathan said to David, “Yahweh also has put away your sin. You will not die. ¹⁴Verse 14. However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to Yahweh’s enemies to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you will surely die.”

David's Mourning for the Child 2 Samuel 12:15–20

¹⁵Verse 15. Nathan departed to his house. Yahweh struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it was very sick. ¹⁶Verse 16. David therefore begged God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night on the ground. ¹⁷Verse 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. ¹⁸Verse 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?”

¹⁹Verse 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.” ²⁰Verse 20. Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his clothing; and he came into Yahweh’s house, and worshiped. Then he came to his own house; and when he requested, they set bread before him, and he ate.

David's Response to Grief 2 Samuel 12:21–23

²¹Verse 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.” ²²Verse 22. He said, “While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows whether Yahweh will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ ²³Verse 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.”

Birth of Solomon and God's Favor 2 Samuel 12:24–25

²⁴Verse 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. Yahweh loved him; ²⁵Verse 25. and he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and he named him Jedidiah, for Yahweh’s sake.

Joab's Victory and David's Leadership 2 Samuel 12:26–31

²⁶Verse 26. Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city. ²⁷Verse 27. Joab sent messengers to David, and said, “I have fought against Rabbah. Yes, I have taken the city of waters. ²⁸Verse 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.” ²⁹Verse 29. David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it. ³⁰Verse 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.

³¹Verse 31. He brought out the people who were in it, and put them under saws, under iron picks, under axes of iron, and made them pass through 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.