2 Samuel 12

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Yahweh sent the prophet Nathan to David. He came to him and said: In the same town were two men,one rich, the other poor.	1 The LORD sent Nathan to David, and when he came to him, he said: "Judge this case for me! In a certain town there were two men, one rich, the other poor.
2 The rich man had flocks and herds in great abundance;	2 The rich man had flocks and herds in great numbers.
3 the poor man had nothing but a ewe lamb, only a single little one which he had bought. He fostered itand it grew up with him and his children, eating his bread, drinking from his cup, sleeping in his arms; it was likea daughter to him.	3 But the poor man had nothing at all except one little ewe lamb that he had bought. He nourished her, and she grew up with him and his children. She shared the little food he had and drank from his cup and slept in his bosom. She was like a daughter to him.
4 When a traveller came to stay, the rich man would not take anything from his own flock or herd toprovide for the wayfarer who had come to him. Instead, he stole the poor man's lamb and prepared that for hisguest.	4 Now, the rich man received a visitor, but he would not take from his own flocks and herds to prepare a meal for the wayfarer who had come to him. Instead he took the poor man's ewe lamb and made a meal of it for his visitor."
5 David flew into a great rage with the man. 'As Yahweh lives,' he said to Nathan 'the man who did thisdeserves to die.	5 David grew very angry with that man and said to Nathan: "As the LORD lives, the man who has done this merits death!
6 For doing such a thing and for having shown no pity, he shal make fourfold restitution for the lamb.'	6 He shall restore the ewe lamb fourfold because he has done this and has had no pity."
7 Nathan then said to David, 'You are the man! Yahweh, God of Israel, says this, "I anointed you king ofIsrael, I saved you from Saul's clutches,	7 Then Nathan said to David: "You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'I anointed you king of Israel. I rescued you from the hand of Saul.
8 I gave you your master's household and your master's wives into your arms, I gave you the House ofIsrael and the House of Judah; and, if this is stil too little, I shal give you other things as wel .	8 I gave you your lord's house and your lord's wives for your own. I gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were not enough, I could count up for you still more.
9 Why did you show contempt for Yahweh, by doing what displeases him? You put Uriah the Hittite tothe sword, you took his wife to be your wife, causing his death by the sword of the Ammonites.	9 Why have you spurned the LORD and done evil in his sight? You have cut down Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you took his wife as your own, and him you killed with the sword of the Ammonites.
10 For this, your household wil never be free of the sword, since you showed contempt for me and tookthe wife of Uriah the Hittite, to make her your wife."	10 Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah to be your wife.'
11 'Yahweh says this, "Out of your own household I shal raise misfortune for you. Before your very eyesI shal take your wives and give them to your neighbour, who wil lie with your wives in broad daylight.	11 Thus says the LORD: 'I will bring evil upon you out of your own house. I will take your wives while you live to see it, and will give them to your neighbor. He shall lie with your wives in broad daylight.
12 You have worked in secret, but I shall work this for al Israel to see, in broad daylight." '	12 You have done this deed in secret, but I will bring it about in the presence of all Israel, and with the sun looking down.'"
13 David said to Nathan, 'I have sinned against Yahweh.' Nathan then said to David, 'Yahweh, for hispart, forgives your sin; you are not to die.	13 Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan answered David: "The LORD on his part has forgiven your sin: you shall not die.
14 But, since you have outraged Yahweh by doing this, the child born to you wil die.'	14 But since you have utterly spurned the LORD by this deed, the child born to you must surely die."
15 And Nathan went home. Yahweh struck the child which Uriah's wife had borne to David and it felgravely il .	15 Then Nathan returned to his house. The LORD struck the child that the wife of Uriah had borne to David, and it became desperately ill.
16 David pleaded with Yahweh for the child; he kept a strict fast and went home and spent the nightlying on the ground, covered with sacking.	16 David besought God for the child. He kept a fast, retiring for the night to lie on the ground clothed in sackcloth.
17 The officials of his household stood round him, intending to get him off the ground, but he refused,nor would he take food with them.	17 The elders of his house stood beside him urging him to rise from the ground; but he would not, nor would he take food with them.
18 On the seventh day the child died. David's retinue were afraid to tel him that the child was dead.'Even when the child was alive', they thought, 'we reasoned with him and he would not listen to us. How can wetel him that the child is dead? He wil do something desperate.'	18 On the seventh day, the child died. David's servants, however, were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said: "When the child was alive, we spoke to him, but he would not listen to what we said. How can we tell him the child is dead? He may do some harm!"
19 David, however, noticed that his retinue were whispering among themselves, and realised that thechild was dead. 'Is the child dead?' he asked the officers. They replied, 'He is dead.'	19 But David noticed his servants whispering among themselves and realized that the child was dead. He asked his servants, "Is the child dead?" They replied, "Yes, he is."
20 David got off the ground, bathed and anointed himself and put on fresh clothes. Then he went intoYahweh's sanctuary and prostrated himself. On returning to his house, he asked to be served with food and ateit.	20 Rising from the ground, David washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes. Then he went to the house of the LORD and worshiped. He returned to his own house, where at his request food was set before him, and he ate.
21 His retinue said, 'Why are you acting like this? When the child was alive, you fasted and wept; nowthat the child is dead, you get up and take food!'	21 His servants said to him: "What is this you are doing? While the child was living, you fasted and wept and kept vigil; now that the child is dead, you rise and take food."
22 'When the child was alive', he replied, 'I fasted and wept because I kept thinking, "Who knows?Perhaps Yahweh wil take pity on me and the child wil live."	22 He replied: "While the child was living, I fasted and wept, thinking, 'Perhaps the LORD will grant me the child's life.'
23 But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shal go to him but hecannot come back to me.'	23 But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me."
24 David consoled his wife Bathsheba. He went to her and slept with her. She conceived and gave birthto a son, whom she called Solomon. Yahweh loved him	24 Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba. He went and slept with her; and she conceived and bore him a son, who was named Solomon. The LORD loved him
25 and made this known by means of the prophet Nathan, who named him Jedidiah, as Yahweh hadinstructed.	25 and sent the prophet Nathan to name him Jedidiah, on behalf of the LORD.
26 Joab assaulted Rabbah-of-the-Ammonites and captured the royal town.	26 Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured this royal city.
27 He then sent messengers to tel David, 'I have assaulted Rabbah and captured the water supply.	27 He sent messengers to David with the word: "I have fought against Rabbah and have taken the water-city.
28 So now muster the rest of the army, lay siege to the town and take it, or I wil take it and the town wilbe cal ed after me!'	28 Therefore, assemble the rest of the soldiers, join the siege against the city and capture it, lest it be I that capture the city and it be credited to me."
29 So David mustered the whole army and marched on Rabbah; he assaulted the town and captured it.	29 So David assembled the rest of the soldiers and went to Rabbah. When he had fought against it and captured it,
30 He took the crown off Milcom's head; it weighed one talent of gold, and in it was set a precious stonewhich went on David's head instead. He carried off great quantities of booty from the town.'	30 he took the crown from Milcom's head. It weighed a talent, of gold and precious stones; it was placed on David's head. He brought out immense booty from the city,
31 And he expel ed its inhabitants, setting them to work with saws, iron picks and iron axes, employingthem at brickmaking. He treated all the Ammonite towns in the same way. David and the whole army returned toJerusalem.	31 and also led away the inhabitants, whom he assigned to work with saws, iron picks, and iron axes, or put to work at the brickmold. This is what he did to all the Ammonite cities. David and all the soldiers then returned to Jerusalem.