Nathan Rebukes David

12 And the Lord sent (A)Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, (B)“There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms,[a] and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, (C)“As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, and he shall restore the lamb (D)fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.”

Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, (E)‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. And I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. (F)Why have you despised the word of the Lord, (G)to do what is evil in his sight? (H)You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and (I)have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ 11 Thus says 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 neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For you did it secretly, (J)but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.’” 13 (K)David said to Nathan, (L)“I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, (M)“The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. 14 Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly (N)scorned the Lord,[b] the child who is born to you shall die.”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 12:3 Hebrew bosom; also verse 8
  2. 2 Samuel 12:14 Masoretic Text the enemies of the Lord; Dead Sea Scroll the word of the Lord

12 so the Lord sent Nathan to David.

Nathan’s Rebuke

Nathan[a] approached David[b] and said, “There are two men in the city. One is rich and one is poor. The rich man has many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing except for one little ewe lamb that he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It used to share his food and drink from his own cup. It even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him. A traveler arrived to visit the rich man. Because he was unwilling to take an animal from one of his own flocks or herds to prepare for the guest who had come to visit him, he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to visit him.”

David flew into a rage at the man and told Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die! He will restore the lamb four times its value, because he did this thing, and because he did it without compassion.”

But Nathan replied to David, “You are the man! This is what the Lord God of Israel says:

“‘I anointed you king—and you became king over Israel.

“‘I delivered you from Saul’s control.

“‘I gave you your former[c] master’s household.

“‘I placed your former[d] master’s wives right in your arms.

“‘I gave you[e] Israel and Judah.

“‘And if this had been too little, I would have added much more than that to you!

“‘Why did you despise what the Lord has promised by doing what is detestable in his sight?

“‘You struck down Uriah the Hittite with a battle sword.

“‘You took his wife to be your own.[f]

“‘You killed him with the sword of the Ammonite army.

10 “‘Therefore the sword will never leave your household, because you have despised me by taking the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’[g]

11 “This is what the Lord says:

“‘Listen very carefully!

“‘I’m raising up evil against you right out of your own household.

“‘I’m going to take your wives away from you right before your eyes.

“‘Then I’ll give them to your neighbor.

“‘And then he’s going to have sex with your wives in broad daylight!

12 “‘What you did in secret I’m going to do right in front of all Israel and in broad daylight as well!’”

13 At this point, David told Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”

Nathan responded to David, “There’s one other thing: the Lord has forgiven your sin.[h] You won’t die. 14 Nevertheless, because you have despised the Lord’s enemies with utter contempt,[i] the son born to you will most certainly die.”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 12:1 Lit. He
  2. 2 Samuel 12:1 Lit. him
  3. 2 Samuel 12:8 The Heb. lacks former
  4. 2 Samuel 12:8 The Heb. lacks former
  5. 2 Samuel 12:8 Lit. you the house of
  6. 2 Samuel 12:9 Lit. wife
  7. 2 Samuel 12:10 Lit. wife
  8. 2 Samuel 12:13 Or has caused your sin to go away; lit. has caused your sin to cross over eastward
  9. 2 Samuel 12:14 Or because you have given occasion for the Lord’s enemies to show contempt