1  And YHWH sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him: 'There were two men in one city: the one rich, and the other poor.

1  And the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to David; and he went in to him, and said to him, There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor.

1  Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And when he had come to him, he said to him: “Two men were in one city: one wealthy, and the other poor.

2  The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds;

2  And the rich man had very many flocks and herds.

2  The wealthy man had very many sheep and oxen.

3  but the poor man had nothing save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and reared; and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own morsel, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.

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

4  And a traveller came to the rich man, and he spared to take of his flocks and of his herds, to dress for the traveller that came to him; and he took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that came to him.

4  But when a certain traveler had come to the wealthy man, neglecting to take from his own sheep and oxen, so that he might present a feast for that traveler, who had come to him, he took the sheep of the poor man, and he prepared a meal for the man who had come to him.”

5  And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan: 'As YHWH liveth, the man that hath done this deserveth to die;

5  And David was greatly moved with anger against the man; and David said to Nathan, As the Lord lives, the man that did this thing shall surely die.

5  Then David’s indignation was enraged exceedingly against that man, and he said to Nathan: “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this is a son of death.

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

6  He shall restore the sheep fourfold, because he did this word, and he did not take pity.”

7  And Nathan said to David: 'Thou art the man. Thus saith YHWH, the God of Israel: I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;

7  But Nathan said to David: “You are that man. Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘I anointed you as king over Israel, and I rescued you from the hand of Saul.

8  and I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that were too little, then would I add unto thee so much more.

8  And I gave the house of your lord to you, and the wives of your lord into your bosom. And I gave the house of Israel and of Judah to you. And as if these things were small, I shall add much greater things to you.

8  And I gave you your master's daughters and your master's wives into your bosom, and I also gave you the daughters of Israel and of Judah; and if they were too few you should have told me, and I would have added to you twice that many.

9  Wherefore hast thou despised the word of YHWH, to do that which is evil in My sight? Uriah the Hittite thou hast smitten with the sword, and his wife thou hast taken to be thy wife, and him thou hast slain with the sword of the children of Ammon.

9  Therefore, why have you despised the word of the Lord, so that you did evil in my sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword. And you have taken his wife as a wife for yourself. And you have put him to death with the sword of the sons of Ammon.

9  Why have you despised the commandment of the LORD and have done that which is evil in the sight of the LORD? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have slain him with the sword of the Ammonites.

10  Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from thy house; because thou hast despised Me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.

10  For this reason, the sword shall not withdraw from your house, even perpetually, because you have despised me, and you have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite, so that she may be your wife.’

11  Thus saith YHWH: Behold, I 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.

11  And so, thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will raise up over you an evil from your own house. And I will take your wives away before your eyes, and I will give them to your neighbor. And he will sleep with your wives in the sight of this sun.

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 them in the broad daylight.

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

12  For you acted secretly. But I will do this word in the sight of all of Israel, and in the sight of the sun.’ ”

12  For you did it secretly; but I will do this thing in the sight of all Israel, in the daytime.

13  And David said unto Nathan: 'I have sinned against YHWH.' And Nathan said unto David: 'YHWH also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

13  And David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David: “The Lord has also taken away your sin. You shall not die.

14  Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast greatly blasphemed the enemies of YHWH, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.'

14  Only because thou hast given great occasion of provocation to the enemies of the Lord by this thing, thy son also that is born to thee shall surely die.

14  Yet truly, because you have given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, because of this word, the son who was born to you: dying he shall die.”

15  And Nathan departed unto his house. And YHWH struck the child that Uriah's wife bore unto David, and it was very sick.

15  And Nathan returned to his own house. And the Lord struck the little one, whom the wife of Uriah had borne to David, and he was despaired of.

15  Then Nathan went to his house. And the LORD struck the child that the wife of Uriah the Hittite bore to David, and it was very sick.

16  David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and as often as he went in, he lay all night upon the earth.

16  And David enquired of God concerning the child, and David fasted, and went in and lay all night upon the ground.

16  And David begged the Lord on behalf of the little one. And David fasted strictly, and entering alone, he lay upon the ground.

17  And the elders of his house arose, and stood beside him, to raise him up from the earth; but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.

17  Then the elders of his house came, urging him to rise up from the ground. And he was not willing, nor would he eat a meal with them.

18  And 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 spoke unto him, and he hearkened not unto our voice; how then shall we tell him that the child is dead, so that he do himself some harm?'

18  Then, on the seventh day, it happened that the infant died. And the servants of David were afraid to report to him that the little one had died. For they said: “Behold, when the child was still alive, we were speaking to him, but he would not listen to our voice. How much more will he afflict himself, if we tell him that the boy is dead?”

19  But when David saw that his servants whispered together, David perceived that the child was dead; and David said unto his servants: 'Is the child dead?' And they said: 'He is dead.'

19  And David understood that his servants were whispering, and David perceived that the child was dead: and David said to his servants, Is the child dead? and they said, He is dead.

20  Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel; and he came into the house of YHWH, and worshipped; then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.

20  Then David rose up from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his raiment, and went into the house of God, and worshipped him; and went into his own house, and called for bread to eat, and they set bread before him and he ate.

20  Therefore, David rose up from the ground. And he washed and anointed himself. And when he had changed his clothing, he entered the house of the Lord, and he worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and he asked them to place bread before him, and he ate.

21  Then 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.'

21  And his servants said to him, What is this thing that thou hast done concerning the child? while it was yet living thou didst fast, and weep, and watch: and when the child was dead thou didst rise up, and didst eat bread, and drink.

21  But his servants said to him: “What is this word that you have done? You fasted and were weeping, on behalf of the infant, while he was still alive. But when the boy was dead, you arose and ate bread.”

22  And he said: 'While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said: Who knoweth whether YHWH will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?

22  And David said, While the child yet lived, I fasted and wept; for I said, Who knows if the Lord will pity me, and the child live?

22  David said to them, While the child was still alive, I fasted and prayed; for I said, Who knows whether God will be gracious to me, and let the child live?

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

23  But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Would I be able to bring him back anymore? Instead, I will go to him. Yet truly, he will not return to me.”

24  And David comforted Bath-sheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her; and she bore a son, and called his name Solomon. And YHWH loved him;

25  and He sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and he called his name Jedidiah, for YHWH'S sake.

25  And he sent, by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and he called his name, Beloved of the Lord, because the Lord loved him.

25  Then he sent for Nathan the prophet; and he named the child Jedidah because the LORD loved him.

26  Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city.

26  And then Joab fought against Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, and he fought outside the royal city.

27  And Joab sent messengers to David, and said: 'I have fought against Rabbah, yea, I have taken the city of waters.

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 after my name.'

28  And now gather the rest of the people, and encamp against the city, and take it beforehand; lest I take the city first, and my name be called upon it.

28  Now therefore, gather the remaining portion of the people together, and besiege the city and take it. Otherwise, when the city will have been laid waste by me, the victory will be ascribed to my name.”

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

29  And so David gathered together all the people, and he set out against Rabbah. And after he had fought, he seized it.

30  And he took the crown of Malcam from off his head; and the weight thereof was a talent of gold, and in it were precious stones; and it was set on David's head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city, exceeding much.

31  And 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 brickkiln; and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem.

31  Also, bringing forth its people, he sawed them, and he drove over them with iron wagons, and he divided them with knives, and he dragged them through brick kilns. So he did to all the citizens of the sons of Ammon. And David returned, with the entire army, to Jerusalem.