2 Samuel 12

Nathan Rebukes David

1And the Lord sent aNathan 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. 2The rich man had very many flocks and herds, 3but 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,
Hebrew bosom; also verse 8
and it was like a daughter to him.
4Now 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.” 5Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, d“As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, 6and he shall restore the lamb efourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.”

7Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, f‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. 8And 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. 9 gWhy have you despised the word of the Lord, hto do what is evil in his sight? iYou have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and jhave taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10Now 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.’ 11Thus 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. 12For you did it secretly, kbut I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.’” 13 lDavid said to Nathan, m“I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, n“The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. 14Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly oscorned the Lord,
Masoretic Text  the enemies of the Lord; Dead Sea Scroll  the word of the Lord
the child who is born to you shall die.”
15Then Nathan went to his house.

David’s Child Dies

And the Lord afflicted the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and he became sick.
16David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David qfasted and went in rand lay all night on the ground. 17And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground, but he would not, nor did he eat food with them. 18On the seventh day the child died. And the servants of David 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 did not listen to us. How then can we say to him the child is dead? He may do himself some harm.” 19But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David understood that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” They said, “He is dead.” 20Then David arose from the earth sand washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went into the house of the Lord tand worshiped. He then went to his own house. And when he asked, they set food before him, and he ate. 21Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.” 22He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, uWho knows whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ 23But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, vbut he will not return to me.”

Solomon’s Birth

24Then David comforted his wife, Bathsheba, and went in to her and lay with her, and wshe bore a son, and he called his name xSolomon. And the Lord loved him 25and sent a message by Nathan the prophet. So he called his name Jedidiah,
 Jedidiah means beloved of the Lord
because of the Lord.

Rabbah Is Captured

26 zNow Joab aafought against abRabbah of the Ammonites and took the royal city. 27And Joab sent messengers to David and said, “I have fought against Rabbah; moreover, I have taken the city of waters. 28Now then 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.” 29So David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah and fought against it and took it. 30And he took the crown of their king from his head. The weight of it was a talent
A  talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms
of gold, and in it was a precious stone, and it was placed on David’s head. And he brought out the spoil of the city, a very great amount.
31And he brought out the people who were in it and set them to labor with saws and iron picks and iron axes and made them toil at
Hebrew pass through
the brick kilns. And thus he did to all the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 13

Amnon and Tamar

1Now aeAbsalom, David’s son, had a beautiful sister, whose name was afTamar. And after a time Amnon, David’s son, loved her. 2And Amnon was so tormented that he made himself ill because of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her. 3But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of agShimeah, David’s brother. And Jonadab was a very crafty man. 4And he said to him, “O son of the king, why are you so haggard morning after morning? Will you not tell me?” Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.” 5Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Let my sister Tamar come and give me bread to eat, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’” 6So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. And when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come and ahmake a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.”

7Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Go to your brother Amnon’s house and prepare food for him.” 8So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, where he was lying down. And she took dough and kneaded it and made cakes in his sight and baked the cakes. 9And she took the pan and emptied it out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, aiSend out everyone from me.” So everyone went out from him. 10Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the chamber, that I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. 11But when she brought them near him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.” 12She answered him, “No, my brother, do not violate
Or humiliate; also verses 14, 22, 32
me, for aksuch a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this aloutrageous thing.
13As for me, where could I carry my shame? And as for you, you would be as one of amthe outrageous fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.” 14But he would not listen to her, and being stronger than she, he violated her and lay with her.

15Then Amnon hated her with very great hatred, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Get up! Go!” 16But she said to him, “No, my brother, for this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other that you did to me.”
Compare Septuagint, Vulgate; the meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
But he would not listen to her.
17He called the young man who served him and said, “Put this woman out of my presence and bolt the door after her.” 18Now she was wearing aoa long robe
Or  a robe of many colors (compare Genesis 37:3); also verse 19
with sleeves, for thus were the virgin daughters of the king dressed. So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her.
19And Tamar aqput ashes on her head and artore the long robe that she wore. And asshe laid her hand on her head and went away, crying aloud as she went.

20And her brother Absalom said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? Now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother; do not take this to heart.” So Tamar lived, a desolate woman, in her brother Absalom’s house. 21When King David heard of all these things, he was very angry.
Dead Sea Scroll, Septuagint add But he would not punish his son Amnon, because he loved him, since he was his firstborn
22But Absalom spoke to Amnon auneither good nor bad, for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had violated his sister Tamar.

Absalom Murders Amnon

23After two full years Absalom had avsheepshearers at Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons. 24And Absalom came to the king and said, “Behold, your servant has sheepshearers. Please let the king and his servants go with your servant.” 25But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to you.” He pressed him, but he would not go but gave him his blessing. 26Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.” And the king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” 27But Absalom pressed him until he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him. 28Then Absalom commanded his servants, “Mark when Amnon’s awheart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then kill him. Do not fear; have I not commanded you? Be courageous and be valiant.” 29So the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and each mounted his mule and fled.

30While they were on the way, news came to David, “Absalom has struck down all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left.” 31Then the king arose and axtore his garments and aylay on the earth. And all his servants who were standing by tore their garments. 32But azJonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, said, “Let not my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men, the king’s sons, for Amnon alone is dead. For by the command of Absalom this has been determined from the day he violated his sister Tamar. 33Now therefore let not my lord the king so batake it to heart as to suppose that all the king’s sons are dead, for Amnon alone is dead.”

Absalom Flees to Geshur

34 bbBut Absalom fled. And the young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, many people were coming from the road behind him
Septuagint  the Horonaim Road
by the side of the mountain.
35And Jonadab said to the king, “Behold, the king’s sons have come; as your servant said, so it has come about.” 36And as soon as he had finished speaking, behold, the king’s sons came and lifted up their voice and wept. And the king also and all his servants wept very bitterly.

37 bdBut Absalom fled and went to beTalmai the son of Ammihud, king of bfGeshur. And David mourned for his son day after day. 38 bgSo Absalom fled and went to Geshur, and was there three years. 39And the spirit of the king
Dead Sea Scroll, Septuagint; Hebrew David
longed to go out
Compare Vulgate ceased to go out
to Absalom, because bjhe was comforted about Amnon, since he was dead.

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