2 Samuel 12

God Sends the Wake-up Call

1 The Lord sent Nathan to David. Nathan pulled up and told him a story: “There were two men in a town, one rich, one poor.”

2 “The rich man had a whole flock of sheep and cattle.”

3 “But the poor man had just one little lamb. He raised her like a daughter, she ate at his table, drank from his cup, even slept in his arms.”

4 “Then a traveler came to the rich man. But instead of using one of his own animals, he took the poor man’s lamb and cooked it for his guest.”

5 David burned with anger. “That man deserves to die!” he said.

6 “He should pay back four times what he took, he showed no mercy.”

“You the Man”

7 Nathan said, “You the man. This is what the Lord says: ‘I anointed you king. I saved you from Saul.’”

8 “‘I gave you everything, Saul’s house, his wives, all of Israel and Judah. And if that was not enough, I would have given you even more.’”

9 “‘So why you disrespect My word and do this evil, You had Uriah killed and took his wife like it was nothing.’”

10 “‘Because of this, violence will never leave your house. You took another man’s wife, I am taking peace from your house.’”

11 “‘I am going to raise up trouble from your own fam. I am going to let somebody sleep with your wives in public, in broad daylight.’”

12 “‘You did this in secret, but I am going to deal with you out in the open, everybody going to see it.’”

David Owns It

13 David said, “I sinned against the Lord.” Nathan said, “The Lord’s forgiving you, you will not die.

14 But because you gave the enemies of God a reason to talk trash, the child you had with Bathsheba is going to die.”

The Child Gets Sick

15 Nathan went home. The Lord struck the child with a sickness, and the baby got real bad.

16 David begged God for the baby. He fasted, laid out on the ground all night.

17 His officials tried to get him up, but he would not eat or move.

18 Seven days later, the child died. The servants were scared to tell David. “If he was this broken while the baby was alive, what is he going to do when he hears it is over?”

David Responds Differently

19 David saw them whispering. He asked, “The child dead,” They said, “Yeah.”

20 David got up, washed, changed clothes, and went to the house of the Lord to worship. Then he went home and ate.

21 His servants were confused. “You fasted and wept while the child was alive, but now that he has gone, you eat,”

22 David said, “I fasted hoping God would have mercy.

23 But now that he has gone, what can I do, I will go to him one day, but he will not come back to me.”

Solomon Is Born

24 David comforted Bathsheba. They slept together again, and she gave birth to a son, they named him Solomon. The Lord loved this child.

25 The Lord sent a message through Nathan: “Name him Jedidiah, ‘Loved by the Lord.’”

More War Wins

26 Meanwhile, Joab was taking Rabbah, the Ammonite stronghold.

27 He sent word to David: “I have taken the water supply of the city. Come finish the job or I am going to get credit for it.”

28 “Bring the rest of the troops and capture the rest of the city.”

29 So David brought the army, took the city,

30 And took the crown off the king’s head, it weighed about 75 pounds, made of gold and jewels. David put it on his own head. He also took massive loot from the city.

31 He put the people to work, with saws, picks, axes, and brick kilns. He did the same to all the Ammonite towns. Then he and the crew went back to Jerusalem.