2 Samuel 11-13
New American Standard Bible
2Now at evening time David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the king’s house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance.
3So David sent servants and inquired about the woman. And someone said, 'Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?'
4Then David sent messengers and had her brought, and when she came to him, he slept with her; and when she had purified herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her house.
5But the woman conceived; so she sent word and informed David, and said, 'I am pregnant.'
6Then David sent word to Joab: 'Send me Uriah the Hittite.' So Joab sent Uriah to David.
7When Uriah came to him, David asked about Joab’s well-being and that of the people, and the condition of the war.
8Then David said to Uriah, 'Go down to your house, and wash your feet.' So Uriah left the king’s house, and a gift from the king was sent after him.
9But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house.
10Now when they informed David, saying, 'Uriah did not go down to his house,' David said to Uriah, 'Did you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?'
11And Uriah said to David, 'The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in temporary shelters, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field. Should I then go to my house to eat and drink and to sleep with my wife? By your life and the life of your soul, I will not do this thing.'
12Then David said to Uriah, 'Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will let you go back.' So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the day after.
13Now David summoned Uriah, and he ate and drank in his presence, and he made Uriah drunk; and in the evening Uriah went out to lie on his bed with his lord’s servants, and he still did not go down to his house.
14So in the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah.
15He had written in the letter the following: 'Station Uriah on the front line of the fiercest battle and pull back from him, so that he may be struck and killed.'
16So it was as Joab kept watch on the city, that he stationed Uriah at the place where he knew there were valiant men.
17And the men of the city went out and fought against Joab, and some of the people among David’s servants fell; and Uriah the Hittite also died.
18Then Joab sent a messenger and reported to David all the events of the war.
19He ordered the messenger, saying, 'When you have finished telling all the events of the war to the king,
20then it shall be that if the king’s wrath rises and he says to you, ‘Why did you move against the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall?
21Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did a woman not throw an upper millstone on him from the wall so that he died at Thebez? Why did you move against the wall?’—then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite also died.’?'
22So the messenger departed and came and reported to David everything that Joab had sent him to tell.
23The messenger said to David, 'The men prevailed against us and came out against us in the field, but we pressed them as far as the entrance of the gate.
24Also, the archers shot at your servants from the wall; so some of the king’s servants died, and your servant Uriah the Hittite also died.'
25Then David said to the messenger, 'This is what you shall say to Joab: ‘Do not let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another; fight with determination against the city and overthrow it’; and thereby encourage him.'
26Now when Uriah’s wife heard that her husband Uriah was dead, she mourned for her husband.
27When the time of mourning was over, David sent servants and had her brought to his house and she became his wife; then she bore him a son. But the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the Lord.
Chapter 12
1Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And he came to him and said, 'There were two men in a city, the one wealthy and the other poor. 2The wealthy man had a great many flocks and herds. 3But the poor man had nothing at all except one little ewe lamb Which he bought and nurtured; And it grew up together with him and his children. It would eat scraps from him and drink from his cup and lie in his lap, And was like a daughter to him.
5Then David’s anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, 'As the Lord lives, the man who has done this certainly deserves to die!
6So he must make restitution for the lamb four times over, since he did this thing and had no compassion.'
7Nathan then said to David, 'You yourself are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘It is I who anointed you as king over Israel, and it is I who rescued you from the hand of Saul.
8I also gave you your master’s house and put your master’s wives into your care, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added to you many more things like these!
9Why have you despised the word of the Lord, by doing evil in His sight? You have struck and killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, you have taken his wife as your wife, and you have slaughtered him with the sword of the sons of Ammon.
10Now then, the sword shall never leave your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’
11This is what the Lord says: ‘Behold, I am going to raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight.
12Indeed, you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and in open daylight.’?'
13Then David said to Nathan, 'I have sinned against the Lord.' And Nathan said to David, 'The Lord also has allowed your sin to pass; you shall not die.
14However, since by this deed you have shown utter disrespect for the Lord, the child himself who is born to you shall certainly die.'
15Then Nathan went to his house. L ater the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s widow bore to David, so that he was very sick.
16David therefore pleaded with God for the child; and David fasted and went and lay all night on the ground.
17The elders of his household stood beside him in order to help him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat food with them.
18Then it happened on the seventh day that the child died. And David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, 'Behold, while the child was still alive, we spoke to him and he did not listen to us. How then can we tell him that the child is dead, since he might do himself harm?'
19But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; so David said to his servants, 'Is the child dead?' And they said, 'He is dead.'
20So David got up from the ground, washed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and when he asked, they served him food, 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 got up and ate food.'
22And he said, 'While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows, the Lord may be gracious to me, and the child may live.’
23But now he has died; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I am going to him, but he will not return to me.'
24Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and went in to her and slept with her; and she gave birth to a son, and he named him Solomon. Now the Lord loved him,
25and sent word through Nathan the prophet, and he named him Jedidiah for the Lord’S sake.
26Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, and captured the royal city.
27Then Joab sent messengers to David and said, 'I have fought against Rabbah, I have even captured the city of waters.
28Now then, gather the rest of the people and camp opposite the city and capture it, or I will capture the city myself and it will be named after me.'
29So David gathered all the people and went to Rabbah, and he fought against it and captured it.
30Then he took the crown of their king from his head; and its weight was a talent of gold, and it had a precious stone; and it was placed on David’s head. And he brought out the plunder of the city in great amounts.
31He also brought out the people who were in it, and put some to work at saws, iron picks, and iron axes, and made others serve at the brick works. And he did the same to all the cities of the sons of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.
Chapter 13
1Now it was after this that Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister whose name was Tamar, and Amnon the son of David was in love with her. 2But Amnon was so frustrated on account of his sister Tamar that he made himself ill, for she was a virgin, and it seemed too difficult to Amnon to do anything to her. 3But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother; and Jonadab was a very clever man. 4And he said to him, 'Why are you, the king’s son, so depressed morning after morning? Will you not tell me?' So Amnon said to him, 'I am in love with Tamar, the sister of my brother Absalom.' 5Jonadab then said to him, 'Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill; when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please have my sister Tamar come and give me food to eat, and have her prepare the food in my sight, so that I may see it and eat from her hand.’?' 6So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill; when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, 'Please have my sister Tamar come and make me a couple of pastries in my sight, so that I may eat from her hand.'
7Then David sent a messenger to the house for Tamar, saying, 'Go now to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare food for him.'
8So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, and he was lying in bed. And she took dough, kneaded it, made pastries in his sight, and baked the pastries.
9Then she took the tray and served them to him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, 'Have everyone leave me.' So everyone left him.
10Then Amnon said to Tamar, 'Bring the food into the bedroom, so that I may eat from your hand.' So Tamar took the pastries which she had made and brought them into the bedroom to her brother Amnon.
11When she brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, 'Come, sleep with me, my sister.'
12But she said to him, 'No, my brother, do not violate me, for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this disgraceful sin!
13As for me, where could I get rid of my shame? And as for you, you will be like one of the fools in Israel. Now then, please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.'
14However, he would not listen to her; since he was stronger than she, he violated her and slept with her.
15Then Amnon hated her with a very great hatred; indeed, 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 away!'
16But she said to him, 'No, because this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other that you have done to me!' Yet he would not listen to her.
17Then he called his young man who attended him and said, 'Now throw this woman out of my presence, and lock the door behind her!'
18Now she had on a long-sleeved garment; for this is how the virgin daughters of the king dressed themselves in robes. Then his attendant took her out and locked the door behind her.
19Tamar took ashes and put them on her head, and tore her long-sleeved garment which was on her; and she put her hand on her head and went on her way, crying out as she went.
20Then Absalom her brother said to her, 'Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now keep silent, my sister, he is your brother; do not take this matter to heart.' So Tamar remained and was isolated in her brother Absalom’s house.
21Now when King David heard about all these matters, he became very angry.
22But Absalom did not speak with Amnon either good or bad; for Absalom hated Amnon because he had violated his sister Tamar.
24And Absalom came to the king and said, 'Behold now, your servant has sheepshearers; may the king and his servants please go with your servant.'
25But the king said to Absalom, 'No, my son, we should not all go, so that we will not be a burden to you.' Though he urged him, he would not go; but he blessed him.
26Then Absalom said, 'If not, please have my brother Amnon go with us.' But the king said to him, 'Why should he go with you?'
27Nevertheless Absalom urged him, so he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.
28Then Absalom commanded his servants, saying, 'See now, when Amnon’s heart is cheerful with wine, and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then put him to death. Do not fear; have I not commanded you myself? Be courageous and be valiant.'
29And the servants of Absalom did to Amnon just as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons got up and each mounted his mule and fled.
30Now it was while they were on the way that the report came to David, saying, 'Absalom has struck and killed all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left.'
31Then the king stood up, tore his clothes, and lay on the ground; and all his servants were standing by with clothes torn.
32And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, responded, 'Let my lord not assume that they have put to death all the young men, the king’s sons, for only Amnon is dead; because this has been set up by the intent of Absalom since the day that he violated his sister Tamar.
33So now, may my lord the king not take the report to heart, claiming, ‘all the king’s sons are dead’; but only Amnon is dead.'
34Now Absalom had fled. And the young man who was the watchman raised his eyes and looked, and behold, many people were coming from the road behind him by the side of the mountain.
35And Jonadab said to the king, 'Behold, the king’s sons have come; so it has happened according to your servant’s word.'
36As soon as he had finished speaking, behold, the king’s sons came and raised their voices and wept; and the king and all his servants also wept very profusely.
37Now Absalom had fled and gone to Talmai the son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.
38So Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur, and was there for three years.
39And the heart of King David longed to go out to Absalom; for he was comforted regarding Amnon, since he was dead.
King James Version
Chapter 11
1And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem. 2And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. 3And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?
4And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.
5And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child.
6And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.
7And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.
8And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king.
9But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.
10And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house?
11And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.
12And David said to Uriah, Tarry here today also, and tomorrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.
13And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.
14And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.
15And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.
16And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.
17And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.
18Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war;
19And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king,
20And if so be that the king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall?
21Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.
22So the messenger went, and came and showed David all that Joab had sent him for.
23And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate.
24And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king's servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.
25Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him.
26And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.
27And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.
Chapter 12
1And the Lord 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. 2The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: 3But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.
5And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:
6And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.
7And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;
8And 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 had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.
9Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
10Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.
11Thus saith the Lord, 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 neighbor, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.
12For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.
13And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
14Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.
15And Nathan departed unto his house. And the Lord struck the child that Uriah's wife bore unto David, and it was very sick.
16David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.
17And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.
19But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.
20Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the Lord, and worshiped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.
21Then 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.
22And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me, that the child may live?
23But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.
24And David comforted Bath-sheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the Lord loved him.
25And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the Lord.
26And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city.
27And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and have taken the city of waters.
28Now 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.
29And David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it.
30And he took their king's crown from off his head, the weight whereof was a talent of gold with the precious stones: and it was set on David's head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city in great abundance.
31And 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. So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem.
Chapter 13
1And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her. 2And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to her.
3But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother: and Jonadab was a very subtle man.
4And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king's son, lean from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.
5And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand.
7Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon's house, and dress him meat.
8So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was laid down. And she took flour, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes.
9And she took a pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And they went out every man from him.
10And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, that I may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.
11And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister.
12And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly.
13And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee.
14Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her.
15Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.
16And she said unto him, There is no cause: this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her.
17Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said, Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her.
18And she had a garment of divers colors upon her: for with such robes were the king's daughters that were virgins appareled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.
19And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colors that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying.
21But when king David heard of all these things, he was very wroth.
22And Absalom spoke unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.
23And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal-hazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king's sons.
24And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant hath sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech thee, and his servants go with thy servant.
26Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee?
27But Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him.
28Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant.
29And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and every man got him up upon his mule, and fled.
30And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that tidings came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left.
31Then the king arose, and tore his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.
32And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men the king's sons; for Amnon only is dead: for by the appointment of Absalom this hath been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.
33Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king's sons are dead: for Amnon only is dead.
34But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the way of the hill side behind him.
35And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, the king's sons come: as thy servant said, so it is.
36And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that, behold, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voice and wept: and the king also and all his servants wept very sore.
37But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.
Christian Standard Bible
2One evening David got up from his bed and strolled around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing—a very beautiful woman.
3So David sent someone to inquire about her, and he said, "Isn’t this Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam and wife of Uriah the Hethite?"
4David sent messengers to get her, and when she came to him, he slept with her. Now she had just been purifying herself from her uncleanness. Afterward, she returned home.
5The woman conceived and sent word to inform David: "I am pregnant."
6David sent orders to Joab: "Send me Uriah the Hethite." So Joab sent Uriah to David.
7When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab and the troops were doing and how the war was going.
8Then he said to Uriah, "Go down to your house and wash your feet." So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king followed him.
9But Uriah slept at the door of the palace with all his master’s servants; he did not go down to his house.
12"Stay here today also," David said to Uriah, "and tomorrow I will send you back." So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next.
13Then David invited Uriah to eat and drink with him, and David got him drunk. He went out in the evening to lie down on his cot with his master’s servants, but he did not go home.
16When Joab was besieging the city, he put Uriah in the place where he knew the best enemy soldiers were.
17Then the men of the city came out and attacked Joab, and some of the men from David’s soldiers fell in battle; Uriah the Hethite also died.
18Joab sent someone to report to David all the details of the battle.
19He commanded the messenger, "When you’ve finished telling the king all the details of the battle—
20if the king’s anger gets stirred up and he asks you, ‘Why did you get so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you realize they would shoot from the top of the wall?
21At Thebez, who struck Abimelech son of Jerubbesheth? Didn’t a woman drop an upper millstone on him from the top of the wall so that he died? Why did you get so close to the wall?’—then say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hethite is dead also.’"
22Then the messenger left. When he arrived, he reported to David all that Joab had sent him to tell.
23The messenger reported to David, "The men gained the advantage over us and came out against us in the field, but we counterattacked right up to the entrance of the city gate.
24However, the archers shot down on your servants from the top of the wall, and some of the king’s servants died. Your servant Uriah the Hethite is also dead."
26When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband Uriah had died, she mourned for him.
27When the time of mourning ended, David had her brought to his house. She became his wife and bore him a son. However, the Lord considered what David had done to be evil.
Chapter 12
1So the Lord sent Nathan to David. When he arrived, he said to him: There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor. 2The rich man had very large flocks and herds, 3but the poor man had nothing except one small ewe lamb that he had bought. He raised her, and she grew up with him and with his children. From his meager food she would eat, from his cup she would drink, and in his arms she would sleep. She was like a daughter to him. 4Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man could not bring himself to take one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for his guest.
5David was infuriated with the man and said to Nathan: "As the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die!
6Because he has done this thing and shown no pity, he must pay four lambs for that lamb."
7Nathan replied to David, "You are the man! This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I rescued you from Saul.
8I gave your master’s house to you and your master’s wives into your arms, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah, and if that was not enough, I would have given you even more.
9Why then have you despised the Lord’s command by doing what I consider evil? You struck down Uriah the Hethite with the sword and took his wife as your own wife—you murdered him with the Ammonite’s sword.
10Now therefore, the sword will never leave your house because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hethite to be your own wife.’
11"This is what the Lord says, ‘I am going to bring disaster on you from your own family: I will take your wives and give them to another before your very eyes, and he will sleep with them in broad daylight.
12You acted in secret, but I will do this before all Israel and in broad daylight.’"
13David responded to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord." Then Nathan replied to David, "And the Lord has taken away your sin; you will not die.
14However, because you treated the Lord with such contempt in this matter, the son born to you will die."
15Then Nathan went home. The Lord struck the baby that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became deathly ill.
16David pleaded with God for the boy. He fasted, went home, and spent the night lying on the ground.
17The elders of his house stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat anything with them.
22He answered, "While the baby was alive, I fasted and wept because I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let him live.’
23But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I’ll go to him, but he will never return to me."
24Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba; he went to her and slept with her. She gave birth to a son and named him Solomon. The Lord loved him,
25and he sent a message through the prophet Nathan, who named him Jedidiah, because of the Lord.
26Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal fortress.
27Then Joab sent messengers to David to say, "I have fought against Rabbah and have also captured its water supply.
28Now therefore, assemble the rest of the troops, lay siege to the city, and capture it. Otherwise I will be the one to capture the city, and it will be named after me."
29So David assembled all the troops and went to Rabbah; he fought against it and captured it.
30He took the crown from the head of their king, and it was placed on David’s head. The crown weighed seventy-five pounds of gold, and it had a precious stone in it. In addition, David took away a large quantity of plunder from the city.
31He removed the people who were in the city and put them to work with saws, iron picks, and iron axes, and to labor at brickmaking. He did the same to all the Ammonite cities. Then he and all his troops returned to Jerusalem.
Chapter 13
1Some time passed. David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar, and David’s son Amnon was infatuated with her. 2Amnon was frustrated to the point of making himself sick over his sister Tamar because she was a virgin, but it seemed impossible to do anything to her. 3Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, a son of David’s brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very shrewd man,
8Then Tamar went to his house while Amnon was lying down. She took dough, kneaded it, made cakes in his presence, and baked them.
9She brought the pan and set it down in front of him, but he refused to eat. Amnon said, "Everyone leave me!" And everyone left him.
10"Bring the meal to the bedroom," Amnon told Tamar, "so I can eat from your hand." Tamar took the cakes she had made and went to her brother Amnon’s bedroom.
11When she brought them to him to eat, he grabbed her and said, "Come sleep with me, my sister!"
12"Don’t, my brother!" she cried. "Don’t disgrace me, for such a thing should never be done in Israel. Don’t commit this outrage!
13Where could I ever go with my humiliation? And you—you would be like one of the outrageous fools in Israel! Please, speak to the king, for he won’t keep me from you."
14But he refused to listen to her, and because he was stronger than she was, he disgraced her by raping her.
16"No," she cried, "sending me away is much worse than the great wrong you’ve already done to me!" But he refused to listen to her.
17Instead, he called to the servant who waited on him: "Get this away from me, throw her out, and bolt the door behind her!"
18Amnon’s servant threw her out and bolted the door behind her. Now Tamar was wearing a long-sleeved garment, because this is what the king’s virgin daughters wore.
19Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long-sleeved garment she was wearing. She put her hand on her head and went away crying out.
21When King David heard about all these things, he was furious.
22Absalom didn’t say anything to Amnon, either good or bad, because he hated Amnon since he disgraced his sister Tamar.
23Two years later, Absalom’s sheepshearers were at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons.
24Then he went to the king and said, "Your servant has just hired sheepshearers. Will the king and his servants please come with your servant?"
26"If not," Absalom said, "please let my brother Amnon go with us." The king asked him, "Why should he go with you?"
27But Absalom urged him, so he sent Amnon and all the king’s sons.
28Now Absalom commanded his young men, "Watch Amnon until he is in a good mood from the wine. When I order you to strike Amnon, then kill him. Don’t be afraid. Am I not the one who has commanded you? Be strong and valiant!"
29So Absalom’s young men did to Amnon just as Absalom had commanded. Then all the rest of the king’s sons got up, and each fled on his mule.
30While they were on the way, a report reached David: "Absalom struck down all the king’s sons; not even one of them survived!"
31In response the king stood up, tore his clothes, and lay down on the ground, and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.
32But Jonadab, son of David’s brother Shimeah, spoke up: "My lord must not think they have killed all the young men, the king’s sons, because only Amnon is dead. In fact, Absalom has planned this ever since the day Amnon disgraced his sister Tamar.
33So now, my lord the king, don’t take seriously the report that says all the king’s sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead."
34Meanwhile, Absalom had fled. When the young man who was standing watch looked up, there were many people coming from the road west of him from the side of the mountain.
35Jonadab said to the king, "Look, the king’s sons have come! It’s exactly like your servant said."
36Just as he finished speaking, the king’s sons entered and wept loudly. Then the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly.
37But Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.
New Living Translation
2Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath.
3He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, 'She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.'
4Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home.
5Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent David a message, saying, 'I’m pregnant.'
6Then David sent word to Joab: 'Send me Uriah the Hittite.' So Joab sent him to David.
7When Uriah arrived, David asked him how Joab and the army were getting along and how the war was progressing.
8Then he told Uriah, 'Go on home and relax. ' David even sent a gift to Uriah after he had left the palace.
9But Uriah didn’t go home. He slept that night at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard.
12Well, stay here today,' David told him, 'and tomorrow you may return to the army.' So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next.
13Then David invited him to dinner and got him drunk. But even then he couldn’t get Uriah to go home to his wife. Again he slept at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard.
14So the next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and gave it to Uriah to deliver.
15The letter instructed Joab, 'Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest. Then pull back so that he will be killed.'
16So Joab assigned Uriah to a spot close to the city wall where he knew the enemy’s strongest men were fighting.
17And when the enemy soldiers came out of the city to fight, Uriah the Hittite was killed along with several other Israelite soldiers.
18Then Joab sent a battle report to David.
19He told his messenger, 'Report all the news of the battle to the king.
20But he might get angry and ask, ‘Why did the troops go so close to the city? Didn’t they know there would be shooting from the walls?
21Wasn’t Abimelech son of Gideon killed at Thebez by a woman who threw a millstone down on him from the wall? Why would you get so close to the wall?’ Then tell him, ‘Uriah the Hittite was killed, too.’'
22So the messenger went to Jerusalem and gave a complete report to David.
23The enemy came out against us in the open fields,' he said. 'And as we chased them back to the city gate,
24the archers on the wall shot arrows at us. Some of the king’s men were killed, including Uriah the Hittite.'
26When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him.
27When the period of mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. Then she gave birth to a son. But the Lord was displeased with what David had done.
Chapter 12
1So the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: 'There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. 2The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. 3The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man’s own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. 4One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest.'
5David was furious. 'As surely as the Lord lives,' he vowed, 'any man who would do such a thing deserves to die!
6He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.'
7Then Nathan said to David, 'You are that man! The Lord, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul.
8I gave you your master’s house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more.
9Why, then, have you despised the word of the Lord and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife.
10From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own.
11This is what the Lord says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view.
12You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.'
13Then David confessed to Nathan, 'I have sinned against the Lord.' Nathan replied, 'Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin.
14Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the word of the Lord by doing this, your child will die.'
15After Nathan returned to his home, the Lord sent a deadly illness to the child of David and Uriah’s wife.
16David begged God to spare the child. He went without food and lay all night on the bare ground.
17The elders of his household pleaded with him to get up and eat with them, but he refused.
22David replied, 'I fasted and wept while the child was alive, for I said, ‘Perhaps the Lord will be gracious to me and let the child live.’
23But why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him one day, but he cannot return to me.'
24Then David comforted Bathsheba, his wife, and slept with her. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and David named him Solomon. The Lord loved the child
25and sent word through Nathan the prophet that they should name him Jedidiah (which means 'beloved of the Lord'), as the Lord had commanded.
26Meanwhile, Joab was fighting against Rabbah, the capital of Ammon, and he captured the royal fortifications.
27Joab sent messengers to tell David, 'I have fought against Rabbah and captured its water supply.
28Now bring the rest of the army and capture the city. Otherwise, I will capture it and get credit for the victory.'
29So David gathered the rest of the army and went to Rabbah, and he fought against it and captured it.
30David removed the crown from the king’s head, and it was placed on his own head. The crown was made of gold and set with gems, and it weighed seventy-five pounds. David took a vast amount of plunder from the city.
31He also made slaves of the people of Rabbah and forced them to labor with saws, iron picks, and iron axes, and to work in the brick kilns. That is how he dealt with the people of all the Ammonite towns. Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem.
Chapter 13
1Now David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. And Amnon, her half brother, fell desperately in love with her. 2Amnon became so obsessed with Tamar that he became ill. She was a virgin, and Amnon thought he could never have her.
6So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. And when the king came to see him, Amnon asked him, 'Please let my sister Tamar come and cook my favorite dish as I watch. Then I can eat it from her own hands.'
7So David agreed and sent Tamar to Amnon’s house to prepare some food for him.
8When Tamar arrived at Amnon’s house, she went to the place where he was lying down so he could watch her mix some dough. Then she baked his favorite dish for him.
9But when she set the serving tray before him, he refused to eat. 'Everyone get out of here,' Amnon told his servants. So they all left.
10Then he said to Tamar, 'Now bring the food into my bedroom and feed it to me here.' So Tamar took his favorite dish to him.
11But as she was feeding him, he grabbed her and demanded, 'Come to bed with me, my darling sister.'
12No, my brother!' she cried. 'Don’t be foolish! Don’t do this to me! Such wicked things aren’t done in Israel.
13Where could I go in my shame? And you would be called one of the greatest fools in Israel. Please, just speak to the king about it, and he will let you marry me.'
14But Amnon wouldn’t listen to her, and since he was stronger than she was, he raped her.
15Then suddenly Amnon’s love turned to hate, and he hated her even more than he had loved her. 'Get out of here!' he snarled at her.
16No, no!' Tamar cried. 'Sending me away now is worse than what you’ve already done to me.' But Amnon wouldn’t listen to her.
17He shouted for his servant and demanded, 'Throw this woman out, and lock the door behind her!'
18So the servant put her out and locked the door behind her. She was wearing a long, beautiful robe, as was the custom in those days for the king’s virgin daughters.
19But now Tamar tore her robe and put ashes on her head. And then, with her face in her hands, she went away crying.
21When King David heard what had happened, he was very angry.
22And though Absalom never spoke to Amnon about this, he hated Amnon deeply because of what he had done to his sister.
23Two years later, when Absalom’s sheep were being sheared at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, Absalom invited all the king’s sons to come to a feast.
24He went to the king and said, 'My sheep-shearers are now at work. Would the king and his servants please come to celebrate the occasion with me?'
26Well, then,' Absalom said, 'if you can’t come, how about sending my brother Amnon with us?' 'Why Amnon?' the king asked.
27But Absalom kept on pressing the king until he finally agreed to let all his sons attend, including Amnon. So Absalom prepared a feast fit for a king.
28Absalom told his men, 'Wait until Amnon gets drunk; then at my signal, kill him! Don’t be afraid. I’m the one who has given the command. Take courage and do it!'
29So at Absalom’s signal they murdered Amnon. Then the other sons of the king jumped on their mules and fled.
30As they were on the way back to Jerusalem, this report reached David: 'Absalom has killed all the king’s sons; not one is left alive!'
31The king got up, tore his robe, and threw himself on the ground. His advisers also tore their clothes in horror and sorrow.
32But just then Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimea, arrived and said, 'No, don’t believe that all the king’s sons have been killed! It was only Amnon! Absalom has been plotting this ever since Amnon raped his sister Tamar.
33No, my lord the king, your sons aren’t all dead! It was only Amnon.'
English Standard Version
2It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king 's house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful.
3And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, "Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?"
4So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house.
5And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, "I am pregnant."
6So David sent word to Joab, "Send me Uriah the Hittite." And Joab sent Uriah to David.
7When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab was doing and how the people were doing and how the war was going.
8Then David said to Uriah, "Go down to your house and wash your feet." And Uriah went out of the king 's house, and there followed him a present from the king.
9But Uriah slept at the door of the king 's house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house.
10When they told David, "Uriah did not go down to his house," David said to Uriah, "Have you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?"
11Uriah said to David, "The ark and Israel and Judah dwell in booths, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field. Shall I then go to my house, to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing."
12Then David said to Uriah, "Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will send you back." So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next.
13And David invited him, and he ate in his presence and drank, so that he made him drunk. And in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.
14In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah.
15In the letter he wrote, "Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die."
16And as Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew there were valiant men.
17And the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uriah the Hittite also died.
18Then Joab sent and told David all the news about the fighting.
19And he instructed the messenger, "When you have finished telling all the news about the fighting to the king,
20then, if the king 's anger rises, and if he says to you, ‘Why did you go so near the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall?
21Who killed Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’ then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.’"
22So the messenger went and came and told David all that Joab had sent him to tell.
23The messenger said to David, "The men gained an advantage over us and came out against us in the field, but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate.
24Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall. Some of the king 's servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also."
25David said to the messenger, "Thus shall you say to Joab, ‘Do not let this matter displease you, for the sword devours now one and now another. Strengthen your attack against the city and overthrow it.’ And encourage him."
26When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she lamented over her husband.
27And when the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.
Chapter 12
1And the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, "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, 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, "As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, 6and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, 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, ‘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.
9Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have 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, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.’"
13David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord." And Nathan said to David, "The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.
14Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child who is born to you shall die."
15Then Nathan went to his house. 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 fasted and went in and 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 and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went into the house of the Lord and 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, ‘Who 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, but he will not return to me."
24Then David comforted his wife, Bathsheba, and went in to her and lay with her, and she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. And the Lord loved him
25and sent a message by Nathan the prophet. So he called his name Jedidiah, because of the Lord.
26Now Joab fought against Rabbah 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 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 the brick kilns. And thus he did to all the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.
Chapter 13
1Now Absalom, David 's son, had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar. 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 Shimeah, 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 make 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, "Send 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 me, for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this outrageous thing.
13As for me, where could I carry my shame? And as for you, you would be as one of the 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." 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 a long robe 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 put ashes on her head and tore the long robe that she wore. And she 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.
22But Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad, for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had violated his sister Tamar.
23After two full years Absalom had sheepshearers 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 heart 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 tore his garments and lay on the earth. And all his servants who were standing by tore their garments.
32But Jonadab 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 take it to heart as to suppose that all the king 's sons are dead, for Amnon alone is dead."
34But 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 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.
New International Version
2One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful,
3and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, "She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite."
4Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness.) Then she went back home.
5The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, "I am pregnant."
6So David sent this word to Joab: "Send me Uriah the Hittite." And Joab sent him to David.
7When Uriah came to him, David asked him how Joab was, how the soldiers were and how the war was going.
8Then David said to Uriah, "Go down to your house and wash your feet." So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king was sent after him.
9But Uriah slept at the entrance to the palace with all his master’s servants and did not go down to his house.
12Then David said to him, "Stay here one more day, and tomorrow I will send you back." So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next.
13At David’s invitation, he ate and drank with him, and David made him drunk. But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his mat among his master’s servants; he did not go home.
14In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah.
15In it he wrote, "Put Uriah out in front where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die."
16So while Joab had the city under siege, he put Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest defenders were.
17When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David’s army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died.
18Joab sent David a full account of the battle.
19He instructed the messenger: "When you have finished giving the king this account of the battle,
20the king’s anger may flare up, and he may ask you, ‘Why did you get so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you know they would shoot arrows from the wall?
21Who killed Abimelek son of Jerub-Besheth ? Didn’t a woman drop an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you get so close to the wall?’ If he asks you this, then say to him, ‘Moreover, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.’ "
22The messenger set out, and when he arrived he told David everything Joab had sent him to say.
23The messenger said to David, "The men overpowered us and came out against us in the open, but we drove them back to the entrance of the city gate.
24Then the archers shot arrows at your servants from the wall, and some of the king’s men died. Moreover, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead."
26When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him.
27After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the Lord.
Chapter 12
1The Lord sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, "There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. 2The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, 3but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.
5David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, "As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this must die!
6He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity."
7Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul.
8I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more.
9Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.
10Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’
11"This is what the Lord says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight.
12You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’ "
13Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord." Nathan replied, "The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.
14But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the Lord, the son born to you will die."
15After Nathan had gone home, the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became ill.
16David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth on the ground.
17The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them.
22He answered, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.’
23But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me."
24Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and made love to her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The Lord loved him;
25and because the Lord loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah.
26Meanwhile Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal citadel.
27Joab then sent messengers to David, saying, "I have fought against Rabbah and taken its water supply.
28Now muster the rest of the troops and besiege the city and capture it. Otherwise I will take the city, and it will be named after me."
29So David mustered the entire army and went to Rabbah, and attacked and captured it.
30David took the crown from their king’s head, and it was placed on his own head. It weighed a talent of gold, and it was set with precious stones. David took a great quantity of plunder from the city
31and brought out the people who were there, consigning them to labor with saws and with iron picks and axes, and he made them work at brickmaking. David did this to all the Ammonite towns. Then he and his entire army returned to Jerusalem.
7David sent word to Tamar at the palace: "Go to the house of your brother Amnon and prepare some food for him."
8So Tamar went to the house of her brother Amnon, who was lying down. She took some dough, kneaded it, made the bread in his sight and baked it.
9Then she took the pan and served him the bread, but he refused to eat. "Send everyone out of here," Amnon said. So everyone left him.
10Then Amnon said to Tamar, "Bring the food here into my bedroom so I may eat from your hand." And Tamar took the bread she had prepared and brought it to her brother Amnon in his bedroom.
11But when she took it to him to eat, he grabbed her and said, "Come to bed with me, my sister."
12"No, my brother!" she said to him. "Don’t force me! Such a thing should not be done in Israel! Don’t do this wicked thing.
13What about me? Where could I get rid of my disgrace? And what about you? You would be like one of the wicked fools in Israel. Please speak to the king; he will not keep me from being married to you."
14But he refused to listen to her, and since he was stronger than she, he raped her.
16"No!" she said to him. "Sending me away would be a greater wrong than what you have already done to me." But he refused to listen to her.
17He called his personal servant and said, "Get this woman out of my sight and bolt the door after her."
18So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her. She was wearing an ornate robe, for this was the kind of garment the virgin daughters of the king wore.
19Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the ornate robe she was wearing. She put her hands on her head and went away, weeping aloud as she went.
21When King David heard all this, he was furious.
22And Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad; he hated Amnon because he had disgraced his sister Tamar.
23Two years later, when Absalom’s sheepshearers were at Baal Hazor near the border of Ephraim, he invited all the king’s sons to come there.
24Absalom went to the king and said, "Your servant has had shearers come. Will the king and his attendants please join me?"
26Then Absalom said, "If not, please let my brother Amnon come with us." The king asked him, "Why should he go with you?"
27But Absalom urged him, so he sent with him Amnon and the rest of the king’s sons.
28Absalom ordered his men, "Listen! When Amnon is in high spirits from drinking wine and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ then kill him. Don’t be afraid. Haven’t I given you this order? Be strong and brave."
29So Absalom’s men did to Amnon what Absalom had ordered. Then all the king’s sons got up, mounted their mules and fled.
30While they were on their way, the report came to David: "Absalom has struck down all the king’s sons; not one of them is left."
31The king stood up, tore his clothes and lay down on the ground; and all his attendants stood by with their clothes torn.
32But Jonadab son of Shimeah, David’s brother, said, "My lord should not think that they killed all the princes; only Amnon is dead. This has been Absalom’s express intention ever since the day Amnon raped his sister Tamar.
33My lord the king should not be concerned about the report that all the king’s sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead."
New King James Version
2Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold.
3So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “ Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?”
4Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house.
5And the woman conceived; so she sent and told David, and said, “I am with child.”
6Then David sent to Joab, saying, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent Uriah to David.
7When Uriah had come to him, David asked how Joab was doing, and how the people were doing, and how the war prospered.
8And David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” So Uriah departed from the king’s house, and a gift of food from the king followed him.
9But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house.
10So when they told David, saying, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Did you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?”
12Then David said to Uriah, “Wait here today also, and tomorrow I will let you depart.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next.
13Now when David called him, he ate and drank before him; and he made him drunk. And at evening he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.
14In the morning it happened that David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah.
15And he wrote in the letter, saying, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck down and die.”
16So it was, while Joab besieged the city, that he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew there were valiant men.
17Then the men of the city came out and fought with Joab. And some of the people of the servants of David fell; and Uriah the Hittite died also.
18Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war,
19and charged the messenger, saying, “When you have finished telling the matters of the war to the king,
20if it happens that the king’s wrath rises, and he says to you: ‘Why did you approach so near to the city when you fought? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall?
21Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Was it not a woman who cast a piece of a millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go near the wall?’—then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.’ ”
22So the messenger went, and came and told David all that Joab had sent by him.
23And the messenger said to David, “Surely the men prevailed against us and came out to us in the field; then we drove them back as far as the entrance of the gate.
24The archers shot from the wall at your servants; and some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.”
26When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.
27And when her mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.
Chapter 12
1Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him: “There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor. 2The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds. 3But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him. 4And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”
5So David’s anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, “ As the Lord lives, the man who has done this shall surely die!
6And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity.”
7Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul.
8I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more!
9Why have you despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon.
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 adversity against you from 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, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun.’ ”
13So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.
14However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.”
15Then Nathan departed to his house. And the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it became ill.
16David therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground.
17So the elders of his house arose and went to him, to raise him up from the ground. But he would not, nor did he eat food with them.
18Then on the seventh day it came to pass that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead. For they said, “Indeed, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not heed our voice. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He may do some harm!”
20So David arose from the ground, washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house; and when he requested, they set food before him, and he ate.
21Then his servants said to him, “What is this 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.”
22And he said, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who can tell 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, but he shall not return to me.”
24Then David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her and lay with her. So she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. Now the Lord loved him,
25and He sent word by the hand of Nathan the prophet: So he called his name Jedidiah, because of the Lord.
26Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the people of Ammon, and took the royal city.
27And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, “I have fought against Rabbah, and I have taken the city’s water supply.
28Now 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.”
29So David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah, fought against it, and took it.
30Then he took their king’s crown from his head. Its weight was a talent of gold, with precious stones. And it was set on David’s head. Also he brought out the spoil of the city in great abundance.
31And he brought out the people who were in it, and put them to work with saws and iron picks and iron axes, and made them cross over to the brick works. So he did to all the cities of the people of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.
Chapter 13
1After this Absalom the son of David had a lovely sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her. 2Amnon was so distressed over his sister Tamar that he became sick; for she was a virgin. And it was improper for Amnon to do anything to her. 3But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother. Now Jonadab was a very crafty man.
5So Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’ ”
6Then Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill; and when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let Tamar my sister come and make a couple of cakes for me in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.”
7And David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Now go to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare food for him.”
8So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; and he was lying down. Then she took flour and kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes.
9And she took the pan and placed them out before him, but he refused to eat. Then Amnon said, “Have everyone go out from me.” And they all went out from him.
10Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the bedroom, that I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them to Amnon her brother in the bedroom.
11Now when she had brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.”
12But she answered him, “No, my brother, do not force me, for no such thing should be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing!
13And I, where could I take my shame? And as for you, you would be like one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you.”
14However, he would not heed her voice; and being stronger than she, he forced her and lay with her.
16So she said to him, “No, indeed! This evil of sending me away is worse than the other that you did to me.” But he would not listen to her.
17Then he called his servant who attended him, and said, “Here! Put this woman out, away from me, and bolt the door behind her.”
18Now she had on a robe of many colors, for the king’s virgin daughters wore such apparel. And his servant put her out and bolted the door behind her.
19Then Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore her robe of many colors that was on her, and laid her hand on her head and went away crying bitterly.
20And Absalom her brother said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother; do not take this thing to heart.” So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house.
21But when King David heard of all these things, he was very angry.
22And Absalom spoke to his brother Amnon neither good nor bad. For Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.
23And it came to pass, after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal Hazor, which is near Ephraim; so Absalom invited all the king’s sons.
24Then Absalom came to the king and said, “Kindly note, your servant has sheepshearers; please, let the king and his servants go with your servant.”
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 urged him; so he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.
28Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, “Watch now, when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon!’ then kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and valiant.”
29So the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and each one got on his mule and fled.
30And it came to pass, while they were on the way, that news came to David, saying, “Absalom has killed all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left!”
31So the king arose and tore his garments and lay on the ground, and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.
32Then Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, answered and said, “Let not my lord suppose they have killed all the young men, the king’s sons, for only Amnon is dead. For by the command of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.
33Now therefore, let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king’s sons are dead. For only Amnon is dead.”
34Then Absalom fled. And the young man who was keeping watch lifted his eyes and looked, and there, many people were coming from the road on the hillside behind him.
35And Jonadab said to the king, “Look, the king’s sons are coming; as your servant said, so it is.”
36So it was, as soon as he had finished speaking, that the king’s sons indeed came, and they lifted up their voice and wept. Also the king and all his servants wept very bitterly.