Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

The Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said, "There were two men in one city: one was rich, and the other poor. The rich man had many flocks and herds, but the poor man owned only one little ewe lamb that he had bought and raised alongside his children; it ate from his own food, drank from his own cup, lay in his bosom, and was to him like a daughter.

A traveler came to the rich man, instead of taking one of his own sheep or cattle to feed him, took the poor man's lamb. David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; he said to Nathan, "As the Lord lives, the man who has done this thing shall surely die! He must restore the lamb fourfold because he did this thing and had no pity.

Nathan said to David, "You are the man." The Lord God of Israel says: I anointed you king over Israel and delivered you out of the hand of Saul. I gave you your master's house and his wives into your care, and I gave you the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Wherefore have you despised the word of Jehovah to do evil in his sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword and taken his wife to be your own.

The sword will never depart from your house because you have scorned me and taken Uriah's wife to be your own. 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 the sun. You have done it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and in the sight of the sun.

David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord." Nathan replied, "The Lord has also put away your sin; you will not die. Because by this deed you have given great occasion to the Lord's enemies to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you will surely die."

Nathan departed to his house, and the Lord struck the child born to David and Uriah's wife, who was very sick. David therefore besought God for the child, fasting and spending the night on the ground. The elders of his household arose and stood beside him, trying to lift him up from the ground, but he refused to be comforted and would not eat with them.

On the seventh day, the child died, and David's servants were afraid to tell him because they thought he would be even more distressed if they informed him of his son's death. When David saw that his servants whispered, he perceived that the child was dead; therefore David asked his servants, "Is the child dead?" And they said, "He is dead."

Then David arose from the earth, washed himself, anointed his body, changed into new clothes, and went to the house of the Lord to worship. Afterwards he returned home where they set bread before him and he ate. Then his servants said to him, "What have you done? You fasted and wept while the child was alive, but when he died, you got up and ate bread."

While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept, saying to myself, "Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me, that the child may live?" But now he is dead; wherefore should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to be with him, but he shall not return to me. David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her; she bore a son, whom he named Solomon, and the Lord loved him.

And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he named him Jedidiah because of the Lord. Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and captured the royal city. Joab sent messengers to David, saying, "I have fought against Rabbah and taken the city of waters.

Gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, lest I take it and have it named after me." David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah, where he fought against it and captured the city. And he took their king's crown, weighing a talent of gold with precious stones, and set it on David's head; he also brought out in great abundance the plunder from the city.

And he brought forth the people who were there, putting them under saws and iron harrows, axes of iron, and brick-kiln fires; doing this to all the cities of the children of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.