1 O Senhor enviou Natã a Davi. Chegando Natã a Davi, disse-lhe: Havia numa cidade dois homens, um rico e outro pobre. 2 Tinha o rico ovelhas e gado em grande número; 3 mas o pobre não tinha coisa nenhuma, senão uma cordeirinha que comprara e criara, e que em sua casa crescera, junto com seus filhos; comia do seu bocado e do seu copo bebia; dormia nos seus braços, e a tinha como filha. 4 Vindo um viajante ao homem rico, não quis este tomar das suas ovelhas e do gado para dar de comer ao viajante que viera a ele; mas tomou a cordeirinha do homem pobre e a preparou para o homem que lhe havia chegado. 5 Então, o furor de Davi se acendeu sobremaneira contra aquele homem, e disse a Natã: Tão certo como vive o Senhor, o homem que fez isso deve ser morto. 6 E pela cordeirinha restituirá quatro vezes, porque fez tal coisa e porque não se compadeceu.

7 Então, disse Natã a Davi: Tu és o homem. Assim diz o Senhor, Deus de Israel: Eu te ungi rei sobre Israel e eu te livrei das mãos de Saul; 8 dei-te a casa de teu senhor e as mulheres de teu senhor em teus braços e também te dei a casa de Israel e de Judá; e, se isto fora pouco, eu teria acrescentado tais e tais coisas. 9 Por que, pois, desprezaste a palavra do Senhor, fazendo o que era mau perante ele? A Urias, o heteu, feriste à espada; e a sua mulher tomaste por mulher, depois de o matar com a espada dos filhos de Amom. 10 Agora, pois, não se apartará a espada jamais da tua casa, porquanto me desprezaste e tomaste a mulher de Urias, o heteu, para ser tua mulher. 11 Assim diz o Senhor: Eis que da tua própria casa suscitarei o mal sobre ti, e tomarei tuas mulheres à tua própria vista, e as darei a teu próximo, o qual se deitará com elas, em plena luz deste sol. 12 Porque tu o fizeste em oculto, mas eu farei isto perante todo o Israel e perante o sol. 13 Então, disse Davi a Natã: Pequei contra o Senhor. Disse Natã a Davi: Também o Senhor te perdoou o teu pecado; não morrerás. 14 Mas, posto que com isto deste motivo a que blasfemassem os inimigos do Senhor, também o filho que te nasceu morrerá. 15 Então, Natã foi para sua casa.

E o Senhor feriu a criança que a mulher de Urias dera à luz a Davi; e a criança adoeceu gravemente. 16 Buscou Davi a Deus pela criança; jejuou Davi e, vindo, passou a noite prostrado em terra. 17 Então, os anciãos da sua casa se achegaram a ele, para o levantar da terra; porém ele não quis e não comeu com eles. 18 Ao sétimo dia, morreu a criança; e temiam os servos de Davi informá-lo de que a criança era morta, porque diziam: Eis que, estando a criança ainda viva, lhe falávamos, porém não dava ouvidos à nossa voz; como, pois, lhe diremos que a criança é morta? Porque mais se afligirá. 19 Viu, porém, Davi que seus servos cochichavam uns com os outros e entendeu que a criança era morta, pelo que disse aos seus servos: É morta a criança? Eles responderam: Morreu. 20 Então, Davi se levantou da terra; lavou-se, ungiu-se, mudou de vestes, entrou na Casa do Senhor e adorou; depois, veio para sua casa e pediu pão; puseram-no diante dele, e ele comeu. 21 Disseram-lhe seus servos: Que é isto que fizeste? Pela criança viva jejuaste e choraste; porém, depois que ela morreu, te levantaste e comeste pão. 22 Respondeu ele: Vivendo ainda a criança, jejuei e chorei, porque dizia: Quem sabe se o Senhor se compadecerá de mim, e continuará viva a criança? 23 Porém, agora que é morta, por que jejuaria eu? Poderei eu fazê-la voltar? Eu irei a ela, porém ela não voltará para mim. 24 Então, Davi veio a Bate-Seba, consolou-a e se deitou com ela; teve ela um filho a quem Davi deu o nome de Salomão; e o Senhor o amou. 25 Davi o entregou nas mãos do profeta Natã, e este lhe chamou Jedidias, por amor do Senhor.

26 Entretanto, pelejou Joabe contra Rabá, dos filhos de Amom, e tomou a cidade real. 27 Então, mandou Joabe mensageiros a Davi e disse: Pelejei contra Rabá e tomei a cidade das águas. 28 Ajunta, pois, agora o resto do povo, e cerca a cidade, e toma-a, para não suceder que, tomando-a eu, se aclame sobre ela o meu nome. 29 Reuniu, pois, Davi a todo o povo, e marchou para Rabá, e pelejou contra ela, e a tomou. 30 Tirou a coroa da cabeça do seu rei; o peso da coroa era de um talento de ouro, e havia nela pedras preciosas, e foi posta na cabeça de Davi; e da cidade levou mui grande despojo. 31 Trazendo o povo que havia nela, fê-lo passar a serras, e a picaretas, e a machados de ferro, e em fornos de tijolos; e assim fez a todas as cidades dos filhos de Amom. Voltou Davi com todo o povo para Jerusalém.

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

2 The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:

3 But 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 to him as a daughter.

4 And there came a travelers to the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come to him; but took the poor man' lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.

5 And David' anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD lives, the man that has done this thing shall surely die:

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

7 And Nathan said to David, You are the man. Thus said the LORD God of Israel, I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul;

8 And I gave you your master' house, and your master' wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given to you such and such things.

9 Why have you despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? you have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

10 Now 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.

11 Thus said 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.

12 For you did it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.

13 And 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.

14 However,, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die.

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

16 David therefore sought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night on the earth.

17 And 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.

18 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he would not listen to our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?

19 But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said to his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.

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

21 Then said his servants to him, What thing is this that you have done? you did fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, you did rise and eat bread.

22 And 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?

23 But 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.

24 And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, 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.

25 And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD.

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

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

28 Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and take it: lest I take the city, and it be called after my name.

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

30 And he took their king' crown from off his head, the weight whereof was a talent of gold with the precious stones: and it was set on David' head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city in great abundance.

31 And he brought forth the people that were therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brick-kiln: and thus did he to all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.