1 O Senhor mandou o profeta Natã contar esta história a David:2 Havia dois homens numa cidade, um deles bastante rico, possuindo rebanhos de cordeiros e manadas de vacas; o outro muito pobre, que tinha apenas uma pequena ovelha que conseguira comprar e que criara em casa. Crescera com os seus próprios filhos; muitas vezes tirara do seu prato para lhe dar de comer; dera-lhe a beber do seu copo; dormira no seu regaço, como uma filha. Recentemente chegou a casa do rico um hóspede. Contudo, em vez de ir matar um cordeiro do seu rebanho para dar de jantar ao viajante, foi buscar a ovelha do pobre, assou-a e serviu-a ao convidado.5 David ficou furioso ao ouvir aquilo: Juro, pelo Deus vivo, que quem quer que fizesse uma coisa semelhante haveria de morrer; haveria de pagar quatro ovelhas pela que roubou, e por não ter tido misericórdia.7 Foste tu, esse homem rico!, disse-lhe Natã. O Senhor Deus de Israel manda-te dizer: 'Fiz-te rei de Israel e salvei-te do poder de Saul. Dei-te um palácio, mulheres, os reinos de Israel e de Judá. E se isso não bastasse, dar-te-ia muito, muito mais. Porque é então que desprezaste as leis de Deus e praticaste uma acção tão má? Roubaste a mulher de Urias e assassinaste-o. Por isso o assasínio será uma constante ameaça no seio da tua família daqui em diante, pois que me insultaste, tomando para ti a mulher de Urias.11 Garanto-te que, em razão daquilo que fizeste, a tua própria casa se revoltará contra ti. Darei as tuas mulheres a outro homem, que fará isso à luz do dia, enquanto que tu fizeste-o secretamente; mas eu tomarei previdências para que tal se passe abertamente, para que sirva de sinal aos olhos de todo o Israel.'13 Pequei contra o Senhor, confessou David a Natã ste respondeu: Sim, mas o Senhor perdoou-te. Não morrerás por causa deste pecado.14 No entanto deste uma grande oportunidade aos inimigos do Senhor para que o desprezem e blasfemem dele. Visto isso, a criança que nasceu morrerá.15 Natã retirou-se. O Senhor permitiu que o menino de Bate-Seba ficasse muito doente. David implorou a Deus que lhe poupasse o filho; deixou de comer e a noite inteira ficou prostrado no chão, perante o Senhor.17 Os líderes da nação imploravam-lhe que se levantasse e fosse comer com eles, mas sempre recusou. Então, ao fim de sete dias, o bebé morreu. Os criados tinham receio de lho ir dizer: Se ele estava daquela maneira quando a criança se encontrava doente, o que não será quando lhe comunicarmos que já faleceu?19 David, no entanto, reparando naqueles sussurros, viu bem o que acontecera. A criança morreu?, perguntou.Sim, já faleceu.20 Então levantou-se, foi-se lavar, arranjou o cabelo, mudou de roupa, dirigiu-se ao tabernáculo e adorou o Senhor. Regressou ao palácio e comeu. A criadagem estava atónita: Não percebemos nada, disseram-lhe. Enquanto o criança estava com vida, choraste, recusaste comer; agora que ela está morta, acabaste com o choro e tornas a comer.22 Se eu jejuei e chorei enquanto a criança vivia, é porque eu pensava assim: 'Pode ser que o Senhor me faça a graça de permitir que o bebé sobreviva'. Mas por que razão haveria eu de continuar a jejuar depois de ele morrer? Poderia eu fazê-lo ressuscitar? Eu sim, poderei ir tem com ele, mas o menino não vem ter mais comigo.24 Depois foi consolar Bate-Seba. Tornando a dormir com ela, nasceu-lhe outro filho a quem chamou Salomão. O Senhor amou a criança, e mandou abençoá-la através do profeta Natã. O rei chamava ao menino Jedidias, que quer dizer amado do Senhor, devido ao interesse que o Senhor manifestou.26 Entretanto Joabe e o exército de Israel estavam a terminar vitoriosamente o assalto a Rabá, capital dos amonitas. O general mandou mensageiros a David: Rabá, com o seu belo porto, é já nossa! Agora, traz tu o resto do exército e finaliza o combate, para que obtenhas tu o crédito da vitória e não eu.29 David conduziu o exército até Rabá e capturou-a. Enormes quantidades de despojo foram trazidas para Jerusalém e David trouxe também a coroa do rei do adversário - uma peça preciosíssima, feita toda em ouro, cravejada de pedras preciosas - e colocou-a na sua própria cabeça. Fez escravos da população da cidade e pô-los a trabalhar com serras, e como serralheiros e fabricantes de tijolos. Foi desta forma que ele capturou todas as cidades dos amonitas. Depois voltou 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 very numerous flocks and herds:3 But the poor man had nothing save one little ewe-lamb, which he had bought and nourished: and it grew up together with him, and with his children: it fed 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 traveler to the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the way-faring man that had come to him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that had come to him.5 And 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:6 And he shall restore the lamb four-fold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.7 And 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 from the hand of Saul;8 And 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 to thee such and such things.9 Why 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.10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thy house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.11 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thy own house, and I will take thy wives before thy eyes, and give them to thy neighbor, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.12 For thou didst 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 hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.14 But, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born to thee shall surely die.15 And Nathan departed to his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and it was very sick.16 David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.17 And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him 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 hearken to our voice: how will he then be grieved, 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 worshiped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he ate.21 Then said his servants to him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but after the child was dead, thou didst 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 will not return to me.24 And David comforted Bath-sheba 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 collect the rest of the people, and encamp against the city, and take it: lest I take the city, and it be called after my name.29 And David collected all the people, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it.30 And he took their king's crown from off his head, the weight of which 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.31 And he brought forth the people that were in it, 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 he did to all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.