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- The 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.
- The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle,
- but 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.
- "Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him."
- David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, "As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die!
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- Then the LORD sent Nathan to David And he came to him and said, "There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor.
- "The rich man had a great many flocks and herds.
- "But the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb Which he bought and nourished; And it grew up together with him and his children. It would eat of his bread and drink of his cup and lie in his bosom, And was like a daughter to him.
- "Now a traveler came to the rich man, And he was unwilling to take from his own flock or his own herd, To prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him; Rather he took the poor man's ewe lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him."
- Then David's anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As the LORD lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die.
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- He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity."
- Then 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.
- I gave your master's house to you, and your master's wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more.
- Why 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.
- Now, 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.'
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- "He must make restitution for the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and had no compassion."
- Nathan then said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel, 'It is I who anointed you king over Israel and it is I who delivered you from the hand of Saul.
- 'I also gave you your master's house and 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!
- 'Why have you despised the word of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon.
- '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.'
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- "This is what the LORD says: 'Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight.
- You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.' "
- Then 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.
- But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the LORD show utter contempt, the son born to you will die."
- After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David, and he became ill.
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- "Thus says the LORD, 'Behold, I will 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 lie with your wives in broad daylight.
- 'Indeed you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and under the sun.'"
- Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD " And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has taken away your sin; you shall not die.
- "However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die."
- So Nathan went to his house.
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- David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground.
- The 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.
- On the seventh day the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, "While the child was still living, we spoke to David but he would not listen to us. How can we tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate."
- David noticed that his servants were whispering among themselves and he realized the child was dead. "Is the child dead?" he asked. "Yes," they replied, "he is dead."
- Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.
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- David therefore inquired of God for the child; and David fasted and went and lay all night on the ground.
- The elders of his household stood beside him in order to raise him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat food with them.
- Then it happened on the seventh day that 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 still alive, we spoke to him and he did not listen to our voice. How then can we tell him that the child is dead, since he might do himself harm!"
- But 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."
- So David arose from the ground, washed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he came into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he came to his own house, and when he requested, they set food before him and he ate.
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- His servants asked him, "Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!"
- He 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.'
- But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me."
- Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and lay with her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The LORD loved him;
- and because the LORD loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah.
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- Then his servants said to him, "What is this thing that you have done? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept; but when the child died, you arose and ate food."
- He said, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, 'Who knows, the LORD may be gracious to me, that the child may live.'
- "But now he has died; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me."
- Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and went in to her and lay with her; and she gave birth to a son, and he named him Solomon. Now the LORD loved him
- and sent word through Nathan the prophet, and he named him Jedidiah for the LORD'S sake.
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- Meanwhile Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal citadel.
- Joab then sent messengers to David, saying, "I have fought against Rabbah and taken its water supply.
- Now 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."
- So David mustered the entire army and went to Rabbah, and attacked and captured it.
- He took the crown from the head of their king --its weight was a talent of gold, and it was set with precious stones--and it was placed on David's head. He took a great quantity of plunder from the city
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- Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the sons of Ammon and captured the royal city.
- Joab sent messengers to David and said, "I have fought against Rabbah, I have even captured the city of waters.
- "Now therefore, gather the rest of the people together and camp against the city and capture it, or I will capture the city myself and it will be named after me."
- So David gathered all the people and went to Rabbah, fought against it and captured it.
- Then he took the crown of their king from his head; and its weight 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 in great amounts.
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- and 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. He did this to all the Ammonite towns. Then David and his entire army returned to Jerusalem.
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- He also brought out the people who were in it, and set them under saws, sharp iron instruments, and iron axes, and made them pass through the brickkiln. And thus he did to all the cities of the sons of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.
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