The Second Book of Samuel

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- Chapter 12 -

(Psalm 51:1–19)

Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And when he had come to him, he said to him: “Two men were in one city: one wealthy, and the other poor.

The wealthy man had very many sheep and oxen.

But the poor man had nothing at all, except one little sheep, which he had bought and nourished. And she had grown up before him, together with his children, eating from his bread, and drinking from his cup, and sleeping in his bosom. And she was like a daughter to him.

But when a certain traveler had come to the wealthy man, neglecting to take from his own sheep and oxen, so that he might present a feast for that traveler, who had come to him, he took the sheep of the poor man, and he prepared a meal for the man who had come to him.”

Then David’s indignation was enraged exceedingly against that man, and he said to Nathan: “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this is a son of death.

He shall restore the sheep fourfold, because he did this word, and he did not take pity.”

But Nathan said to David: “You are that man. Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘I anointed you as king over Israel, and I rescued you from the hand of Saul.

And I gave the house of your lord to you, and the wives of your lord into your bosom. And I gave the house of Israel and of Judah to you. And as if these things were small, I shall add much greater things to you.

Therefore, why have you despised the word of the Lord, so that you did evil in my sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword. And you have taken his wife as a wife for yourself. And you have put him to death with the sword of the sons of Ammon.(a)

For this reason, the sword shall not withdraw from your house, even perpetually, because you have despised me, and you have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite, so that she may be your wife.’

And so, thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will raise up over you an evil from your own house. And I will take your wives away before your eyes, and I will give them to your neighbor. And he will sleep with your wives in the sight of this sun.(b)

For you acted secretly. But I will do this word in the sight of all of Israel, and in the sight of the sun.’ ”

David’s Loss and Repentance

And David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David: “The Lord has also taken away your sin. You shall not die.

Yet truly, because you have given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, because of this word, the son who was born to you: dying he shall die.”(c)

And Nathan returned to his own house. And the Lord struck the little one, whom the wife of Uriah had borne to David, and he was despaired of.

And David begged the Lord on behalf of the little one. And David fasted strictly, and entering alone, he lay upon the ground.(d)

Then the elders of his house came, urging him to rise up from the ground. And he was not willing, nor would he eat a meal with them.

Then, on the seventh day, it happened that the infant died. And the servants of David were afraid to report to him that the little one had died. For they said: “Behold, when the child was still alive, we were speaking to him, but he would not listen to our voice. How much more will he afflict himself, if we tell him that the boy is dead?”

But when David had seen his servants whispering, he realized that the infant had died. And he said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” And they responded to him, “He is dead.”

Therefore, David rose up from the ground. And he washed and anointed himself. And when he had changed his clothing, he entered the house of the Lord, and he worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and he asked them to place bread before him, and he ate.

But his servants said to him: “What is this word that you have done? You fasted and were weeping, on behalf of the infant, while he was still alive. But when the boy was dead, you arose and ate bread.”

And he said: “While he was yet alive, I fasted and wept on behalf of the infant. For I said: Who knows if the Lord may perhaps give him to me, and let the infant live?

But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Would I be able to bring him back anymore? Instead, I will go to him. Yet truly, he will not return to me.”(e)

Solomon’s Birth

And David consoled his wife Bathsheba. And entering to her, he slept with her. And she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon, and the Lord loved him.

And he sent, by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and he called his name, Beloved of the Lord, because the Lord loved him.(f)

The Capture of Rabbah

(1 Chronicles 20:1–3)

And then Joab fought against Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, and he fought outside the royal city.

And Joab sent messengers to David, saying: “I have struggled against Rabbah, and so the City of Waters will soon be seized.(g)

Now therefore, gather the remaining portion of the people together, and besiege the city and take it. Otherwise, when the city will have been laid waste by me, the victory will be ascribed to my name.”

And so David gathered together all the people, and he set out against Rabbah. And after he had fought, he seized it.

And he took the crown of their king from his head. The weight of it was a talent of gold, having the most precious gems. And it was placed upon the head of David. Moreover, he carried away the spoils of the city, which were very many.

Also, bringing forth its people, he sawed them, and he drove over them with iron wagons, and he divided them with knives, and he dragged them through brick kilns. So he did to all the citizens of the sons of Ammon. And David returned, with the entire army, to Jerusalem.

Footnotes

(a)12:9 So David is accused of three sins: murder of Uriah, adultery with Bathsheba, and deception, in that he killed Uriah by making it seem as if he died in battle.(Conte)

(b)12:11 I will raise, etc:All these evils, inasmuch as they were punishments, came upon David by a just judgment of God, for his sin, and therefore God says, I will raise, etc.; but inasmuch as they were sins, on the part of Absalom and his associates, God was not the author of them, but only permitted them.(Challoner)

(d)12:16 The repetition of the term ‘ieiunavit … ieiunio’ has the effect of intensifying its meaning. So, he fasted strictly.(Conte)

(e)12:23 David is certainly in Heaven, since he was forgiven his sin toward Bathsheba and Uriah, and since he was chosen as a foreshadowing of Christ himself. And Sacred Scripture tells us, through David, that this infant who died unbaptized is also in Heaven. Therefore, unbaptized infants go to Heaven, not to limbo or Hell.(Conte)

(f)12:25 Amiable to the Lord:Or, beloved of the Lord. In Hebrew, Jedidiah.(Challoner)

(g)12:27 The city of waters:Rabbath the royal city of the Ammonites, was called the city of waters, from being encompassed with waters.(Challoner)

(Psalm 51:1–19)

The LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, “There were two men in one city: the one rich, and the other poor.

The rich man had very many flocks and herds,

but the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and raised. It grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food, drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was like a daughter to him.

A traveler came to the rich man, and he didn’t want to take of his own flock and of his own herd to prepare for the wayfaring man who had come to him, but took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”

David’s anger burned hot against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die!

He must restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and because he had no pity!”

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 out of the hand of Saul.

I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that would have been too little, I would have added to you many more such things.

Why have you despised the LORD’s word, to do that which is evil in his sight? You have struck Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

Now therefore the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken Uriah the Hittite’s wife to be your wife.’

“This is what the LORD says: ‘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 will lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.

For you did this secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.’”

David’s Loss and Repentance

David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin. You will not die.

However, 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.”

Then Nathan departed to his house. The LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and he was very sick.

David therefore begged God for the child; and David fasted, and went in and lay all night on the ground.

The elders of his house arose beside him, to raise him up from the earth; but he would not, and he didn’t eat bread with them.

On the seventh day, the child died. David’s servants 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 didn’t listen to our voice. How will he then harm himself if we tell him that the child is dead?”

But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; and David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” They said, “He is dead.”

Then David arose from the earth, and washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothing; and he came into the LORD’s house, and worshiped. Then he came to his own house; and when he requested, they set bread before him and he ate.

Then 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 was dead, you rose up and ate bread.”

He said, “While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows whether the LORD will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?’

But now 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.”

Solomon’s Birth

David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her, and lay with her. She bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. The LORD loved him;

and he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and he named him Jedidiah,(a) for the LORD’s sake.

The Capture of Rabbah

(1 Chronicles 20:1–3)

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

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

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 by my name.”

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

He took the crown of their king from off his head; and its weight was a talent

(b)

of gold, and in it were precious stones; and it was set on David’s head. He brought a great quantity of plunder out of the city.

He brought out the people who were in it, and put them to work under saws, under iron picks, under axes of iron, and made them go to the brick kiln; and he did so to all the cities of the children of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

Footnotes

(a)12:25 “Jedidiah” means “loved by the LORD”.

(b)12:30 A talent is about 30 kilograms or 66 pounds or 965 Troy ounces