2 Samuel 12

All 31 verses in the Clear Bible Translation. Tap a verse to compare the KJV and read what it means.

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1. 1The LORD sent Nathan to David. Nathan came to him and said, "There were two men living in the same city; one was rich and the other was poor."
2. 2The rich man owned enormous flocks and herds.
3. 3But the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought and raised. It grew up with him and his children, eating from his plate, drinking from his cup, and sleeping in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.
4. 4A traveler came to visit the rich man, and instead of taking from his own flock and herd to prepare a meal for his guest, the rich man took the poor man's lamb and cooked it for his visitor.
5. 5David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As the LORD lives, the man who did this thing shall surely die."
6. 6And he must repay four times the value of the lamb, because he did this thing and had no pity.
7. 7Nathan looked at David and said, "You are that man. This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'I anointed you king over Israel. I rescued you from Saul.
8. 8I gave you your master's household and your master's wives. I gave you all of Israel and Judah. And if that hadn't been enough, I would have given you even more.
9. 9So why did you despise the commandment of the LORD and do evil in his sight? You killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.
10. 10Now therefore, the sword shall never leave your house, because you have despised me and taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.
11. 11"The LORD also says this: 'I am going to bring disaster on you from within your own household. Right before your eyes, I will take your wives and give them to someone close to you, and he will sleep with them in broad daylight.
12. 12You did what you did in secret, but I will make this happen in full view of all Israel, under the open sun.'"
13. 13David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan replied, "The LORD has taken away your sin. You will not die.
14. 14However, because by this deed you have given the enemies of the LORD a great occasion to blaspheme, the child born to you will surely die.
15. 15Then Nathan went home. The LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David, and the boy became very sick.
16. 16David pleaded with God for the child; he fasted, went inside, and lay on the ground all night.
17. 17The senior members of his household came and tried to get him up off the ground, but he refused. He wouldn't eat anything with them.
18. 18On the 7th day, the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him, because they said to each other, "When the child was still alive, we talked to him and he wouldn't listen to us. What will he do to himself if we tell him the child is dead?"
19. 19But David noticed his servants whispering to each other and realized the child had died. He asked them, "Is the child dead?" They answered, "He is dead."
20. 20David got up from the ground, washed himself, put on oil, and changed his clothes. Then he went to the house of the LORD and worshiped. After that, he went home and asked for food. When they set it before him, he ate.
21. 21His servants were confused. They asked him, "What are you doing? You fasted and wept while the child was alive, but now that he's dead, you get up and eat?"
22. 22He said, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, because I said, 'Who knows whether GOD will be gracious to me, so that the child may live?'"
23. 23But now that he's dead, why would I keep fasting? Can I bring him back? I will go to him one day, but he will never come back to me."
24. 24David comforted his wife Bathsheba, slept with her, and she gave birth to a son. David named him Solomon, and the LORD loved him.
25. 25He sent a message through Nathan the prophet, and he named him Jedidiah, because of the LORD.
26. 26Meanwhile, Joab was fighting against Rabbah, the capital of the Ammonites, and he captured the royal fortress.
27. 27Joab sent messengers to David with this report: "I've attacked Rabbah and captured its water supply.
28. 28Now gather the rest of the army, come lay siege to the city, and take it yourself — otherwise I'll capture it and it will be named after me."
29. 29So David assembled the entire army, marched to Rabbah, attacked it, and captured it.
30. 30He took the crown from the head of the Ammonite king — it weighed a talent of gold and was set with precious stones — and it was placed on David's head. He also carried off a massive amount of plunder from the city.
31. 31He brought out the people who were there and put them under saws, iron harrows, and iron axes, and made them pass through the brick kiln. He did this to all the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.