The Reign of David

For you did it secretly, but I will do this before all Isra'el in broad daylight.'"

David said to Natan, "I have sinned against ADONAI." Natan said to David, "ADONAI also has taken away your sin. You will not die.

However, because by this act you have so greatly blasphemed ADONAI, the child born to you must die."

Then Natan returned to his house. ADONAI struck the child that Uriyah's wife had borne to David, and it became very ill.

David prayed to God on behalf of the child; David fasted, then came and lay all night on the ground.

The court officials got up and stood next to him trying to get him off the ground, but he refused, and he wouldn't eat food with them.

On the seventh day, the child died. The servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, because they said, "While the child was still alive, we spoke to him, and he didn't listen to us; if we tell him now that the child is dead, he may do himself some harm."

But when David saw his servants whispering to each other, he suspected that the child was dead. David asked his servants, "Is the child dead?" and they answered, "He is dead."

Then David got up off the ground, washed, anointed himself and changed his clothes. He went into the house of ADONAI and worshipped; then he went to his own palace; and when he asked for food, they served it to him; and he ate.

His servants asked him, "What are you doing? You fasted and wept for the child while it was alive; but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat food!"

He answered, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; because I thought, 'Maybe ADONAI will show his grace to me and let the child live.'

But now that he's dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me."

David comforted his wife Bat-Sheva, came to her and went to bed with her; she gave birth to a son and named him Shlomo. ADONAI loved him

and sent through Natan the prophet to have him named Y'didyah [loved by God], for ADONAI's sake.

Yo'av fought against Rabbah of the people of 'Amon and took the royal city.

Yo'av sent people to David with this message: "I have fought against Rabbah and captured its water supply.

Therefore, assemble the rest of the people; lay siege to the city; and capture it. Otherwise, I will capture the city; and it will be named after me!"

David assembled all the people, went to Rabbah, fought against it and captured it.

He took the crown off Malkam's head; it weighed sixty-six pounds, with its gold and precious stones; and it was placed on David's head. He carried off great quantities of spoil from the city.

In addition, he expelled the people who were in it and set them to work with saws, iron harrows and iron axes, or had them cross over to work in the brick factory. This is what he did to all the cities of the people of 'Amon. Then David and all the people returned to Yerushalayim.

Now Avshalom the son of David had a beautiful sister named Tamar. Some time after the previous events, Amnon the son of David fell in love with her.

Amnon became so obsessed with his sister Tamar that he became ill, for she was a virgin, and Amnon thought it would be impossible to approach her.

But Amnon had a friend named Yonadav the son of Shim'ah David's brother; and Yonadav was a very shrewd fellow.

He asked him, "Why, son of the king, are you growing thinner every day? Won't you tell me?"Amnon answered him, "I'm in love with Tamar, my brother Avshalom's sister."

Yonadav said to him, "Lie down on your bed, and pretend you're sick. When your father comes to see you, say to him, 'Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food to eat, and have her prepare the food where I can watch. I'll eat what she serves me."