The Reign of David

for thou hast done it in secret, and I do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.'

And David saith unto Nathan, `I have sinned against Jehovah.' And Nathan saith unto David, `Also--Jehovah hath caused thy sin to pass away; thou dost not die;

only, because thou hast caused the enemies of Jehovah greatly to despise by this thing, also the son who is born to thee doth surely die.'

And Nathan goeth unto his house, and Jehovah smiteth the lad, whom the wife of Uriah hath born to David, and it is incurable;

and David seeketh God for the youth, and David keepeth a fast, and hath gone in and lodged, and lain on the earth.

And the elders of his house rise against him, to raise him up from the earth, and he hath not been willing, nor hath he eaten with them bread;

and it cometh to pass on the seventh day, that the lad dieth, and the servants of David fear to declare to him that the lad is dead, for they said, `Lo, in the lad being alive we spake unto him, and he did not hearken to our voice; and how do we say unto him, The lad is dead? --then he hath done evil.'

And David seeth that his servants are whispering, and David understandeth that the lad is dead, and David saith unto his servants, `Is the lad dead?' and they say, `Dead.'

And David riseth from the earth, and doth bathe and anoint himself , and changeth his raiment, and cometh in to the house of Jehovah, and boweth himself, and cometh unto his house, and asketh and they place for him bread, and he eateth.

And his servants say unto him, `What is this thing thou hast done? because of the living lad thou hast fasted and dost weep, and when the lad is dead thou hast risen and dost eat bread.'

And he saith, `While the lad is alive I have fasted, and weep, for I said, Who knoweth? --Jehovah doth pity me, and the lad hath lived;

and now, he hath died, why is this--I fast? am I able to bring him back again? I am going unto him, and he doth not turn back unto me.'

And David comforteth Bath-Sheba his wife, and goeth in unto her, and lieth with her, and she beareth a son, and he calleth his name Solomon; and Jehovah hath loved him,

and sendeth by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and calleth his name Jedidiah, because of Jehovah.

And Joab fighteth against Rabbah of the Bene-Ammon, and captureth the royal city,

and Joab sendeth messengers unto David, and saith, `I have fought against Rabbah--also I have captured the city of waters;

and now, gather the rest of the people, and encamp against the city, and capture it, lest I capture the city, and my name hath been called upon it.'

And David gathereth all the people, and goeth to Rabbah, and fighteth against it, and captureth it;

and he taketh the crown of their king from off his head, and its weight is a talent of gold, and precious stones, and it is on the head of David; and the spoil of the city he hath brought out, very much;

and the people who are in it he hath brought out, and setteth to the saw, and to cutting instruments of iron, and to axes of iron, and hath caused them to pass over into the brick-kiln; and so he doth to all the cities of the Bene-Ammon; and David turneth back, and all the people, to Jerusalem.

And it cometh to pass afterwards that Absalom son of David hath a fair sister, and her name is Tamar, and Amnon son of David loveth her.

And Amnon hath distress--even to become sick, because of Tamar his sister, for she is a virgin, and it is hard in the eyes of Amnon to do anything to her.

And Amnon hath a friend, and his name is Jonadab, son of Shimeah, David's brother, and Jonadab is a very wise man,

and saith to him, `Wherefore art thou thus lean, O king's son, morning by morning? dost thou not declare to me?' And Amnon saith to him, `Tamar--sister of Absalom my brother--I am loving.'

And Jonadab saith to him, `Lie down on thy couch, and feign thyself sick, and thy father hath come in to see thee, and thou hast said unto him, `Let, I pray thee, Tamar my sister come in and give me bread to eat; and she hath made the food before mine eyes so that I see it , and have eaten from her hand.'