1E o SENHOR enviou a Davi o profeta Natã. Ao chegar, ele disse a Davi: “Dois homens viviam numa cidade, um era rico e o outro pobre.2O rico possuía muitas ovelhas e bois,3mas o pobre nada tinha, senão uma cordeirinha que havia comprado. Ele a criou, e ela cresceu com ele e com seus filhos. Ela comia junto dele, bebia do seu copo e até dormia em seus braços. Era como uma filha para ele.4“Certo dia, um viajante chegou à casa do rico, e este não quis pegar uma de suas próprias ovelhas ou de seus bois para preparar-lhe uma refeição. Em vez disso, preparou para o visitante a cordeira que pertencia ao pobre”.5Então Davi encheu-se de ira contra o homem e disse a Natã: “Juro pelo nome do SENHOR que o homem que fez isso merece a morte!6Deverá pagar quatro vezes o preço da cordeira, porquanto agiu sem misericórdia”.7“Você é esse homem!”, disse Natã a Davi. E continuou: “Assim diz o SENHOR, o Deus de Israel: ‘Eu o ungi rei de Israel e o livrei das mãos de Saul.8Dei a você a casa e as mulheres do seu senhor. Dei a você a nação de Israel e Judá. E, se tudo isso não fosse suficiente, eu teria dado mais ainda.9Por que você desprezou a palavra do SENHOR, fazendo o que ele reprova? Você matou Urias, o hitita, com a espada dos amonitas e ficou com a mulher dele.10Por isso, a espada nunca se afastará de sua família, pois você me desprezou e tomou a mulher de Urias, o hitita, para ser sua mulher’.11“Assim diz o SENHOR: ‘De sua própria família trarei desgraça sobre você. Tomarei as suas mulheres diante dos seus próprios olhos e as darei a outro; e ele se deitará com elas em plena luz do dia.12Você fez isso às escondidas, mas eu o farei diante de todo o Israel, em plena luz do dia’ ”.13Então Davi disse a Natã: “Pequei contra o SENHOR!” E Natã respondeu: “O SENHOR perdoou o seu pecado. Você não morrerá.14Entretanto, uma vez que você insultou o SENHOR[1], o menino morrerá”.15Depois que Natã foi para casa, o SENHOR fez adoecer o filho que a mulher de Urias dera a Davi.16E Davi implorou a Deus em favor da criança. Ele jejuou e, entrando em casa, passou a noite deitado no chão.17Os oficiais do palácio tentaram fazê-lo levantar-se do chão, mas ele não quis e recusou comer.18Sete dias depois a criança morreu. Os conselheiros de Davi ficaram com medo de dizer-lhe que a criança estava morta e comentaram: “Enquanto a criança ainda estava viva, falamos com ele, e ele não quis escutar-nos. Como vamos dizer-lhe que a criança morreu? Ele poderá cometer alguma loucura!”19Davi, percebendo que seus conselheiros cochichavam entre si, compreendeu que a criança estava morta e perguntou: “A criança morreu?” “Sim, morreu”, responderam eles.20Então Davi levantou-se do chão, lavou-se, perfumou-se e trocou de roupa. Depois entrou no santuário do SENHOR e o adorou. E, voltando ao palácio, pediu que lhe preparassem uma refeição e comeu.21Seus conselheiros lhe perguntaram: “Por que ages assim? Enquanto a criança estava viva, jejuaste e choraste; mas, agora que a criança está morta, te levantas e comes!”22Ele respondeu: “Enquanto a criança ainda estava viva, jejuei e chorei. Eu pensava: Quem sabe? Talvez o SENHOR tenha misericórdia de mim e deixe a criança viver.23Mas agora que ela morreu, por que deveria jejuar? Poderia eu trazê-la de volta à vida? Eu irei até ela, mas ela não voltará para mim”.24Depois Davi consolou sua mulher Bate-Seba e deitou-se com ela, e ela teve um menino, a quem Davi deu o nome de Salomão. O SENHOR o amou25e enviou o profeta Natã com uma mensagem a Davi. E Natã deu ao menino o nome de Jedidias[2].26Enquanto isso, Joabe atacou Rabá dos amonitas e conquistou a fortaleza real.27Feito isso, mandou mensageiros a Davi, dizendo: “Lutei contra Rabá e apoderei-me dos seus reservatórios de água.28Agora, convoca o restante do exército, cerca a cidade e conquista-a. Se não, eu terei a fama de havê-la conquistado”.29Então Davi convocou todo o exército, foi a Rabá, atacou a cidade e a conquistou.30A seguir tirou a coroa da cabeça de Moloque[3], uma coroa de ouro de trinta e cinco quilos[4]; ornamentada com pedras preciosas. E ela foi colocada na cabeça de Davi. Ele trouxe uma grande quantidade de bens da cidade31e trouxe também os seus habitantes, designando-lhes trabalhos com serras, picaretas e machados, além da fabricação de tijolos. Davi fez assim com todas as cidades amonitas. Depois voltou com todo o seu exército para Jerusalém.
1And the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. (Jz 9:8; 2 Sm 7:2; 2 Sm 7:4; 2 Sm 7:17; 2 Sm 12:7; 2 Sm 12:13; 2 Sm 12:15; 2 Sm 12:25; 2 Sm 14:5; 1 Rs 1:10; 1 Rs 1:22; 1 Rs 1:34; 1 Rs 4:5; 1 Rs 20:35; 1 Cr 29:29; 2 Cr 9:29)2The rich man had very many flocks and herds,3but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms,[1] and it was like a daughter to him.4Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”5Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, (Rt 3:13)6and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.” (Ex 22:1; Lc 19:8)7Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. (1 Sm 16:13)8And I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more.9Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. (Nm 15:31; 1 Sm 15:19; 2 Sm 11:15; 2 Sm 11:17; 2 Sm 11:27)10Now 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.’11Thus says the Lord, ‘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 shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.12For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.’” (2 Sm 16:22)13David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. (1 Sm 15:24; 2 Sm 24:10; Sl 32:1; Sl 32:5; Sl 51:4; Mq 7:18; Zc 3:4)14Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord,[2] the child who is born to you shall die.” (Is 52:5; Ez 36:20; Ez 36:23; Rm 2:24)
David’s Child Dies
15Then Nathan went to his house. And the Lord afflicted the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and he became sick.16David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. (2 Sm 13:31; 1 Rs 21:27)17And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground, but he would not, nor did he eat food with them.18On the seventh day 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 yet alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to us. How then can we say to him the child is dead? He may do himself some harm.”19But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David understood that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” They said, “He is dead.”20Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. He then went to his own house. And when he asked, they set food before him, and he ate. (Rt 3:3; Jó 1:20)21Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.”22He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ (Jn 3:9)23But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.” (Jó 7:8)
Solomon’s Birth
24Then David comforted his wife, Bathsheba, and went in to her and lay with her, and she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. And the Lord loved him (1 Cr 22:9; Mt 1:6)25and sent a message by Nathan the prophet. So he called his name Jedidiah,[3] because of the Lord.
Rabbah Is Captured
26Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and took the royal city. (Dt 3:11; 2 Sm 11:1; 1 Cr 20:1)27And Joab sent messengers to David and said, “I have fought against Rabbah; moreover, I have taken the city of waters.28Now then 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.”29So David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah and fought against it and took it.30And he took the crown of their king from his head. The weight of it was a talent[4] 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, a very great amount.31And he brought out the people who were in it and set them to labor with saws and iron picks and iron axes and made them toil at[5] the brick kilns. And thus he did to all the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.