Nathan Confronts David

The LORD sent Nathan to David. Nathan spoke of two men in one city. One was rich and had many flocks and herds. The other was poor and had only one little ewe lamb. He had bought it and raised it, and it lived with him and his children like a cherished part of the household.

Nathan said that when a traveller came to the rich man, the rich man would not take one of his own animals. Instead, he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the visitor. David burned with anger. He said the man deserved judgement and should repay the lamb four times, because he had shown no pity.

Then Nathan said, 'You are the man.' The LORD had anointed David king, rescued him from Saul, and given him much. Yet David had despised the LORD's word. Nathan said plainly that David had struck down Uriah the Hittite and taken Uriah's wife. Because of this, the sword would not depart from David's house, and trouble would rise from within it.

David answered, 'I have sinned against the LORD.' Nathan told him that the LORD had put away his sin, and David would not die. But the child born in this matter would die. The LORD struck the child with sickness, and David pleaded with God. He fasted, lay on the ground all night, and refused food, even when the elders tried to lift him up.

On the seventh day, the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him, but David saw them whispering and understood. When they confirmed it, he rose, washed, anointed himself, changed his clothes, went to the LORD's house and worshipped, and then ate. He said he had hoped the LORD might be gracious while the child lived, but now the child would not return to him.

After this, David comforted Bathsheba his wife. She gave birth to a son, and David called his name Solomon. The LORD loved him and sent word by Nathan the prophet, who named him Jedidiah for the LORD's sake. The passage shows David admitting his sin, while also showing that his actions brought deep sorrow.