First Reading2 Samuel 12:1-7a, 10-17
From the Second Book of Samuel
1The Lord sent Nathan to David.He came to him, and said to him,“There were two men in one city:the one rich, and the other poor.2The rich man had very many flocks and herds,3but the poor man had nothing,except one little ewe lamb,which he had bought and raised.It grew up together with him and with his children.It ate of his own food,drank of his own cup,and lay in his bosom,and was like a daughter to him.4A traveler came to the rich man,and he didn’t want to take of his own flockand of his own herd to prepare for the wayfaring manwho had come to him,but took the poor man’s lamband prepared it for the man who had come to him.”
5David’s anger burned hot against the man,and he said to Nathan,“As the Lord lives,the man who has done this deserves to die!6He must restore the lamb fourfold,because he did this thing and because he had no pity!”
7Nathan said to David, “You are the man!This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says:‘I anointed you king over Israel,and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. verses 8–9 are not read10Now therefore the sword will never depart from your house,because you have despised meand have taken Uriah the Hittite’s wife to be your wife.’
11“This is what the Lord says:‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house;and I will take your wives before your eyesand give them to your neighbor,and he will lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.12For you did this secretly,but I will do this thing before all Israel,and before the sun.’”
13David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”
Nathan said to David,“The Lord also has put away your sin.You will not die.14However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the Lord’s enemies to blaspheme,the child also who is born to you will surely die.”15Then Nathan departed to his house.
The Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David,and he was very sick.16David therefore begged God for the child;and David fasted, and went inand lay all night on the ground.17The elders of his house arose beside him,to raise him up from the earth;but he would not, and he didn’t eat bread with them.