Study Desk

And it came to pass, after the year had expired, at the time when kings go forth [to battle], that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and destroyed Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.

But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.

And when David had called him, he ate and drank before him; and he made him drunk: and at evening he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.

And when the mourning was past, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife, and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

But the poor [man] had nothing save one little ewe-lamb, which he had bought and nourished: and it grew up together with him, and with his children: it fed of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was to him as a daughter.

And there came a traveler to the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the way-faring man that had come to him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that had come to him.

For thou didst [it] secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.

But, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also [that is] born to thee shall surely die.

And the elders of his house arose, [and went] to him, to raise him from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.

But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said to his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.

Then said his servants to him, What thing [is] this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, [while it was] alive; but after the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.

But 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.

But Amnon had a friend, whose name [was] Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother: and Jonadab [was] a very subtil man.

And she took a pan, and poured [them] out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And they went out every man from him.

Howbeit, he would not hearken to her voice: but being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her.

And she said to him, [There is] no cause: this evil in sending me away [is] greater than the other that thou didst to me. But he would not hearken to her.

And Absalom her brother said to her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but hold now thy peace, my sister: he [is] thy brother; regard not this thing. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house.

But when king David heard of all these things, he was very wroth.

And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not all now go, lest we be chargeable to thee. And he pressed him: yet he would not go, but blessed him.

But Absalom pressed him that he should let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him.