<< 2 Samuel 12 >> English Standard Version

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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?’ 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.”

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 25and sent a message by Nathan the prophet. So he called his name Jedidiah,^c because of the Lord.

Rabbah Is Captured

26Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and took the royal city. 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^d 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^e the brick kilns. And thus he did to all the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

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