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David’s Son Dies
12 The Lord sent Nathan [C a prophet who was in the king’s court; 7:2–17] to David. When he came to David, he said, “There were two men in a city. One was rich, but the other was poor. 2 The rich man had many ·sheep [flocks] and ·cattle [herds]. 3 But the poor man had nothing except one little ·female [ewe] lamb he had bought. The poor man fed the lamb, and it grew up with him and his children. It ·shared his food [L ate from his plate] and drank from his cup and slept in his ·arms [L bosom]. The lamb was like a daughter to him.
4 “Then a traveler stopped to visit the rich man. The rich man wanted to feed the traveler, but he ·didn’t want [was unwilling/loath] to take one ·of his own sheep or cattle [from his own flock or herd]. Instead, he took the lamb from the poor man and ·cooked [L prepared] it for his visitor.”
5 David ·became very angry at [L burned with anger against] the rich man. He said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this ·should [deserves to] die! 6 He must ·pay for the lamb four times [repay four lambs] for doing such a thing [Ex. 22:1]. He had no ·mercy [pity; compassion]!”
7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are ·the [that] man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I ·appointed [anointed] you king of Israel and [L I] ·saved [rescued; delivered] you from [L the hand of] Saul. 8 I gave you ·his kingdom [L your master’s house] and his wives [L into your arms/bosom]. And I ·made you king [L gave you the house] of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you ·even [much] more. 9 So why did you ·ignore the Lord’s command [L despise the word of the Lord]? Why did you do what ·he says is wrong [L is evil in his sight/eyes]? You ·killed [L struck down] Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and took his wife to be your wife! 10 ·Now [Therefore] ·there will always be people in your family who will die by a sword [L the sword will never depart from your house], because you ·did not respect [L have despised] me; you took the wife of Uriah the Hittite for yourself!’
11 “This is what the Lord says: ‘I am ·bringing trouble to [L raising up evil against] you from your own ·family [L house]. ·While you watch [L Before your eyes], I will take your wives from you and give them to ·someone who is very close to you [L your neighbor]. He will ·have sexual relations [L lie] with your wives, ·and everyone will know it [in broad daylight]. 12 You ·had sexual relations with Bathsheba [L did it] in secret, but I will do this ·so all the people of Israel can see it [L before all Israel in broad daylight; 16:21–22].’”
13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan answered, “The Lord has ·taken away [forgiven] your sin. You will not die [Ps. 51]. 14 But what you did ·caused the Lord’s enemies to lose all respect for him [or has shown utter contempt/scorn for the Lord]. For this reason the ·son [child] who was born to you will die.”
15 Then Nathan went home. And the Lord ·caused the son [L struck the child] of David and Bathsheba, Uriah’s widow, ·to be [and he became] very sick. 16 David ·prayed to [pleaded with; begged; L inquired of] God for the baby. David fasted and went into his house and stayed there, lying on the ground all night. 17 The elders of David’s ·family [L house] ·came to [stood around] him and tried to pull him up from the ground, but he refused to get up or to eat food with them.
18 On the seventh day the baby died. David’s ·servants [advisers] were afraid to tell him that the baby was dead. They said, “Look, we tried to talk to David while the baby was alive, but he refused to listen to ·us [reason]. If we tell him the baby is dead, he may do ·something awful [something desperate; himself harm].”
19 When David saw his ·servants [advisers] whispering, he knew that the baby was dead. So he asked them, “Is the ·baby [child] dead?”
They answered, “Yes, he is dead.”
20 Then David got up from the ·floor [ground], washed himself, ·put lotions on [anointed himself], and changed his clothes. Then he went into ·the Lord’s house [the Tabernacle; L his house] to worship. After that, he went home and asked for something to eat. His servants gave him some food, and he ate.
21 David’s ·servants [advisers] said to him, “Why are you ·doing [behaving like] this? When the ·baby [child] was still alive, you fasted and you cried. Now that the ·baby [child] is dead, you get up and eat food.”
22 David said, “While the ·baby [child] was still alive, I fasted, and I cried. I thought, ‘Who knows? Maybe the Lord will ·feel sorry for [L be gracious to] me and let the ·baby [child] live.’ 23 But now that the ·baby [child] is dead, why should I fast? ·I can’t [L Can I…?] bring him back to life. Someday I will go to him, but he cannot come back to me.”
24 Then David ·comforted [consoled] Bathsheba his wife. He ·slept with [L went in to] her and ·had sexual relations [L lay] with her. She ·became pregnant again [conceived] and ·had another [L gave birth to a] son, whom ·David [or she; they] named Solomon. The Lord loved Solomon. 25 The Lord sent word through Nathan the prophet to name the baby Jedidiah [C “loved by the Lord”], ·because the Lord loved the child [L for the Lord’s sake].
David Captures Rabbah(A)
26 Joab fought against Rabbah, a royal city of the Ammonites, and he was about to capture it. 27 Joab sent messengers to David and said, “I have fought against Rabbah and have captured ·its water supply [or the City of Waters]. 28 Now bring the ·other soldiers [L rest of the army] together and attack this city. Capture it before I capture it myself and it is ·called by my name [named after me]!”
29 So David gathered all the army and went to Rabbah and ·fought against [attacked] it and captured it. 30 David took the crown ·off their king’s [or of Milcom from his] head [C Milcom was their main god] and had it placed on his own head. That gold crown weighed ·about seventy-five pounds [L a talent], and ·it had valuable gems in it [was set with precious stones]. And David took ·many valuable things [great amounts of plunder/spoil] from the city. 31 He also brought out the people of the city and forced them to work with saws, iron picks, and axes. He also ·made them build with bricks [sent them to the brick kilns]. David did this to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all his army returned to Jerusalem.
16 “I have told you these things to keep you from ·giving up [stumbling; falling away; going astray]. 2 People will ·put you out of [ban you from] their synagogues. Yes, ·the time [L an hour; C an indefinite reference to a future time but likely connected to the period after the death and resurrection of Christ] is coming when those who kill you will think they are offering ·service [worship] to God. 3 They will do this because they have not known the Father and they have not known me. 4 I have told you these things now so that when ·the time [L their hour; C the time of persecution] comes you will remember that I ·warned [told] you [about them].
The Work of the Holy Spirit
“I did not tell you ·these things [C that they would experience persecution] ·at [from] the beginning, because I was with you then. 5 Now I am going back to the One who sent me. But none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 Your hearts are filled with ·sadness [grief; sorrow] because I have told you these things. 7 But I tell you the truth, it is ·better for you [for your advantage] that I go away. [L For] When I go away, I will send the ·Helper [Counselor; Advocate; C the Holy Spirit] to you. If I do not go away, the Helper will not come [to you]. 8 When the Helper comes, he will ·prove to the people of the world the truth about sin [L convict/expose/convince the world about sin], about ·being right with God [L righteousness], and about judgment [C the meaning of this sentence is uncertain, as are the explanatory phrases in vv. 9–11]. 9 ·He will prove to them that sin is not believing in me [L concerning sin, because they do not believe in me]. 10 ·He will prove to them that being right with God comes from my going to the Father and not being seen anymore [L concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you will no longer see me; C probably means the Spirit will convict the world of its empty righteousness because Jesus is no longer present to model true righteousness]. 11 ·And the Helper will prove to them that judgment happened when the ruler of this world was judged [L concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged; C probably means the Spirit will convict the world that its judgments are false because Satan—the one they follow—has been condemned by Christ’s victory on the cross].
12 “I [L still] have many more things to say to you, but ·they are too much for you [L you cannot bear them] now. 13 But when the Spirit of truth [C the Helper; see 16:7] comes, he will ·lead [guide] you into all truth. He will not speak ·his own words [from his own authority; L from himself], but he will speak only what he hears [C from the Father], and he will ·tell [announce/declare to] you what is to come. 14 The Spirit of truth will ·bring glory to [glorify; honor] me, because he will take what ·I have to say [L is mine] and ·tell [announce; declare] it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine. That is why I said that the Spirit will take what ·I have to say [L what is mine] and ·tell [announce; declare] it to you.
Sadness Will Become Happiness
16 “After a little while you will not see me [C after his crucifixion], and then after a little while you will see me again [C after his resurrection].”
17 [L Therefore] Some of the ·followers [disciples] ·said to each other [discussed among themselves], “What does Jesus mean when he says, ‘After a little while you will not see me, and then after a little while you will see me again’? And what does he mean when he says, ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” 18 They also asked, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.”
19 Jesus ·saw [knew; was aware] that the ·followers [disciples] wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you ·asking each other [discussing among yourselves] what I meant when I said, ‘After a little while you will not see me, and then after a little while you will see me again’? 20 ·I tell you the truth [L Truly, truly I say to you], you will ·cry and be sad [weep and mourn/lament], but the world will be happy. You will ·be sad [grieve; have pain], but your ·sadness [grief; pain] will become joy. 21 When a woman ·gives birth to a baby [goes into labor], she has pain, because her ·time [L hour] has come. But when her baby is born, she ·forgets the pain [does not remember the suffering/affliction], because ·she is so happy [L of the joy] that a ·child [L human being] has been born into the world. 22 It is the same with you. Now you are ·sad [sorrowful; in pain; grieving], but I will see you again and ·you [L your heart] will ·be happy [rejoice], and no one will take away your joy. 23 In that day [C after his resurrection] you will not ask me for anything. ·I tell you the truth [L Truly, truly I say to you], my Father will give you anything you ask for in my name [see 14:13]. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy will be ·the fullest possible joy [complete; fulfilled].
Victory over the World
25 “I have told you these things ·indirectly in stories [in parables/figurative speech]. But ·the time [L the hour] will come when I will ·not [no longer] use ·stories like that [parables; figurative speech; 10:6] to tell you things; I will speak to you in plain words about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask the Father for things in my name. I mean, I will not need to ask the Father for you. 27 [L For] The Father himself loves you. He loves you because you loved me and believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father into the world. Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”
29 Then the ·followers [disciples] of Jesus said, “You are speaking ·clearly [plainly] to us now and are not using ·stories that are hard to understand [parables; figurative speech]. 30 We can see now that you know all things. ·You can answer a person’s question even before it is asked. [L You do not need anyone to question you.] This makes us believe you came from God.”
31 Jesus answered, “So now you believe? 32 Listen to me; ·a time [L an hour] is coming when you will be scattered, each to your own home [compare Zech. 13:7]. That time is now here. You will leave me alone, but I am ·never really [L not] alone, because the Father is with me.
33 “I told you these things so that you can have peace in me. In this world you will have ·trouble [persecution; suffering], but ·be brave [take courage/heart]! I have ·defeated [victory over; conquered; overcome] the world.”
65 You have done good things for your servant,
as you have promised, Lord.
66 Teach me ·wisdom [L good judgment] and knowledge
because I ·trust [believe] your commands.
67 Before I ·suffered [was humbled], I ·did wrong [wandered],
but now I ·obey [keep; guard] your word.
68 You are good, and you do what is good.
Teach me your ·demands [statutes; ordinances; requirements].
69 ·Proud [Arrogant] people ·have made up lies about me [smear me with lies],
but I will ·follow [keep; protect] your ·orders [precepts] with all my heart.
70 ·Those people have no feelings [L Their hearts are gross and fat],
but I ·love [delight in] your ·teachings [instructions; laws].
71 It was good for me to ·suffer [be humbled]
so I would learn your ·demands [statutes; ordinances; requirements].
72 ·Your teachings [L The instructions/laws of your mouth] are ·worth more to [better for] me
than thousands of pieces of gold and silver.
73 You made me and ·formed [fashioned; or established] me with your hands.
Give me understanding so I can learn your commands.
74 Let those who ·respect [fear; Prov. 1:7] you rejoice when they see me,
because I put my hope in your word.
75 Lord, I know that your ·laws [judgments] are ·right [righteous]
and that it was ·right [faithful] for you to ·punish [humble] me.
76 Comfort me with your ·love [loyalty],
as you promised me, your servant.
77 ·Have mercy [L Let your mercy/compassion come] on me so that I may live.
I ·love [delight in] your ·teachings [laws; instructions].
78 Make ·proud [arrogant] people ashamed because they ·lied about me [perverted me with lies].
But I will ·think about [meditate on] your ·orders [precepts].
79 Let those who ·respect [fear; Prov. 1:7] you return to me,
those who know your ·rules [decrees; testimonies].
80 ·Let me obey your demands perfectly [L May my heart be blameless in regard to your statutes/ordinances/requirements]
so I will not be ashamed.
4 The Lord makes everything ·go as he pleases [for a purpose].
He has even prepared a day of ·disaster [evil; harm; trouble] for evil people.
5 The Lord ·hates [detests] those who are proud.
They will surely be punished.
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