Nathan Confronts David

2 Samuel 12: 1-10 (New Revised Standard Version)

But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord, and the Lord sent Nathan to David. He [Nathan] came to him [David], and said to him, "There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds; but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. He [The poor man] brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children; it used to eat of his meager fare, and drink from his cup, and lie in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler [a guest who came] to the rich man, and he [the rich man] was loath to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the wayfarer [guest] who had come to him, but he [the rich man] took the poor man's lamb, and prepared that for the guest who had come to him. Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man [rich man in Nathan's story]. He said to Nathan, "As the Lord lives, the [rich] man who has done this deserves to die; he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity."

Nathan said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the Lord, God of Israel: I anointed you king over Israel, ... and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added as much more. Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, for you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife."