15. Then Nathan went to his house. The Lord struck the child that the wife of Uriah had born for David, and he became sick.
16. David entreated God on behalf of the child. He fasted for a period, and he would go in and lie throughout the night on the ground.
17. The elders of his house stood beside him to rouse him from the ground, but he was not willing, nor would he consume food with them.
18. The child died on the seventh day, and the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child had died. They said, “When the child was alive, we would speak to him, but he would not acknowledge our voices. Now how can we say to him, ‘The child is dead’? He may do harm.”
19. When David noticed that his servants were whispering to one another, he perceived that the child was dead. So he asked his servants, “Is the child dead?”They said, “He is dead.”
20. So David arose from the ground, washed, anointed himself, and changed his garments. Then he entered the house of the Lord and worshipped. He then went in to his own house. When he asked, they set down food for him and ate.
21. His servants said to him, “What is this thing you have done? You fasted and wept for the sake of the living child, but when the child died, you arose and ate food.”
22. He explained, “As long as the child was alive, I fasted and wept because I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me, so that the child may live.’
23. But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Am I able to bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”
24. Then David comforted Bathsheba, his wife. He went to her and lay with her, so that she conceived a son. They named him Solomon, and the Lord loved him.
25. So He sent a word by way of the prophet Nathan that he should be named Jedidiah for the sake of the Lord.
26. Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and assumed control of the royal city.
27. So Joab sent messengers to David and reported, “I have fought against Rabbah, and I have occupied the water supply of the city.
28. Now gather the remainder of the people, lay siege to the city, and take it. Otherwise, I myself will capture the city, and it will be called by my name.”
29. So David gathered all of the people and they went to Rabbah, fought against it, and took it.
30. David took the crown of their king from his head, and its weight was a talent of gold and precious stone. It was placed upon the head of David. He brought out large quantities of plunder from the city.
31. He brought out the people who were in it, and he put them to work with saws, and iron picks, and iron axes, and sent them to work in the brick kiln. Thus he did to all of the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and all of the people returned to Jerusalem.