RUINS OF RABBATH AMMON
An important city in Moab, taken by David.
Used by special permission of the Palestine Exploration Fund.
It was during the long siege of this city that Uriah the Hittite, whose wife David wished as his own, was killed. The army of Joab, David's general, encamped about the city and finally by the capture of the springs which supplied water to the people the strong walled place fell. Joab sent for David, so that he was on the ground when the last assault was made and the city was taken. Very rich spoil fell into the hands of the victors
And David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord."
And Nathan said to David, "The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die."
And Nathan departed to his house.
And the child which had been born to David was very sick. David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. And the elders of his house arose, and stood beside him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat with them. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died, And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, "Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke unto him, and he hearkened not to our voice: what will he then do if we tell him that the child is dead?"
But when David saw that his servants whispered together, David perceived that the child was dead: and David said to his servants, "Is the child dead?"