The reading from the book of Second Samuel.

And the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him 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 brought.

And he brought it up, and he grew up with him and with

his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a

daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own

flock, or herd, to prepare for the guests who had come to him, but he took the poor man's lamb and prepared

it for the man who had come to him. Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man,

and he said to Nathan, as the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die,

and 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, the God of Israel. I anointed you king over Israel and I

delivered you out of the hand of Saul, and I gave you your master's house and your master's wives

into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add

to you 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, because you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Yariah the Hittite to be your wife.

Thus says the Lord, behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house, and I will take

your wives before your eyes, and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with

your wives and the sight of this son, for you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before

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