Which of the following is listed as a step of David's sin?

• A. the sword will never depart David's house
• B. evil will arise out of David's house
• C. David's wives will be humbled in a public fashion
• D. Israel will be divided

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is the direct prophetic consequence Nathan pronounces after David’s sin: that the sword will never depart from David’s house. This phrase is the explicit, immediate consequence tied to David’s actions, signaling ongoing violence and turmoil within his own family as a result of the sin. The other statements are also part of the same oracle and describe related outcomes—evil arising from David’s house and the public humiliation of his wives—but the prompt’s listed step centers on the sword not departing from his house, which is the clearest and first of the specific actions foretold. The option about Israel being divided does not appear in this prophecy.