2 Samuel 11

1 In the spring, at the time when kings march out to war, David sent out Joab and his servants with the whole army of Israel. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah, but David remained in Jerusalem.

And it came to pass, at the return of the same season of the year, at the time when kings go forth, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of 'Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David remained behind at Jerusalem.

2 One evening David got up from his bed and strolled around on the roof of the palace. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing—a very beautiful woman.

And it happened at evening-tide, that David arose from off his couch, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and he saw from the roof a woman bathing herself; and the woman was of a very beautiful appearance.

3 So David sent and inquired about the woman, and he was told, “This is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.”

And David sent and inquired after the woman; and some one said, Behold, this is Beth-sheba', the daughter of Eli'am, the wife of Uriyah the Hittite.

4 Then David sent messengers to get her, and when she came to him, he slept with her. (Now she had just purified herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned home.

And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her, and she had just purified herself from her uncleanness; and she returned unto her house.

5 And the woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant.”

And the woman conceived; and she sent and told David, and said, I am with child.

6 At this, David sent orders to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent him to David.

And David sent to Joab, Send unto me Uriyah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriyah to David.

7 When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab and the troops were doing with the war.

And when Uriyah was come unto him, David asked after the well-being of Joab, and after the well-being of the people, and how the war prospered.

8 Then he said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king followed him.

And David said to Uriyah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriyah went forth out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess of food from the king.

9 But Uriah slept at the door of the palace with all his master’s servants; he did not go down to his house.

But Uriyah laid himself down at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.

10 And David was told, “Uriah did not go home.” “Haven’t you just arrived from a journey?” David asked Uriah. “Why didn’t you go home?”

And they told David, saying, Uriyah is not gone down unto his house: and David said unto Uriyah, Art thou not come from a journey? why then art thou not gone down unto thy own house?

11 Uriah answered, “The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my master Joab and his soldiers are camped in the open field. How can I go to my house to eat and drink and sleep with my wife? As surely as you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do such a thing!”

Then said Uriyah unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah abide in booths; and my Lord Joab and the servants of my Lord are encamped in the open field: and should I alone go unto my house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.

12 “Stay here one more day,” David said to Uriah, “and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next.

And David said unto Uriyah, Tarry here also this day, and tomorrow will I send thee off. So Uriyah remained in Jerusalem on that day and the following.

13 Then David invited Uriah to eat and drink with him, and he got Uriah drunk. And in the evening Uriah went out to lie down on his cot with his master’s servants, but he did not go home.

And David invited him, and he ate and drank before him, and he made him drunken; and he went out in the evening to lie down on his resting-place with the servants of his lord; but to his house he did not go down.

14 The next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah.

And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriyah.

15 In the letter he wrote: “Put Uriah at the front of the fiercest battle; then withdraw from him, so that he may be struck down and killed.”

And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set Uriyah in front, opposite to the hottest fight, and then withdraw from behind him, that he may be smitten and die.

16 So as Joab besieged the city, he assigned Uriah to a place where he saw the strongest enemy soldiers.

And it came to pass, when Joab was enclosing the city, that he placed Uriyah toward the spot of which he knew that valiant men were there.

17 And when the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of David’s servants fell, and Uriah the Hittite also died.

And the men of the city went out and fought with Joab; and there fell some of the people, of the servants of David, and there died also Uriyah the Hittite.

18 Joab sent to David a full account of the battle

Then did Joab send, and told unto David all the events of the war.

19 and instructed the messenger, “When you have finished giving the king all the details of the battle,

And he charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast finished telling all the events of the war to the king,

20 if the king’s anger flares, he may ask you, ‘Why did you get so close to the city to fight? Did you not realize they would shoot from atop the wall?

And it happen that the king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore did you approach unto the city to fight? knew ye not, that they would shoot down from off the wall?

21 Who was the one to strike Abimelech son of Jerubbesheth? Was it not a woman who dropped an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you get so close to the wall?’ If so, then you are to say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead as well.’”

Who smote Abimelech the son of Yerubbesheth? did not a woman throw down upon him a piece of an upper mill-stone from off the wall so that he died at Thebez? why did ye approach unto the wall? then must thou say, Also thy servant Uriyah the Hittite is dead.

22 So the messenger set out and reported to David all that Joab had sent him to say.

And the messenger went, and came and told unto David all for which Joab had sent him.

23 The messenger said to David, “The men overpowered us and came out against us in the field, but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate.

And the messenger said unto David, Because the men overpowered us and came out against us into the field; but we set upon them, as far as the entrance of the gate.

24 Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall, and some of the king’s servants were killed. And your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead as well.”

And the archers then shot at thy servants from off the wall; and there died some of the servants of the king, and also thy servant Uriyah the Hittite is dead.

25 Then David told the messenger, “Say this to Joab: ‘Do not let this matter upset you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Strengthen your attack against the city and demolish it.’ Encourage him with these words.”

Then said David to the messenger, Thus shalt thou say to Joab, Let this thing not be displeasing in thy eyes; for at times this, at other times the other will the sword devour; continue firmly in thy war against the city, and overthrow it: and thus do thou encourage him.

26 When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him.

And when the wife of Uriyah heard that Uriyah her husband had died, she mourned for her lord.

27 And when the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the LORD.

And when the [time of] mourning was past, David sent and took her to his house, and she became his wife; and she bore him a son. But the thing which David had done was displeasing in the eyes of the Lord.