Kings II 11

1 And it came to pass when the time o the year for kings going out [to battle] had come round, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbath: but David remained at Jerusalem.

At the return of the year, at the time when kings go out, David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem.

2 And it came to pass towards evening, that David arose off his couch, and walked on the roof of the king's house, and saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.

At evening, David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. From the roof, he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to look at.

3 And David sent and enquired about the woman: and [one] said, [Is] not this Bersabee the daughter of Eliab, the wife of Urias the Chettite?

David sent and enquired after the woman. One said, “Isn’t this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, Uriah the Hittite’s wife?”

4 And David sent messengers, and took her, and went in to her, and he lay with her: and she was purified from her uncleanness, and returned to her house.

David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in to him, and he lay with her (for she was purified from her uncleanness); and she returned to her house.

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

The woman conceived; and she sent and told David, and said, “I am with child.”

6 And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Urias the Chettite; and Joab sent Urias to David.

David sent to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” Joab sent Uriah to David.

7 And Urias arrived and went in to him, and David asked him how Joab was, and how the people were, and how the war went on.

When Uriah had come to him, David asked him how Joab did, and how the people fared, and how the war prospered.

8 And David said to Urias, Go to your house, and wash your feet: and Urias departed from the house of the king, and a portion [of meat] from the king followed him.

David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” Uriah departed out of the king’s house, and a gift from the king was sent after him.

9 And Urias slept at the door of the king with the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.

But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and didn’t go down to his house.

10 And they brought David word, saying, Urias has not gone down to his house. And David said to Urias, Are you not come from a journey? why have you not gone down to your house?

When they had told David, saying, “Uriah didn’t go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Haven’t you come from a journey? Why didn’t you go down to your house?”

11 And Urias said to David, The ark, and Israel, and Juda dwell in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; and shall I go into my house to eat and drink, and lie with my wife? how [should I do this? as] your soul lives, I will not do this thing.

Uriah said to David, “The ark, Israel, and Judah, are staying in tents; and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open field. Shall I then go into my house to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing!”

12 And David said to Urias, Remain here today also, and to-morrow I will let you go. So Urias remained in Jerusalem that day and the day following.

David said to Uriah, “Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will let you depart.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next day.

13 And David called him, and he ate before him and drank, and he made him drunk: and he went out in the evening to lie upon his bed with the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.

When David had called him, he ate and drank before him; and he made him drunk. At evening, he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but didn’t go down to his house.

14 And the morning came, and David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Urias.

In the morning, David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Station Urias in front of the severe [part] of the fight, and retreat from behind him, so shall he be wounded and die.

He wrote in the letter, saying, “Send Uriah to the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck and die.”

16 And it came to pass while Joab was watching against the city, that he set Urias in a place where he knew that valiant men were.

When Joab kept watch on the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew that valiant men were.

17 And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and some of the people of the servants of David fell, and Urias the Chettite died also.

The men of the city went out and fought with Joab. Some of the people fell, even of David’s servants; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

18 And Joab sent, and reported to David all the events of the war, so as to tell them to the king.

Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war;

19 And he charged the messenger, saying, When you have finished reporting all the events of the war to the king,

and he commanded the messenger, saying, “When you have finished telling all the things concerning the war to the king,

20 then it shall come to pass if the anger of the king shall arise, and he shall say to you, Why did you draw near to the city to fight? knew you not that they would shoot from off the wall?

it shall be that, if the king’s wrath arise, and he asks you, ‘Why did you go so near to the city to fight? Didn’t you know that they would shoot from the wall?

21 Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerobaal son of Ner? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from above the wall, and he died in Thamasi? why did you draw near to the wall? then you shall say, Your servant Urias the Chettite is also dead.

Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Didn’t a woman cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’ then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.’”

22 And the messenger of Joab went to the king to Jerusalem, and he came and reported to David all that Joab told him, all the affairs of the war. And David was very angry with Joab, and said to the messenger, Why did you draw near to the wall to fight? knew you not that you would be wounded from off the wall? Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerobaal? did not a woman cast upon him a piece of millstone from the wall, and he died in Thamasi? why did you draw near to the wall?

So the messenger went, and came and showed David all that Joab had sent him for.

23 And the messenger said to David, The men prevailed against us, and they came out against us into the field, and we came upon them even to the door of the gate.

The messenger said to David, “The men prevailed against us, and came out to us into the field; and we were on them even to the entrance of the gate.

24 And the archers shot at your servants from off the wall, and some of the king's servants died, and your servant Urias the Chettite is dead also.

The shooters shot at your servants from off the wall; and some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.”

25 And David said to the messenger, Thus shall you say to Joab, Let not the matter be grievous in your eyes, for the sword devours one way at one time and another way at another: strengthen your array against the city, and destroy it, and strengthen him.

Then David said to the messenger, “Tell Joab, ‘Don’t let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Make your battle stronger against the city, and overthrow it.’ Encourage him.”

26 And the wife of Urias heard that Urias her husband was dead, and she mourned for her husband.

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

27 And the time of mourning expired, and David sent and took her into his house, and she became his wife, and bore him a son: but the thing which David did was evil in the eyes of the Lord.

When the mourning was past, David sent and took her home to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.