< 2 Samuel 11 >
1 Now it happened that, at the turn of the year, in the time when kings usually go forth to war, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all of Israel, and they laid waste to the sons of Ammon, and they besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.
Factum est autem, vertente anno, eo tempore quo solent reges ad bella procedere, misit David Joab, et servos suos cum eo, et universum Israël, et vastaverunt filios Ammon, et obsederunt Rabba: David autem remansit in Jerusalem.
2 While these things were taking place, David happened to arise from his bed after midday, and he walked upon the terrace of the king’s house. And he saw, across from his terrace, a woman washing herself. And the woman was very beautiful.
Dum hæc agerentur, accidit ut surgeret David de strato suo post meridiem, et deambularet in solario domus regiæ: viditque mulierem se lavantem ex adverso super solarium suum: erat autem mulier pulchra valde.
3 Therefore, the king sent and inquired who the woman might be. And it was reported to him that she was Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah, the Hittite.
Misit ergo rex, et requisivit quæ esset mulier. Nuntiatumque est ei quod ipsa esset Bethsabee filia Eliam, uxor Uriæ Hethæi.
4 And so, David sent messengers, and he took her. And when she had entered to him, he slept with her. And presently, she was purified from her uncleanness.
Missis itaque David nuntiis, tulit eam: quæ cum ingressa esset ad illum, dormivit cum ea: statimque sanctificata est ab immunditia sua,
5 And she returned to her house, having conceived an unborn child. And sending, she informed David, and she said, “I have conceived.”
et reversa est domum suam concepto fœtu. Mittensque nuntiavit David, et ait: Concepi.
6 Then David sent to Joab, saying, “Send me Uriah, the Hittite.” And Joab sent Uriah to David.
Misit autem David ad Joab, dicens: Mitte ad me Uriam Hethæum. Misitque Joab Uriam ad David.
7 And Uriah went to David. And David inquired whether Joab was doing well, and about the people, and how the war was being conducted.
Et venit Urias ad David. Quæsivitque David quam recte ageret Joab et populus, et quomodo administraretur bellum.
8 And David said to Uriah, “Go into your house, and wash your feet.” And Uriah departed from the house of the king. And a meal from the king followed after him.
Et dixit David ad Uriam: Vade in domum tuam, et lava pedes tuos. Et egressus est Urias de domo regis, secutusque est eum cibus regius.
9 But Uriah slept before the gate of the king’s house, with the other servants of his lord, and he did not go down to his own house.
Dormivit autem Urias ante portam domus regiæ cum aliis servis domini sui, et non descendit ad domum suam.
10 And it was reported to David by some, saying, “Uriah did not go into his house.” And David said to Uriah: “Did you not arrive from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?”
Nuntiatumque est David a dicentibus: Non ivit Urias in domum suam. Et ait David ad Uriam: Numquid non de via venisti? quare non descendisti in domum tuam?
11 And Uriah said to David: “The ark of God, and Israel and Judah, dwell in tents, and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, stay upon the face of the earth. And should I then go into my own house, so that I may eat and drink, and sleep with my wife? By your welfare and by the welfare of your soul, I will not do this thing.”
Et ait Urias ad David: Arca Dei et Israël et Juda habitant in papilionibus, et dominus meus Joab et servi domini mei super faciem terræ manent: et ego ingrediar domum meam, ut comedam et bibam, et dormiam cum uxore mea? Per salutem tuam, et per salutem animæ tuæ, non faciam rem hanc.
12 Therefore, David said to Uriah, “Even so, remain here today, and tomorrow I will send you away.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem, on that day and the next.
Ait ergo David ad Uriam: Mane hic etiam hodie, et cras dimittam te. Mansit Urias in Jerusalem in die illa et altera:
13 And David called him, so that he might eat and drink before him, and he made him inebriated. And departing in the evening, he slept on his bedding, with the servants of his lord, and he did not go down to his own house.
et vocavit eum David ut comederet coram se et biberet, et inebriavit eum: qui egressus vespere, dormivit in strato suo cum servis domini sui, et in domum suam non descendit.
14 Therefore, when morning arrived, David wrote a letter to Joab. And he sent it by the hand of Uriah,
Factum est ergo mane, et scripsit David epistolam ad Joab: misitque per manum Uriæ,
15 writing in the letter: “Place Uriah opposite the warfare, where the battle is the strongest, and then abandon him, so that, having been wounded, he may die.”
scribens in epistola: Ponite Uriam ex adverso belli, ubi fortissimum est prælium: et derelinquite eum, ut percussus intereat.
16 And so, when Joab was besieging the city, he positioned Uriah in the place where he knew the strongest men to be.
Igitur cum Joab obsideret urbem, posuit Uriam in loco ubi sciebat viros esse fortissimos.
17 And the men, departing from the city, made war against Joab. And some of the people among the servants of David fell, and Uriah the Hittite also died.
Egressique viri de civitate, bellabant adversum Joab, et ceciderunt de populo servorum David, et mortuus est etiam Urias Hethæus.
18 And so, Joab sent and reported to David every word about the battle.
Misit itaque Joab, et nuntiavit David omnia verba prælii:
19 And he instructed the messenger, saying: “When you have completed all the words about the war to the king,
præcepitque nuntio, dicens: Cum compleveris universos sermones belli ad regem,
20 if you see him to be angry, and if he says: ‘Why did you draw near to the wall in order to fight? Are you ignorant that many darts are thrown from above the wall?
si eum videris indignari, et dixerit: Quare accessistis ad murum, ut præliaremini? an ignorabatis quod multa desuper ex muro tela mittantur?
21 Who struck down Abimelech, the son of Jerubbaal? Did not a woman throw a fragment of a millstone upon him from the wall, and so kill him at Thebez? Why did you approach beside the wall?’ then you shall say: ‘Your servant Uriah, the Hittite, also lies dead.’”
Quis percussit Abimelech filium Jerobaal? nonne mulier misit super eum fragmen molæ de muro, et interfecit eum in Thebes? quare juxta murum accessistis? dices: Etiam servus tuus Urias Hethæus occubuit.
22 Therefore, the messenger departed. And he went and described to David all that Joab had instructed him.
Abiit ergo nuntius, et venit, et narravit David omnia quæ ei præceperat Joab.
23 And the messenger said to David: “The men prevailed against us, and they went out to us in the field. Then we pursued them, making an assault, even to the gate of the city.
Et dixit nuntius ad David: Prævaluerunt adversum nos viri, et egressi sunt ad nos in agrum: nos autem facto impetu persecuti eos sumus usque ad portam civitatis.
24 And the archers directed their arrows at your servants from the wall above. And some of the king’s servants died, and then also your servant Uriah the Hittite died.”
Et direxerunt jacula sagittarii ad servos tuos ex muro desuper, mortuique sunt de servis regis: quin etiam servus tuus Urias Hethæus mortuus est.
25 And David said to the messenger: “You shall say these things to Joab: ‘Do not let this matter dishearten you. For varied are the events of war. Now this one, and now that one, is consumed by the sword. Encourage your warriors against the city and exhort them, so that you may destroy it.’”
Et dixit David ad nuntium: Hæc dices Joab: Non te frangat ista res: varius enim eventus est belli, nunc hunc, et nunc illum consumit gladius: conforta bellatores tuos adversus urbem ut destruas eam, et exhortare eos.
26 Then the wife of Uriah heard that her husband Uriah had died, and she mourned for him.
Audivit autem uxor Uriæ quod mortuus esset Urias vir suus, et planxit eum.
27 But when the lamentation was completed, David sent and brought her into his house, and she became his wife, and she bore a son to him. And this word, which David had done, was displeasing in the sight of the Lord.
Transacto autem luctu, misit David, et introduxit eam in domum suam, et facta est ei uxor, peperitque ei filium: et displicuit verbum hoc quod fecerat David, coram Domino.