2 Samuel 11

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

And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.

2 Now it happened one evening that David got up from his bed and walked on the roof of the king's palace; and he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful.

And it came to pass in an evening-time, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.

3 And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, "Isn't this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hethite?"

And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?

4 So David sent messengers to get her, and she came in to him, and he lay with her. (For she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) And she returned to her house.

And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.

5 The woman conceived; and she sent and told David, and said, "I'm pregnant."

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

6 Then David sent to Joab and said, "Send me Uriah the Hethite." So Joab sent Uriah to him.

And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.

7 And Uriah came to him, and David asked about the prosperity of Joab, and of the prosperity of the people, and of the prosperity of the war. And he said, "Its well."

And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.

8 And David said to Uriah, "Go down to your house, and wash your feet." So Uriah went out from the presence of the king, and a gift from the king was sent after him.

And David said to Uriah, Go down to your house, and wash your feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a portion of food from the king.

9 But Uriah slept at the king's door with his master's servants, and did not go down to his house.

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

10 And it was reported to David, saying, "Uriah did not go down to his house." So David said to Uriah, "Haven't you come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?"

And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Came you not from your journey? why then did you not go down unto your house?

11 And Uriah said to David, "The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents; and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camped in the open field. Then how can I go to my house to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? As the LORD lives, and as you live, I will not do this thing."

And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine 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 Then David said to Uriah, "Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will let you depart." So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day.

And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and tomorrow I will let you depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the next day.

13 And the next day David summoned him, and he ate and drank in his presence, and he became drunk. But in the evening he went out and lay on a bed with his master's servants, and did not go down to his house.

And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.

14 It happened in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

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

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

And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set all of you Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire all of you from him, that he may be smitten, and die.

16 It happened, when Joab kept watch on the city, that he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew that valiant men were.

And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.

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

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 Uriah the Hittite died also.

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

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

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

And charged the messenger, saying, When you have made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king,

20 if it happens that he becomes angry,

And if so be that the king's wrath arise, and he say unto you, Wherefore approached all of you so nigh unto the city when all of you did fight? knew all of you not that they would shoot from the wall?

21 then you are to say, 'Your servant Uriah the Hethite is dead also.'"

Who stroke Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went all of you nigh the wall? then say you, Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

22 So the messenger of Joab went to the king in Jerusalem and reported to David everything that Joab had told him.

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

23 The messenger said to David, "The men overpowered us, and came out to us into the field, and when we drove them back to the entrance of the gate,

And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate.

24 then the arrows came down heavily on your servants from the wall, and some eighteen men of the king's servants died." And the messenger finished the words to the king about the report of the battle. Then David was very angry with Joab, and said to the messenger, "Why did you go so close to the city to fight? Didn't you know you would be struck from the wall? Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal? 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 to the wall?" [Then the messenger said to the king, ] "Also your servant Uriah the Hethite is dead."

And the shooters shot from off the wall upon your servants; and some of the king's servants be dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

25 Then David said to the messenger, "Thus you shall tell Joab, 'Do not let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Make your battle stronger against the city, and overthrow it.' And encourage him."

Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shall you say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another: make your battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage you him.

26 When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she made lamentation for her husband.

And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.

27 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.

And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.