2 Samuel 11

1 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.

And it came to pass, at the return of the year, at the time of the going forth of kings, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel, and they destroyed the sons of Ammon, and laid siege to Rabbah, —but, David, was remaining in Jerusalem.

2 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.

And it came to pass that, at eventide, David arose from his couch, and walked to and fro on the roof of the king’s house, when, from the roof, he saw a woman bathing herself, —the woman being exceeding beautiful to look upon.

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

And David sent and enquired after the woman, —and one said—Is not, this, Bath-sheba, daughter of Eliam, wife of Uriah the Hittite?

4 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.

And David sent messengers, and fetched her, and she came in unto him, and he lay with her, she having purified herself from her uncleanness, —and she returned unto her own house.

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

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

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

Then sent David unto Joab, Send unto me Uriah the Hittite. So Joab sent Uriah unto David.

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

And, when Uriah had come in unto him, David asked—how Joab prospered, and how the people prospered, and how the war prospered.

8 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.

Then said David unto Uriah, Go down unto thy house, and bathe thy feet. And, when Uriah went out of the house of the king, there followed him, a present from the king.

9 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.

But Uriah slept at the entrance of the king’s house, with all the servants of his lord, —and went not down unto his own house.

10 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?”

And it was told David, saying, Uriah went not down, unto his own house. So David said unto Uriah—Was it not, from a journey, thou didst come? why, then, hast thou not been down unto thine own house?

11 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!”

And Uriah said unto David—The ark, and Israel and Judah, are dwelling in huts and, my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, on the face of the field, are encamped, Was, I, then, to enter my own house, to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? By thy life, yea by the life of thy soul, I could not do this thing.

12 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.

Then said David unto Uriah—Abide here to-day also, and, to-morrow, will I let thee go. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.

13 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.

And David called him, and he did eat before him, and drank, and he made him drunk, —and he went forth in the evening to lie down on his bed, with the servants of his lord, but, unto his own house, went he not down.

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

And so it was, in the morning, that David wrote a letter unto 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 and die.”

and he wrote in the letter, saying, —Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he be smitten and die.

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

So it came to pass, when Joab was laying siege to the city, that he put Uriah in the place where he knew that the men of valour, were.

17 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.

And forth sallied the men of the city, and fought with Joab, and there fell some of the people, of the servants of David, —then died also, Uriah the Hittite.

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

So Joab sent and told David all the news of the battle;

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

and he charged the messenger saying, —When thou hast ended all the news of the battle, in speaking unto the king,

20 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?

then shall it be, if the king’s anger arise, and he say unto thee, Why came ye near unto the city, to fight? Knew ye not, that they would shoot from off the wall?

21 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.’”

Who smote Abimelech son of Jerubbaal? Did not, a woman, cast on him an upper millstone from off the wall, that he died, in Thebez? Wherefore came ye near unto the wall? Then shalt thou say—Moreover, thy servant, Uriah the Hittite, died.

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

And the messenger went his way, —and came in, and told David, all that Joab had sent him [to tell].

23 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.

And the messenger said unto David, The men were too strong for us, and sallied forth against us, in the field, —so we were drawn against them as far as the opening of the gate.

24 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.”

Then did the archers shoot upon thy servants, from off the wall, and there died some of the servants of the king, —moreover also, thy servant, Uriah the Hittite, died.

25 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.”

Then said David unto the messenger—Thus, shalt thou say unto Joab, —Let not this thing be grievous in thine eyes, for, now this one, and then that one, doth the sword devour, —make hot thy battle against the city, and overthrow it; Thus embolden thou him.

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

And, when Uriah’s wife heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she made loud lamentation over her lord.

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 time of mourning had passed, David sent and received her into his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing which David had done was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh.