1 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 And it came to pass in an evening, that David arose from off his bed, and walked on the roof of the king' house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look on.
3 And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?
4 And 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 sent and told David, and said, I am with child.
6 And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.
7 And when Uriah was come to 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. And Uriah departed out of the king' house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king.
9 But Uriah slept at the door of the king' house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.
10 And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down to his house, David said to Uriah, Came you not from your journey? why then did you not go down to your house?
11 And Uriah said to 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 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 Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I will let you depart. So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.
13 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 And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.
15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set you Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire you from him, that he may be smitten, and die.
16 And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew that valiant men were.
17 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;
19 And charged the messenger, saying, When you have made an end of telling the matters of the war to the king,
20 And if so be that the king' wrath arise, and he say to you, Why approached you so near to the city when you did fight? knew you not that they would shoot from the wall?
21 Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone on him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went you near the wall? then say you, Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.
22 So the messenger went, and came and showed David all that Joab had sent him for.
23 And the messenger said to David, Surely the men prevailed against us, and came out to us into the field, and we were on them even to the entering of the gate.
24 And the shooters shot from off the wall on your servants; and some of the king' servants be dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.
25 Then David said to the messenger, Thus shall you say to 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 And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.
27 And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.
1 And it happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out 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 remained at Jerusalem.
2 And it happened at night time, that David arose from his bed and walked around on the roof of the kings house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very pleasant in appearance.
3 And David sent and inquired after the woman. And someone said, Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?
4 And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her. And when she was sanctified from her uncleanness, she returned to her house.
5 And the woman conceived; and sent and reported to David, and said, I am with child.
6 And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.
7 And when Uriah came to him, David asked after Joabs welfare, and the peoples welfare, and the progress of the war.
8 And David said to Uriah, Go down to your house and wash your feet. So Uriah departed from the kings house, and a portion of food from the king followed him.
9 But Uriah slept at the door of the kings house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house.
10 So when they reported to David, saying, Uriah did not go down to his house, David said to Uriah, Did you not come from a journey? Why have you not gone down to your house?
11 And Uriah said to David, The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in booths, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped on the face of the land. Shall I then go to my house to eat and 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 Uriah, Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will send you away. So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next.
13 And when David summoned him, he ate and drank before him; and he made him drunk. And at evening he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.
14 In the morning it happened that David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah.
15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set Uriah in the forefront of the strongest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck down and die.
16 So it was, while Joab besieged the city, that he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew there were valiant men.
17 And the men of the city came out and fought with Joab. And some of the people of the servants of David fell; and Uriah the Hittite died also.
18 And Joab sent and reported to David all the things concerning the war,
19 and charged the messenger, saying, When you have finished speaking of the matters of the war to the king,
20 if it happens that the kings wrath arises, and he says to you: Why did you approach so near to the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall?
21 Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman cast a piece of millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go near the wall? then you shall say, Your servant Uriah the Hittite has died also.
22 So the messenger went, and came and reported to David all that Joab had sent by him.
23 And the messenger said to David, The men prevailed against us and came out to us in the field; then we were upon them as far as the entrance of the gate.
24 And the archers shot from the wall at your servants; and some of the kings servants died, and your servant Uriah the Hittite has also died.
25 And David said to the messenger, Thus you shall say to Joab: Do not let this thing cause your eye to quiver, for the sword devours one as well as another. Strengthen the battle against the city, and overthrow it. And encourage him.
26 When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband had died, she mourned for her husband.
27 And when her mourning was passed, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done caused the eyes of Jehovah to quiver.