2Sa 11:1 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.
2Sa 11:2 And it came to pass in an eveningtide, 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.
2Sa 11:3 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?
2Sa 11:4 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.
2Sa 11:5 And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with
child.
2Sa 11:6 And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab
sent Uriah to David.
2Sa 11:7 And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did,
and how the people did, and how the war prospered.
2Sa 11:8 And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And
Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess of meat
from the king.
2Sa 11:9 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.
2Sa 11:10 And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his
house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst
thou not go down unto thine house?
2Sa 11:11 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 thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.
2Sa 11:12 And David said to Uriah, Tarry here today also, and tomorrow I will
let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.
2Sa 11:13 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.
2Sa 11:14 And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab,
and sent it by the hand of Uriah.
2Sa 11:15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of
the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.
2Sa 11:16 And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned
Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.
2Sa 11:17 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.
2Sa 11:18 Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war;
2Sa 11:19 And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of
telling the matters of the war unto the king,
2Sa 11:20 And if so be that the king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee,
Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not
that they would shoot from the wall?
2Sa 11:21 Who smote 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 ye
nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.
2Sa 11:22 So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had
sent him for.
2Sa 11:23 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.
2Sa 11:24 And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some of
the king's servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.
2Sa 11:25 Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let
not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another:
make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage
thou him.
2Sa 11:26 And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she
mourned for her husband.
2Sa 11:27 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.