2 Samuel 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.
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.
3. 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. 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. 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 * 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 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.
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.
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?
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.
12. And David said * to Uriah, Tarry * here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart * . So Uriah abode * 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 * ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle,and retire * ye from him, that he may be smitten * , and die * .
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.
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 thou hast made an end * of telling * the matters of the war unto the king,
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?
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.
22. So the messenger went * , and came * and shewed * David all that Joab had sent * him for.
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.
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.
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.
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 bare * him a son. But the thing that David had done * displeased * the LORD.
