Chapter 11

And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings ⁴³⁹⁷ go forth² [to battle], that David sent⁴ Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed⁵⁵ the children of Ammon, and besieged⁴ Rabbah. But David tarried⁶ still at Jerusalem.

And it came to pass in an eveningtide, ⁶²⁵⁶ that David arose⁴ from off his bed, and walked¹⁰¹ upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw⁴ a woman washing⁵ herself; and the woman [was] very beautiful to look upon.

And David sent⁴ and enquired⁴ after the woman. And [one] said,⁴ [Is] not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?

And David sent⁴ messengers, and took⁴ her; and she came in⁴ unto him, and he lay⁴ with her; for she was purified¹⁰² from her uncleanness: and she returned⁴ unto her house.

And the woman conceived,⁴ and sent⁴ and told⁵⁵ David, and said,⁴ I [am] with child.

And David sent⁴ to Joab, [saying], Send³ me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent⁴ Uriah to David.

And when Uriah was come⁴ unto him, David demanded⁴ [of him] how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.

And David said⁴ to Uriah, Go down³ to thy house, and wash³ thy feet. And Uriah departed⁴ out of the king's house, and there followed^{4 310} him a mess [of meat] from the king.

But Uriah slept⁴ at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down¹ to his house.

And when they had told⁵⁵ David, saying,² Uriah went not down¹ unto his house, David said⁴ unto Uriah, Camest⁶ thou not from [thy] journey? why [then] didst thou not go down¹ unto thine house?

And Uriah said⁴ unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide⁶ in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped⁶ in the open fields; shall I then go⁴ into mine house, to eat² and to drink,² and to lie² with my wife? [as] thou livest, and [as] thy soul liveth, I will not do⁴ this thing.

And David said⁴ to Uriah, Tarry³ here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart.¹⁷ So Uriah abode⁴ in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.

And when David had called⁴ him, he did eat⁴ and drink⁴ before him; and he made him drunk:¹⁷ and at even he went out⁴ to lie² on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down¹ to his house.

And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote⁴ a letter to Joab, and sent⁴ [it] by the hand of Uriah.

And he wrote⁴ in the letter, saying,² Set³ ye Uriah in the forefront ⁴¹³⁶ of the hottest battle, and retire¹ ye from him, that he may be smitten,⁸ and die.¹

And it came to pass, when Joab observed² the city, that he assigned⁴ Uriah unto a place where he knew¹ that valiant men [were].

And the men of the city went out,⁴ and fought¹¹ with Joab: and there fell⁴ [some] of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died⁴ also.

Then Joab sent⁴ and told⁵⁵ David all the things concerning the war;

And charged¹⁷ the messenger, saying,² When thou hast made an end¹⁵ of telling¹⁵ the matters of the war unto the king,

And if so be that the king's wrath arise,⁴ and he say¹ unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh⁸ unto the city when ye did fight?⁹ knew¹ ye not that they would shoot⁵⁵ from the wall?

Who smote⁵² Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast⁵² a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died⁴ in Thebez? why went ye nigh⁸ the wall? then say¹ thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead¹ also.

So the messenger went,⁴ and came⁴ and shewed⁵⁵ David all that Joab had sent¹ him for.

And the messenger said⁴ unto David, Surely the men prevailed¹ against us, and came out⁴ unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate.

And the shooters⁵⁶ shot⁵⁵ from off the wall upon thy servants; and [some] of the king's servants be dead,⁴ and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead¹ also.

Then David said⁴ unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say⁴ unto Joab, Let not this thing displease^{4 5869} thee, for the sword devoureth⁴ one as well as another: make thy battle more strong⁵⁴ against the city, and overthrow³ it: and encourage¹⁶ thou him.

And when the wife of Uriah heard⁴ that Uriah her husband was dead,¹ she mourned⁴ for her husband.

And when the mourning was past,⁴ David sent⁴ and fetched⁴ her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare⁴ him a son. But the thing that David had done¹ displeased^{4 5869} the LORD.