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 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 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 showed 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.

---

¹ And it came to pass, after the year ^H8141 was expired, ^H8666 at the time ^H6256 when kings ^{H4428 H4397} go forth ^H3318 to battle, that David ^H1732 sent ^H7971 Joab, ^H3097 and his servants ^H5650 with him, and all Israel; ^H3478 and they destroyed ^H7843 the children ^H1121 of Ammon, ^H5983 and besieged ^H6696 Rabbah. ^H7237 But David ^H1732 tarried still ^H3427 at Jerusalem. ^H3389

² And it came to pass in an eveningtide, ^{H6153 H6256} that David ^H1732 arose ^H6965 from off his bed, ^H4904 and walked ^H1980 upon the roof ^H1406 of the king's ^H4428 house: ^H1004 and from the roof ^H1406 he saw ^H7200 a woman ^H802 washing ^H7364 herself; and the woman ^H802 was very ^H3966 beautiful ^H2896 to look upon. ^H4758

³ And David ^H1732 sent ^H7971 and enquired ^H1875 after the woman. ^H802 And one said, ^H559 Is not this Bathsheba, ^H1339 the daughter ^H1323 of Eliam, ^H463 the wife ^H802 of Uriah ^H223 the Hittite? ^H2850

⁴ And David ^H1732 sent ^H7971 messengers, ^H4397 and took ^H3947 her; and she came in ^H935 unto him, and he lay ^H7901 with her; for she was purified ^H6942 from her uncleanness: ^H2932 and she returned ^H7725 unto her house. ^H1004

⁵ And the woman ^H802 conceived, ^H2029 and sent ^H7971 and told ^H5046 David, ^H1732 and said, ^H559 I am with child. ^H2030

⁶ And David ^H1732 sent ^H7971 to Joab, ^H3097 saying, Send ^H7971 me Uriah ^H223 the Hittite. ^H2850 And Joab ^H3097 sent ^H7971 Uriah ^H223 to David. ^H1732

⁷ And when Uriah ^H223 was come ^H935 unto him, David ^H1732 demanded ^H7592 of him how Joab ^H3097 did, ^H7965 and how the people ^H5971 did, ^H7965 and how the war ^H4421 prospered. ^H7965

⁸ And David ^H1732 said ^H559 to Uriah, ^H223 Go down ^H3381 to thy house, ^H1004 and wash ^H7364 thy feet. ^H7272 And Uriah ^H223 departed out ^H3318 of the king's ^H4428 house, ^H1004 and there followed ^H310 him a mess ^H4864 of meat from the king. ^H4428

⁹ But Uriah ^H223 slept ^H7901 at the door ^H6607 of the king's ^H4428 house ^H1004 with all the servants ^H5650 of his lord, ^H113 and went not down ^H3381 to his house. ^H1004

¹⁰ And when they had told ^H5046 David, ^H1732 saying, ^H559 Uriah ^H223 went not down ^H3381 unto his house, ^H1004 David ^H1732 said ^H559 unto Uriah, ^H223 Camest ^H935 thou not from thy journey? ^H1870 why then didst thou not go down ^H3381 unto thine house? ^H1004

¹¹ And Uriah ^H223 said ^H559 unto David, ^H1732 The ark, ^H727 and Israel, ^H3478 and Judah, ^H3063 abide ^H3427 in tents; ^H5521 and my lord ^H113 Joab, ^H3097 and the servants ^H5650 of my lord, ^H113 are encamped ^H2583 in the open ^H6440 fields; ^H7704 shall I ^H589 then go ^H935 into mine house, ^H1004 to eat ^H398 and to drink, ^H8354 and to lie ^H7901 with my wife? ^H802 as thou livest, ^H2416 and as thy soul ^H5315 liveth, ^H2416 I will not do ^H6213 this thing. ^H1697

¹² And David ^H1732 said ^H559 to Uriah, ^H223 Tarry ^H3427 here to day ^H3117 also, and to morrow ^H4279 I will let thee depart. ^H7971 So Uriah ^H223 abode ^H3427 in Jerusalem ^H3389 that day, ^H3117 and the morrow. ^H4283

¹³ And when David ^H1732 had called ^H7121 him, he did eat ^H398 and drink ^H8354 before ^H6440 him; and he made him drunk: ^H7937 and at even ^H6153 he went out ^H3318 to lie ^H7901 on his bed ^H4904 with the servants ^H5650 of his lord, ^H113 but went not down ^H3381 to his house. ^H1004

¹⁴ And it came to pass in the morning, ^H1242 that David ^H1732 wrote ^H3789 a letter ^H5612 to Joab, ^H3097 and sent ^H7971 it by the hand ^H3027 of Uriah. ^H223

¹⁵ And he wrote ^H3789 in the letter, ^H5612 saying, ^H559 Set ^H3051 ye Uriah ^H223 in the forefront ^{H6440 H4136} of the hottest ^H2389 battle, ^H4421 and retire ^H7725 ye from him, ^H310 that he may be smitten, ^H5221 and die. ^H4191

¹⁶ And it came to pass, when Joab ^H3097 observed ^H8104 the city, ^H5892 that he assigned ^H5414 Uriah ^H223 unto a place ^H4725 where he knew ^H3045 that valiant ^H2428 men ^H582 were.

¹⁷ And the men ^H582 of the city ^H5892 went out, ^H3318 and fought ^H3898 with Joab: ^H3097 and there fell ^H5307 some of the people ^H5971 of the servants ^H5650 of David; ^H1732 and Uriah ^H223 the Hittite ^H2850 died ^H4191 also.

¹⁸ Then Joab ^H3097 sent ^H7971 and told ^H5046 David ^H1732 all the things ^H1697 concerning the war; ^H4421

¹⁹ And charged ^H6680 the messenger, ^H4397 saying, ^H559 When thou hast made an end ^H3615 of telling ^H1696 the matters ^H1697 of the war ^H4421 unto the king, ^H4428

²⁰ And if so be that the king's ^H4428 wrath ^H2534 arise, ^H5927 and he say ^H559 unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh ^H5066 unto the city ^H5892 when ye did fight? ^H3898 knew ^H3045 ye not that they would shoot ^H3384 from the wall? ^H2346

²¹ Who smote ^H5221 Abimelech ^H40 the son ^H1121 of Jerubbesheth? ^H3380 did not a woman ^H802 cast ^H7993 a piece ^H6400 of a millstone ^H7393 upon him from the wall, ^H2346 that he died ^H4191 in Thebez? ^H8405 why went ye nigh ^H5066 the wall? ^H2346 then say ^H559 thou, Thy servant ^H5650 Uriah ^H223 the Hittite ^H2850 is dead ^H4191 also.

²² So the messenger ^H4397 went, ^H3212 and came ^H935 and shewed ^H5046 David ^H1732 all that Joab ^H3097 had sent ^H7971 him for.

²³ And the messenger ^H4397 said ^H559 unto David, ^H1732 Surely the men ^H582 prevailed ^H1396 against us, and came out ^H3318 unto us into the field, ^H7704 and we were upon them even unto the entering ^H6607 of the gate. ^H8179

²⁴ And the shooters ^H3384 shot ^H3384 from off the wall ^H2346 upon thy servants; ^H5650 and some of the king's ^H4428 servants ^H5650 be dead, ^H4191 and thy servant ^H5650 Uriah ^H223 the Hittite ^H2850 is dead ^H4191 also.

²⁵ Then David ^H1732 said ^H559 unto the messenger, ^H4397 Thus shalt thou say ^H559 unto Joab, ^H3097 Let not this thing ^H1697 displease ^{H3415 H5869} thee, for the sword ^H2719 devoureth ^H398 one as well as another: ^H2090 make thy battle ^H4421 more strong ^H2388 against the city, ^H5892 and overthrow ^H2040 it: and encourage ^H2388 thou him.

²⁶ And when the wife ^H802 of Uriah ^H223 heard ^H8085 that Uriah ^H223 her husband ^H376 was dead, ^H4191 she mourned ^H5594 for her husband. ^H1167

²⁷ And when the mourning ^H60 was past, ^H5674 David ^H1732 sent ^H7971 and fetched ^H622 her to his house, ^H1004 and she became his wife, ^H802 and bare ^H3205 him a son. ^H1121 But the thing ^H1697 that David ^H1732 had done ^H6213 displeased ^{H3415 H5869} the LORD. ^H3068

---

¹ And it came to pass, at the return 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 tarried at Jerusalem.

² And it came to pass at eventide, 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 bathing; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.

³ And David send and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bath-sheba, 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 she 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 asked of him how Joab did, and how the people fared, 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 food' 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, Art thou not come from a journey? wherefore didst thou not go down unto thy house?

¹¹ And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in booths; 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 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 kept watch upon the city, that he assigned Uriah unto the 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, even 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 he charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling all the things concerning the war unto the king,

²⁰ it shall be that, if the king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore went ye so nigh unto the city to fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall?

²¹ who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast an upper millstone upon him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? why went ye so nigh the wall? then shalt thou say, Thy 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 unto David, The men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entrance of the gate.

²⁴ And the shooters shot at thy servants from off the wall; and some of the king's servants are 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 made lamentation for her husband.

²⁷ And when the mourning was past, David sent and took her home to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased Jehovah.

---

¹ And it cometh to pass, at the revolution of the year -- at the time of the going out of the messengers -- that David sendeth Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel, and they destroy the Bene-Ammon, and lay siege against Rabbah. And David is dwelling in Jerusalem,

² and it cometh to pass, at evening-time, that David riseth from off his couch, and walketh up and down on the roof of the king's house, and seeth from the roof a woman bathing, and the woman `is' of very good appearance,

³ and David sendeth and inquireth about the woman, and saith, `Is not this Bath-Sheba, daughter of Eliam, wife of Uriah the Hittite?'

⁴ And David sendeth messengers, and taketh her, and she cometh unto him, and he lieth with her -- and she is purifying herself from her uncleanness -- and she turneth back unto her house;

⁵ and the woman conceiveth, and sendeth, and declareth to David, and saith, `I `am' conceiving.'

⁶ And David sendeth unto Joab, `Send unto me Uriah the Hittite,' and Joab sendeth Uriah unto David;

⁷ and Uriah cometh unto him, and David asketh of the prosperity of Joab, and of the prosperity of the people, and of the prosperity of the war.

⁸ And David saith to Uriah, `Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet;' and Uriah goeth out of the king's house, and there goeth out after him a gift from the king,

⁹ and Uriah lieth down at the opening of the king's house, with all the servants of his lord, and hath not gone down unto his house.

¹⁰ And they declare to David, saying, `Uriah hath not gone down unto his house;' and David saith unto Uriah, `Hast thou not come from a journey? wherefore hast thou not gone down unto thy house?'

¹¹ And Uriah saith unto David, `The ark, and Israel, and Judah, are abiding in booths, and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, on the face of the field are encamping; and I -- I go in unto my house to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife! -- thy life, and the life of thy soul -- if I do this thing.'

¹² And David saith unto Uriah, `Abide in this `place' also to-day, and to-morrow I send thee away;' and Uriah abideth in Jerusalem, on that day, and on the morrow,

¹³ and David calleth for him, and he eateth before him, and drinketh, and he causeth him to drink, and he goeth out in the evening to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, and unto his house he hath not gone down.

¹⁴ And it cometh to pass in the morning, that David writeth a letter unto Joab, and sendeth by the hand of Uriah;

¹⁵ and he writeth in the letter, saying, `Place ye Uriah over-against the front of the severest battle, and ye have turned back from after him, and he hath been smitten, and hath died.'

¹⁶ And it cometh to pass in Joab's watching of the city, that he appointeth Uriah unto the place where he knew that valiant men `are';

¹⁷ and the men of the city go out and fight with Joab, and there fall `some' of the people, of the servants of David; and there dieth also Uriah the Hittite.

¹⁸ And Joab sendeth and declareth to David all the matters of the war,

¹⁹ and commandeth the messenger, saying, `At thy finishing all the matters of the war to speak unto the king,

²⁰ then, it hath been, if the king's fury ascend, and he hath said to thee, Wherefore did ye draw nigh unto the city to fight? did ye not know that they shoot from off the wall?

²¹ Who smote Abimelech son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast on him a piece of a rider from the wall, and he dieth in Thebez? why drew ye nigh unto the wall? that thou hast said, Also thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.'

²² And the messenger goeth, and cometh in, and declareth to David all that with which Joab sent him,

²³ and the messenger saith unto David, `Surely the men have been mighty against us, and come out unto us into the field, and we are upon them unto the opening of the gate,

²⁴ and those shooting shoot at thy servants from off the wall, and `some' of the servants of the king are dead, and also, thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.

²⁵ And David saith unto the messenger, `Thus dost thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing be evil in thine eyes; for thus and thus doth the sword devour; strengthen thy warfare against the city, and throw it down -- and strengthen thou him.'

²⁶ And the wife of Uriah heareth that Uriah her husband `is' dead, and lamenteth for her lord;

²⁷ and the mourning passeth by, and David sendeth and gathereth her unto his house, and she is to him for a wife, and beareth to him a son; and the thing which David hath done is evil in the eyes of Jehovah.

---

¹ And it came to pass, at the return of the year, at the time when kings go forth, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they laid waste the [land of the] children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David abode at Jerusalem.

² And it came to pass at evening time that David arose from off his couch, and walked upon the roof of the king's house; and from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful;

³ and David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Urijah the Hittite?

⁴ And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in to him, and he lay with her; and she had purified herself 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 Urijah the Hittite. And Joab sent Urijah to David.

⁷ And when Urijah had come to him, David asked how Joab prospered, and how the people prospered, and how the war prospered.

⁸ And David said to Urijah, Go down to thy house and wash thy feet. And Urijah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him presents from the king.

⁹ And Urijah slept at the entrance of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.

¹⁰ And they had told David saying, Urijah did not go down to his house; and David said to Urijah, Art thou not come from a journey? why didst thou not go down to thy house?

¹¹ And Urijah said to David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah abide in booths; 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] thou livest, and [as] thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.

¹² And David said to Urijah, Abide here to-day also, and to-morrow I will let thee depart. And Urijah abode in Jerusalem that day and the morrow.

¹³ And David invited him, and he ate and drank before him; and he made him drunk. And in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, but did not go down to his house.

¹⁴ And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by Urijah.

¹⁵ And he wrote in the letter saying, Set Urijah in the front of the thickest fight, and withdraw from him, that he may be smitten and die.

¹⁶ And it came to pass as Joab watched the city, that he assigned Urijah to a place where he knew that the 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 Urijah the Hittite died also.

¹⁸ Then Joab sent and told David all the matters of the war;

¹⁹ and charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast ended telling the matters of the war to the king,

²⁰ and if so be that the king's wrath arise, and he say to thee, Why did ye go so near to the city to fight? did ye not know that they would shoot from the wall?

²¹ Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast the upper stone of a handmill from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why did ye go near the wall? -- then say thou, Thy servant Urijah the Hittite is dead also.

²² And the messenger went; and he came and told David all that Joab had sent him for.

²³ And the messenger said to David, The men prevailed against us, and came out against us into the field, and we were upon them as far as the entrance of the gate.

²⁴ And the shooters shot from upon the wall against thy servants; and some of the king's servants are dead, and thy servant Urijah the Hittite is dead also.

²⁵ Then David said to the messenger, Thus shalt thou say to Joab: Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devours one as well as another: make thy battle strong against the city, and overthrow it; -- and encourage him.

²⁶ And the wife of Urijah heard that Urijah her husband was dead, and 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 was evil in the sight of Jehovah.

---

¹ It happened, at the return 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 stayed at Jerusalem.

² It happened at evening, that David arose from off his bed, and walked on the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful to look on.

³ David send and inquired after the woman. One said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the 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.

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

⁶ David sent to Joab, [saying], Send me Uriah the Hittite. Joab sent Uriah to David.

⁷ When Uriah was come to him, David asked of him how Joab did, and how the people fared, 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 there followed him a mess [of food] 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.

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 did you not go down to your house?

¹¹ Uriah said to David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in booths; 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.

¹² David said to Uriah, Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will let you depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the next day.

¹³ When David had called him, he ate 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 didn't go down to his house.

¹⁴ It happened in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

¹⁵ He wrote in the letter, saying, Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire you from him, that he may be struck, and die.

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

¹⁷ The men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people, even 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 he charged the messenger, saying, "When you have made an end of telling all the things concerning the war to the king,

²⁰ it shall be that, if the king's wrath arise, and he tells you, 'Why did you go so near to the city to fight? Didn't you know that they would shoot from 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 shall you say, 'Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.'"

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

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.

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 dead also.

²⁵ Then David said to the messenger, Thus shall you tell Joab, Don't let 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 When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she made lamentation for her husband.

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 Yahweh.

---

¹ Now in the spring, at the time when kings go out to war, David sent Joab and his servants and all Israel with him; and they made waste the land of the children of Ammon, and took up their position before Rabbah, shutting it in. But David was still at Jerusalem.

² Now one evening, David got up from his bed, and while he was walking on the roof of the king's house, he saw from there a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful.

³ And David sent to get knowledge who the woman was. And one said, Is this not Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam and wife of Uriah the Hittite?

⁴ And David sent and took her; and she came to him, and he took her to his bed: (for she had been made clean;) then she went back to her house.

⁵ And the woman became with child; and she sent word to David that she was with child.

⁶ And David sent to Joab saying, Send Uriah the Hittite to me. And Joab sent Uriah to David.

⁷ And when Uriah came to him, David put questions to him about how Joab and the people were, and how the war was going.

⁸ And David said to Uriah, Go down to your house and let your feet be washed. And Uriah went away from the king's house, and an offering from the king was sent after him.

⁹ But Uriah took his rest at the door of the king's house, with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house.

¹⁰ And when word was given to David that Uriah had not gone down to his house, David said to Uriah, Have you not come from a journey? why did you not go down to your house?

¹¹ And Uriah said to David, Israel and Judah with the ark are living in tents, and my lord Joab and the other servants of my lord are sleeping in the open field; and am I to go to my house and take food and drink, and go to bed with my wife? By the living Lord, and by the life of your soul, I will not do such a thing.

¹² And David said to Uriah, Be here today, and after that I will let you go. So Uriah was in Jerusalem that day and the day after.

¹³ And when David sent for him, he took meat and drink with him, and David made him the worse for drink: and when evening came, he went to rest on his bed with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.

¹⁴ Now in the morning, David gave Uriah a letter to take to Joab.

¹⁵ And in the letter he said, Take care to put Uriah in the very front of the line, where the fighting is most violent, and go back from him, so that he may be overcome and put to death.

¹⁶ So while Joab was watching the town, he put Uriah in the place where it was clear to him the best fighters were.

¹⁷ And the men of the town went out and had a fight with Joab: and a number of David's men came to their death in the fight, and with them Uriah the Hittite.

¹⁸ Then Joab sent David news of everything which had taken place in the war:

¹⁹ And he gave orders to the man who took the news, saying, After you have given the king all the news about the war,

²⁰ If the king is angry and says, Why did you go so near the town for the fight? was it not certain that their archers would be on the wall?

²¹ Who put Abimelech, the son of Jerubbaal, to death? did not a woman send a great stone down on him from the wall, putting him to death at Thebez? why did you go so near the wall? Then say to him, Your servant Uriah the Hittite is among the dead.

²² So the man went, and came to David, and gave him all the news which Joab had sent him to give; then David was angry with Joab and said, Why did you go so near the town for the fight? was it not certain that their archers would be on the wall? who put Abimelech, the son of Jerubbaal, to death? did not a woman send a great stone down on him from the wall, putting him to death at Thebez? why did you go so near the wall?

²³ And the man said to David, Truly the men got the better of us, and came out against us into the open country, but we sent them back to the very doors of the town.

²⁴ And the archers sent their arrows at your servants from the wall, and some of the king's servants are dead, and among them is your servant Uriah the Hittite.

²⁵ Then David said to the man, Go and say to Joab, Do not let this be a grief to you; for one man may come to his death by the sword like another: put up an even stronger fight against the town, and take it: and do you put heart into him.

²⁶ And when the wife of Uriah had news that her husband was dead, she gave herself up to weeping for him.

²⁷ And when the days of weeping were past, David sent for her, and took her into his house, and she became his wife and gave him a son. But the Lord was not pleased with the thing David had done.