II Samuel 11

¹Now it happened that, at the turn of the year, in the time when kings usually go forth to war, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all of Israel, and they laid waste to the sons of Ammon, and they besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.

²While these things were taking place, David happened to arise from his bed after midday, and he walked upon the terrace of the king’s house. And he saw, across from his terrace, a woman washing herself. And the woman was very beautiful.

³Therefore, the king sent and inquired who the woman might be. And it was reported to him that she was Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah, the Hittite.

⁴And so, David sent messengers, and he took her. And when she had entered to him, he slept with her. And presently, she was purified from her uncleanness.

⁵And she returned to her house, having conceived an unborn child. And sending, she informed David, and she said, “I have conceived.”

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

⁷And Uriah went to David. And David inquired whether Joab was doing well, and about the people, and how the war was being conducted.

⁸And David said to Uriah, “Go into your house, and wash your feet.” And Uriah departed from the house of the king. And a meal from the king followed after him.

⁹But Uriah slept before the gate of the king’s house, with the other servants of his lord, and he did not go down to his own house.

¹⁰And it was reported to David by some, saying, “Uriah did not go into his house.” And David said to Uriah: “Did you not arrive from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?”

¹¹And Uriah said to David: “The ark of God, and Israel and Judah, dwell in tents, and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, stay upon the face of the earth. And should I then go into my own house, so that I may eat and drink, and sleep with my wife? By your welfare and by the welfare of your soul, I will not do this thing.”

¹²Therefore, David said to Uriah, “Even so, remain here today, and tomorrow I will send you away.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem, on that day and the next.

¹³And David called him, so that he might eat and drink before him, and he made him inebriated. And departing in the evening, he slept on his bedding, with the servants of his lord, and he did not go down to his own house.

¹⁴Therefore, when morning arrived, David wrote a letter to Joab. And he sent it by the hand of Uriah,

¹⁵writing in the letter: “Place Uriah opposite the warfare, where the battle is the strongest, and then abandon him, so that, having been wounded, he may die.”

¹⁶And so, when Joab was besieging the city, he positioned Uriah in the place where he knew the strongest men to be.

¹⁷And the men, departing from the city, made war against Joab. And some of the people among the servants of David fell, and Uriah the Hittite also died.

¹⁸And so, Joab sent and reported to David every word about the battle.

¹⁹And he instructed the messenger, saying: “When you have completed all the words about the war to the king,

²⁰if you see him to be angry, and if he says: ‘Why did you draw near to the wall in order to fight? Are you ignorant that many darts are thrown from above the wall?

²¹Who struck down Abimelech, the son of Jerubbaal? Did not a woman throw a fragment of a millstone upon him from the wall, and so kill him at Thebez? Why did you approach beside the wall?’ then you shall say: ‘Your servant Uriah, the Hittite, also lies dead.’ ”

²²Therefore, the messenger departed. And he went and described to David all that Joab had instructed him.

²³And the messenger said to David: “The men prevailed against us, and they went out to us in the field. Then we pursued them, making an assault, even to the gate of the city.

²⁴And the archers directed their arrows at your servants from the wall above. And some of the king’s servants died, and then also your servant Uriah the Hittite died.”

²⁵And David said to the messenger: “You shall say these things to Joab: ‘Do not let this matter dishearten you. For varied are the events of war. Now this one, and now that one, is consumed by the sword. Encourage your warriors against the city and exhort them, so that you may destroy it.’ ”

²⁶Then the wife of Uriah heard that her husband Uriah had died, and she mourned for him.

²⁷But when the lamentation was completed, David sent and brought her into his house, and she became his wife, and she bore a son to him. And this word, which David had done, was displeasing in the sight of the Lord.

II Samuel 11

¹And it came to pass at the return of the year, at the time when kings go forth to war, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel, and they spoiled the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabba: but David remained in Jerusalem.

²In the mean time it happened that David arose from his bed after noon, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: And he saw from the roof of his house a woman washing herself, over against him: and the woman was very beautiful.

³And the king sent, and inquired who the woman was. And it was told him, that she was Bethsabee the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Urias the Hethite.

⁴And David sent messengers, and took her, and she came in to him, and he slept with her: and presently she was purified from her uncleanness:

⁵And she returned to her house having conceived. And she sent and told David, and said: I have conceived.

⁶And David sent to Joab, saying: Send me Urias the Hethite. And Joab sent Urias to David.

⁷And Urias came to David. And David asked how Joab did, and the people, and how the war was carried on.

⁸And David said to Urias: Go into thy house, and wash thy feet. And Urias went out from the king's house, and there went out after him a mess of meat from the king.

⁹But Urias slept before the gate of the king's house, with the other servants of his lord, and went not down to his own house.

¹⁰And it was told David by some that said: Urias went not to his house. And David said to Urias: Didst thou not come from thy journey? why didst thou not go down to thy house?

¹¹And Urias said to David: The ark of God and Israel and Juda dwell in tents, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord abide upon the face of the earth: and shall I go into my house, to eat and to drink, and to sleep with my wife? By thy welfare and by the welfare of thy soul I will not do this thing.

¹²Then David said to Urias: Tarry here to day, and to morrow I will send thee away. Urias tarried in Jerusalem that day and the next.

¹³And David called him to eat and to drink before him, and he made him drunk: and he went out in the evening, and slept on his couch with the servants of his lord, and went not down into his house.

¹⁴And when the morning was come, David wrote a letter to Joab: and sent it by the hand of Urias,

¹⁵Writing in the letter: Set ye Urias in the front of the battle, where the fight is strongest: and leave ye him, that he may be wounded and die.

¹⁶Wherefore as Joab was besieging the city, he put Urias in the place where he knew the bravest men were.

¹⁷And the men coming out of the city, fought against Joab, and there fell some of the people of the servants of David, and Urias the Hethite was killed also.

¹⁸Then Joab sent, and told David all things concerning the battle.

¹⁹And he charged the messenger, saying: When thou hast told all the words of the battle to the king,

²⁰If thou see him to be angry, and he shall say: Why did you approach so near to the wall to fight? knew you not that many darts are thrown from above off the wall?

²¹Who killed Abimelech the son of Jerobaal? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall and slew him in Thebes? Why did you go near the wall? Thou shalt say: Thy servant Urias the Hethite is also slain.

²²So the messenger departed, and came and told David all that Joab had commanded him.

²³And the messenger said to David: The men prevailed against us, and they came out to us into the field: and we vigorously charged and pursued them even to the gate of the city.

²⁴And the archers shot their arrows at thy servants from off the wall above: and some of the king's servants are slain, and thy servant Urias the Hethite is also dead.

²⁵And David said to the messenger: Thus shalt thou say to Joab: Let not this thing discourage thee: for various is the event of war: and sometimes one, sometimes another is consumed by the sword: encourage thy warriors against the city, and exhort them that thou mayest overthrow it.

²⁶And the wife of Urias heard that Urias her husband was dead, and she mourned for him.

²⁷And the mourning being over, David sent and brought her into his house, and she became his wife, and she bore him a son: and this thing which David had done, was displeasing to the Lord.