1 I n the spring, when kings go forth to battle, David sent Joab with his servants and all Israel, and they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.

¶ 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 slaves with him and all Israel, and they destroyed the sons of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.

2 O ne evening David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, when from there he saw a woman bathing; and she was very lovely to behold.

And it came to pass one evening, 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 D avid sent and inquired about the woman. One said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite?

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 A nd David sent messengers and took her. And she came in to him, and he lay with her—for she was purified from her uncleanness. Then she returned to her house.

And David sent messengers and took her, and she came in unto him, and he lay with her. Then she purified herself from her uncleanness, and she returned unto her house.

5 A nd the woman became pregnant and sent and told David, I am with child.

And the woman conceived and sent and told David and said, I am with child.

6 D avid sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. So Joab sent Uriah.

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

7 W hen Uriah had come to him, David asked him how Joab was, how the people fared, and how the war progressed.

And when Uriah had come unto him, David asked him how Joab was and how the people were and how the war prospered.

8 D avid said to Uriah, Go down to your house and wash your feet. Uriah went out of the king’s house, and there followed him a mess of food from the king.

And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king’s house, and royal food was sent unto him.

9 B ut Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord and did not go down to his house.

But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the slaves of his lord and did not go down to his house.

10 W hen they told David, Uriah did not go down to his house, David said to Uriah, Have you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?

And when they had told David, saying, Uriah did not go down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Didst thou not come from thy journey? Why then didst thou not go down to thy house?

11 U riah said to David, The ark and Israel and Judah live in tents, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field. Shall I then go to my house to eat and drink and lie with my wife? As you live and as my soul lives, I will not do this thing.

And Uriah said unto David, The ark and Israel and Judah abide in tents, and my lord Joab and the slaves 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? By thy life and by the life of thy soul, I will not do this thing.

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

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 next day.

13 D avid invited him, and he ate with him and drank, so that he made him drunk; but that night he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord and did not go down to his house.

And when David had called him, he ate and drank before him, and he made him drunk; and in the evening he went out to lie on his bed with the slaves of his lord but did not go down to his house.

14 I n the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah.

¶ And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

15 A nd he wrote in the letter, Put Uriah in the front line of the heaviest fighting and withdraw from him, that he may be struck down and die.

And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle and retire from him, that he may be smitten and die.

16 S o when Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah opposite where he knew the enemy’s most valiant men were.

And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that the most valiant men were.

17 A nd the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, and some of the servants of David fell. Uriah the Hittite died also.

And the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, and some of the people of the slaves of David fell, and Uriah the Hittite died also.

18 T hen Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war.

Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war

19 A nd he charged the messenger, When you have finished reporting matters of the war to the king,

and charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast finished telling the matters of the war unto the king,

20 T hen if the king’s anger rises and he says to you, Why did you go so near to the city to fight? Did you not know they would shoot from the wall?

and if the king begins to be angry and he should say unto thee, Why did you approach so near unto the city when ye fought? Did ye not know that which they can throw down from the wall?

21 W ho killed Abimelech son of Jerubbesheth (Gideon)? Did not a woman cast an upper millstone upon him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go near the wall? Then say, Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

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 did you go near the wall? Then thou shalt say, Thy slave Uriah, the Hittite, is dead also.

22 S o the messenger went and told David all for which Joab had sent him.

So the messenger went and came and told David all that Joab had sent him for.

23 T he messenger said to David, Surely the men prevailed against us and came out to us in to the field, but we were upon them even to the entrance of the gate.

And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed against us and came out unto us into the field, and we made them retreat unto the entering of the gate.

24 T hen the archers shot at your servants from the wall. Some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

And the archers shot from off the wall upon thy slaves, and some of the king’s slaves are dead, and thy slave Uriah, the Hittite, is dead also.

25 T hen David said to the messenger, Say to Joab, Let not this thing disturb you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Strengthen your attack upon the city and overthrow it. And encourage Joab.

Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devours one as well as another; strengthen the battle against the city until it is overthrown and encourage thou him.

26 W hen Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for Uriah.

And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah, her husband, was dead, she mourned for her husband.

27 A nd when the mourning was past, David sent and brought 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 the Lord.

And when the mourning was past, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and gave birth to a son unto him. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.