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.

Then it happened in the spring, 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 sons of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed 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.

Now when evening came David arose from his bed and walked around on the roof of the king’s house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance.

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?

So David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is this not 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.

David sent messengers and took her, and when she came to him, he lay with her; and when she had purified herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her house.

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

The woman conceived; and she sent and told David, and said, “ I am pregnant.”

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.” So 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.

When Uriah came to him, David asked concerning the welfare of Joab and the people and the state of the war.

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.

Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house, and wash your feet.” And Uriah went out of the king’s house, and a present from the king was sent out after 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 servants 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?

Now when they told David, saying, “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?”

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.

Uriah said to David, “ The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in temporary shelters, 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 to drink and to lie with my wife? By your life and the life of your 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.

Then David said to Uriah, “ Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will let you go.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next.

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.

Now David called him, and he ate and drank before him, and he made him drunk; and in the evening he went out to lie on his bed with his lord’s servants, but he did not go down to his house.

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

Now in the morning 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.

He had written in the letter, saying, “ Place Uriah in the front line of the fiercest battle and withdraw from him, so that he may be struck down 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.

So it was as Joab kept watch on the city, that he put Uriah at the place where he knew there were valiant men.

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.

The men of the city went out and fought against Joab, and some of the people among David’s servants fell; and Uriah the Hittite also died.

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

Then Joab sent and reported to David all the events of the war.

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

He charged the messenger, saying, “When you have finished telling all the events of the war to 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 it happens that the king’s wrath rises and he says to you, ‘Why did you go so near to the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot 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 struck down Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman throw an upper millstone on him from the wall so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’—then you shall say, ‘Your servant 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 departed and came and reported to David all that Joab had sent him to tell.

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.

The messenger said to David, “The men prevailed against us and came out against us in the field, but we pressed them as far as the entrance 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.

Moreover, the archers shot at your servants from the wall; so some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.”

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 to the messenger, “Thus you shall say to Joab, ‘Do not let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another; make your battle against the city stronger and overthrow it’; and so encourage him.”

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

Now 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.

When the time of mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house and she became his wife; then she bore him a son. But the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the Lord.