1 I t happened in the spring 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 people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.

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 children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David abode at Jerusalem.

2 T hen it happened one evening that David arose from 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 behold.

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 S o David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “ Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?”

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 T hen David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house.

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 A nd the woman conceived; so she sent and told David, and said, “I am with child.”

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

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

And David sent to Joab, Send me Urijah the Hittite. And Joab sent Urijah to David.

7 W hen Uriah had come to him, David asked how Joab was doing, and how the people were doing, and how the war prospered.

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

8 A nd David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” So Uriah departed from the king’s house, and a gift of food from the king followed him.

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 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.

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 S o when they told David, saying, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Did you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?”

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 A nd Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open fields. Shall I then go to my house to eat and drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.”

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? thou livest, and thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.

12 T hen David said to Uriah, “Wait here today also, and tomorrow I will let you depart.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next.

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

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 I n the morning it happened that David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

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

15 A nd he wrote in the letter, saying, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck down and die.”

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 S o it was, while Joab besieged the city, that he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew there were valiant men.

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 T hen the men of the city came out and fought with Joab. And some of the people of the servants of David fell; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

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

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

19 a nd charged the messenger, saying, “When you have finished telling the matters of the war to the king,

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

20 i f it happens that the king’s wrath rises, and he says to you: ‘Why did you approach so near to the city when you fought? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall?

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 W ho struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Was it not a woman who cast a piece of a millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go near the wall?’—then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.’”

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 S o the messenger went, and came and told David all that Joab had sent by him.

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

23 A nd the messenger said to David, “Surely the men prevailed against us and came out to us in the field; then we drove them back as far as the entrance of the gate.

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 T he archers shot from the wall at your servants; and some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.”

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 T hen 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. Strengthen your attack against the city, and overthrow it.’ So encourage him.”

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 W hen the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.

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

27 A nd when her mourning was over, 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 displeased the Lord.

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.