2 Samuel 11

1 It happened, at the return of the year, at the time when kings go out, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem.

It came about in the springtime, at the time when kings normally go to war, that David sent out Joab, his servants, and all the army of Israel. They destroyed the army of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed in Jerusalem.

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

So it came about one evening that David got up from his bed and walked on the roof of his palace. From there he happened to see a woman who was bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to look at.

3 David sent and inquired after the woman. One said, "Isn't this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hethite?"

So David sent and he asked people who would know about the woman. Someone said, “Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, and is she not 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.

David sent messengers and took her; she came in to him, and he slept with her (for she had just purified herself from menstruation). Then she returned to her house.

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

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

6 Then David sent to Joab and said, "Send me Uriah the Hethite." So Joab sent Uriah to him.

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

7 And Uriah came to him, and David asked about the prosperity of Joab, and of the prosperity of the people, and of the prosperity of the war. And he said, "Its well."

When Uriah arrived, David asked him how Joab was, how the army was doing, and how the war was going.

8 And David said to Uriah, "Go down to your house, and wash your feet." So Uriah went out from the presence of the king, and a gift from the king was sent after him.

David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” So Uriah left the king's palace, and the king sent a gift for Uriah after he left.

9 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.

But Uriah slept at the door of the king's palace with all the servants of his master, and he did not go down to his house.

10 And it was reported to David, saying, "Uriah did not go down to his house." So David said to Uriah, "Haven't you come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?"

When 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?”

11 Uriah said to David, "The ark, Israel, and Judah, are staying in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are camped in the open field. Shall I then go into my house to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? As the LORD lives, and as you live, I will not do this thing."

Uriah answered David, “The ark, and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my master Joab and my master's servants are camped in an open field. How then can I go into my house to eat and to drink and to sleep with my wife? As sure as you are alive, I will not do this.”

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

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

13 And the next day David summoned him, and he ate and drank in his presence, and he made him drunk. But in the evening he went out and lay on a bed with the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house.

When David called him, he ate and drank before him, and David made him drunk. At evening Uriah went out to sleep on his bed with the servants of his master; he did not 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.

So in the morning David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

15 He wrote in the letter, saying, "Send Uriah to the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck, and die."

David wrote in the letter saying, “Set Uriah at the very front of the most intense battle, and then withdraw from him, that he may be hit and killed.”

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

So as Joab watched the siege upon the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew the strongest enemy soldiers would be fighting.

17 The men of the city went out, and fought with Joab. Some of the people fell, even of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hethite died also.

When the men of the city went out and fought against Joab's army, some of the soldiers of David fell, and Uriah the Hittite was also killed there.

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

When Joab sent word to David about everything concerning the war,

19 and he commanded the messenger, saying, "When you have finished telling all the things concerning the war to the king,

he commanded the messenger, saying, “When you have finished telling all the things concerning the war to the king,

20 it shall be that, if his anger rises and he asks you, 'Why did you go so near to the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall,

it may happen that the king will become angry, and he will say 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 Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal? Did a woman not cast 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 Hethite is dead also.'"

Who killed Abimelech son of Jerub-Besheth? Did not 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 you must answer, 'Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.'”

22 And the messenger of Joab went to the king in Jerusalem and came and reported to David all that Joab had told him.

So the messenger left and went to David and told him everything that Joab had sent him to say.

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.

Then the messenger said to David, “The enemy were stronger than we were at first; they came out to us into the field, but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate.

24 And the archers shot at your servants from off the wall, and some eighteen men of the king's servants are dead. And your servant Uriah the Hethite is dead also."

Then their shooters shot at your soldiers from off the wall, and some of the king's servants were killed, and your servant Uriah the Hittite was killed too.”

25 Then David said to the messenger, "Thus you shall tell Joab, 'Do not let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Make your battle stronger against the city, and overthrow it.' Encourage him."

Then David said to the messenger, “Say this to Joab, 'Do not let this displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Make your battle even stronger against the city, and overthrow it,' and encourage him.”

26 When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she made lamentation for her husband.

So when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she lamented deeply 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 the LORD.

When her sorrow passed, David sent and took her home to his palace, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But what David had done displeased Yahweh.