2 Samuel 11

1In the springH8666H8141,1 at the time whenH6256 kingsH4397 march out to warH3318, DavidH1732 sent outH7971 JoabH3097 andH853 his servantsH5650H5973 withH853 the wholeH3605 army of IsraelH3478. They destroyedH7843 the AmmonitesH1121H5983 and besiegedH6696H5921 RabbahH7237, but DavidH1732 remainedH3427 in JerusalemH3389.

2

One eveningH6153 DavidH1732 got upH6965 fromH5921 his bedH4904 and strolled aroundH1980 onH5921 the roofH1406 of the palaceH1004H4428. And fromH5921 the roofH1406 he sawH7200 a womanH802 bathingH7364—a veryH3966 beautifulH2896H4758 womanH802. 3So DavidH1732 sentH7971 and inquiredH1875 about the womanH802, and he was toldH559H3808, “ThisH2063 is BathshebaH1339, the daughterH1323 of EliamH4632 and the wifeH802 of UriahH223 the HittiteH2850.”

4Then DavidH1732 sentH7971 messengersH4397 to get herH3947, and when she cameH935 to himH413, he sleptH7901 with herH5973. (Now sheH1931 had just purified herselfH6942 from her uncleannessH2932.) Then she returnedH7725H413 homeH1004. 5And the womanH802 conceivedH2029 and sent wordH7971H5046 to DavidH1732, sayingH559, “IH595 am pregnantH2030.”

6At this, DavidH1732 sent ordersH7971 toH413 JoabH3097: “SendH7971 meH413 UriahH223 the HittiteH2850.” So JoabH3097 sentH7971 him toH413 DavidH1732.

7When UriahH223 cameH935 to himH413, DavidH1732H7965 askedH7592 how JoabH3097 and the troopsH5971 were doingH7965 and how the warH4421 was goingH7965. 8ThenH1732 he saidH559 to UriahH223, “Go downH3381 to your houseH1004 and washH7364 your feetH7272.”

So UriahH223 leftH3318 the palaceH1004H4428, and a giftH4864 from the kingH4428 followedH3318 himH310. 9But UriahH223 sleptH7901 at the doorH6607 of the palaceH1004H4428 withH854 allH3605 his master’sH113 servantsH5650; he did notH3808 go downH3381 toH413 his houseH1004.

10And DavidH1732 was toldH5046, “UriahH223H413 did notH3808 goH3381 homeH1004.”

“Haven’t youH3808H859 just arrivedH935 from a journeyH1870?” DavidH1732 askedH559 UriahH223. “WhyH4069 didn’t youH3808 goH3381H413 homeH1004?”

11UriahH223 answeredH559, “The arkH727 and IsraelH3478 and JudahH3063 are dwellingH3427 in tentsH5521,3 and my masterH113 JoabH3097 and hisH113 soldiersH5650 are campedH2583 inH5921 the open fieldH6440H7704. How can IH589 goH935 toH413 my houseH1004 to eatH398 and drinkH8354 and sleepH7901 withH5973 my wifeH802? As surely as you liveH2416, and as your soulH5315 livesH2416, I will notH518 doH6213 such a thingH1697H2088!”

12“StayH3427 hereH2088 one more dayH3117H1571,” DavidH1732 saidH559 toH413 UriahH223, “and tomorrowH4279 I will send you backH7971.” So UriahH223 stayedH3427 in JerusalemH3389 thatH1931 dayH3117 and the nextH4283.

13Then DavidH1732 invitedH7121 Uriah to eatH398 and drinkH8354 with himH6440, and he got Uriah drunkH7937. And in the eveningH6153 Uriah went outH3318 to lie downH7901 on his cotH4904 withH5973 his master’sH113H413 servantsH5650, but he did notH3808 goH3381 homeH1004.

14

David Arranges Uriah’s Death

The next morningH1242 DavidH1732 wroteH3789 a letterH5612 toH413 JoabH3097 and sentH7971H3027 it with UriahH223. 15In the letterH5612H559 he wroteH3789: “PutH3051 UriahH223 atH413 the frontH4136H6440 of the fiercestH2389 battleH4421; then withdrawH7725 from himH310, so that he may be struck downH5221 and killedH4191.”

16So asH1961 JoabH3097 besiegedH8104 the cityH5892, he assignedH5414 UriahH223 toH413 a placeH4725 whereH834 he knewH3045H3588 the strongest enemy soldiersH582H2428H8033 were. 17And when the menH582 of the cityH5892 came outH3318 and foughtH3898 againstH854 JoabH3097, some ofH4480 David’sH1732 servantsH5971H5650 fellH5307, and UriahH223 the HittiteH2850 alsoH1571 diedH4191.

18JoabH3097 sentH7971H5046 to DavidH1732 a full accountH3605H1697 of the battleH4421 19and instructedH6680 the messengerH4397H559, “When you have finishedH3615 givingH1696H413 the kingH4428 a fullH3605 accountH1697 of the battleH4421, 20ifH518 the king’sH4428 angerH2534 flaresH5927, he may askH559 you, ‘WhyH4069 did you get so closeH5066 toH413 the cityH5892 to fightH3898? Did you notH3808 realizeH3045 they would shootH3384 from atopH5921 the wallH2346? 21WhoH4310 struckH5221 AbimelechH40 sonH1121 of JerubbeshethH33804? Was it notH3808 a womanH802 who droppedH7993 an upper millstoneH6400H7393 on himH5921 fromH5921 the wallH2346, so that he diedH4191 in ThebezH8405? WhyH4100 did you get so closeH5066 toH413 the wallH2346?’

If he asks you this, then you are to sayH559, ‘Your servantH5650 UriahH223 the HittiteH2850 is deadH4191 as wellH1571.’”

22So the messengerH4397 set outH1980H935 and reportedH5046 to DavidH1732 allH3605 thatH834 JoabH3097 had sent him to sayH7971. 23The messengerH4397 saidH559 toH413 DavidH1732H3588, “The menH582 overpowered usH1396H5921 and came outH3318 against usH413 in the fieldH7704, but we drove them backH1961H5921 toH5704 the entranceH6607 of the gateH8179. 24Then the archersH3384 shotH3384 atH413 your servantsH5650 fromH5921 the wallH2346, and some of the king’sH4428 servantsH5650 were killedH4191. And your servantH5650 UriahH223 the HittiteH2850 is deadH4191 as wellH1571.”

25Then DavidH1732 toldH559 the messengerH4397, “SayH559 thisH3541 toH413 JoabH3097: ‘Do notH408 let thisH2088 matterH1697 upsetH7489 youH5869, forH3588 the swordH2719 devoursH398 oneH2088 as well as anotherH2090. StrengthenH2388 your attackH4421 againstH413 the cityH5892 and demolish itH2040.’ Encourage himH2388 with these words.”

David Marries Bathsheba

26When Uriah’sH223 wifeH802 heardH8085 thatH3588 her husbandH376 was deadH4191, she mournedH5594 forH5921 himH1167. 27And when the time of mourningH60H7971 was overH5674, DavidH1732 had her broughtH622 toH413 his houseH1004, and she becameH1961 his wifeH802 and boreH3205 him a sonH1121.

But the thingH1697 thatH834 DavidH1732 had doneH6213 was evilH7489 in the sightH5869 of the LORDH3068.