2 Samuel 11

Bathsheba, David’s Great Sin

11Then it happenedH1961 23in the springH8666, at the timeH6256 when kingsH4428 goH3318 out to battle, that DavidH1732 sentH7971 JoabH3097 and his servantsH5650 with him and allH3605 IsraelH3478, and they destroyedH7843 the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 and 4besiegedH6696H5921 RabbahH7237. But DavidH1732 stayedH3427 at JerusalemH3389.

2Now when eveningH6153 cameH1961 DavidH1732 aroseH6965 from his bedH4904 and walkedH1980 aroundH1980 on 5the roofH1406 of the king’sH4428 houseH1004, and from the roofH1406 he sawH7200 a womanH802 bathingH7364; and the womanH802 was veryH3966 beautifulH2896 in appearanceH4758. 3So DavidH1732 sentH7971 and inquiredH1875 about the womanH802. And one saidH559, “Is thisH2088 not 6BathshebaH1339, the daughterH1323 of EliamH463, the wifeH802 of 7UriahH223 the HittiteH2850?” 4DavidH1732 sentH7971 messengersH4397 and tookH3947 her, and when she cameH935 to him, 8he layH7901 with her; 9and when she had purifiedH6942 herself from her uncleannessH2932, she returnedH7725 to her houseH1004. 5The womanH802 conceivedH2029; and she sentH7971 and toldH5046 DavidH1732, and saidH559, “10I amH2029 pregnantH2030.”

6Then DavidH1732 sentH7971 to JoabH3097, saying, “SendH7971 me UriahH223 the HittiteH2850.” So JoabH3097 sentH7971 UriahH223 to DavidH1732. 7When UriahH223 cameH935 to him, 11DavidH1732 askedH7592 concerning the welfareH7965 of JoabH3097 and 12the peopleH5971 and the stateH7965 of the warH4421. 8Then DavidH1732 saidH559 to UriahH223, “GoH3381 downH3381 to your houseH1004, and 13washH7364 your feetH7272.” And UriahH223 wentH3318 out of the king’sH4428 houseH1004, and a presentH4864 from the kingH4428 14was sentH3318 out afterH310 him. 9But UriahH223 sleptH7901 15at the doorH6607 of the king’sH4428 houseH1004 with allH3605 the servantsH5650 of his lordH113, and did not goH3381 downH3381 to his houseH1004. 10Now when they toldH5046 DavidH1732, sayingH559, “UriahH223 did not goH3381 downH3381 to his houseH1004,” DavidH1732 saidH559 to UriahH223, “Have you not comeH935 from a journeyH1870? WhyH4069 did you not goH3381 downH3381 to your houseH1004?” 11UriahH223 saidH559 to DavidH1732, “16The arkH727 and IsraelH3478 and JudahH3063 are stayingH3427 in 17temporaryH5521 sheltersH5521, and my lordH113 JoabH3097 and 18the servantsH5650 of my lordH113 are campingH2583 in the openH6440 fieldH7704. Shall I then goH935 to my houseH1004 to eatH398 and to drinkH8354 and to lieH7901 with my wifeH802? By your lifeH2416 and the lifeH2416 of your soulH5315, I will not doH6213 thisH2088 thingH1697.” 12Then DavidH1732 saidH559 to UriahH223, “19StayH3427 hereH2088 todayH3117 alsoH1571, and tomorrowH4279 I will letH7971 you goH7971.” So UriahH223 remainedH3427 in JerusalemH3389 that dayH3117 and the 20nextH4283. 13Now DavidH1732 calledH7121 him, and he ateH398 and drankH8354 beforeH6440 him, and he 21madeH7937 him drunkH7937; and in the eveningH6153 he wentH3318 out to lieH7901 on his bedH4904 22with his lord’sH113 servantsH5650, but he did not goH3381 downH3381 to his houseH1004.

14Now in the morningH1242 DavidH1732 23wroteH3789 a letterH5612 to JoabH3097 and sentH7971 it by the handH3027 of UriahH223. 1524He had writtenH3789 in the letterH5612, sayingH559, “25PlaceH3051 UriahH223 in the frontH6440 lineH6440 of the 26fiercestH2389 battleH4421 and withdrawH7725 from him, 27so that he may be struckH5221 downH5221 and dieH4191.” 16So it was as JoabH3097 keptH8104 watchH8104 on the cityH5892, that he putH5414 UriahH223 at the placeH4725 whereH834H8033 he knewH3045 there were valiantH2428 menH376. 17The menH376 of the cityH5892 wentH3318 out and foughtH3898 againstH854 JoabH3097, and someH4480 of the peopleH5971 amongH4480 David’sH1732 servantsH5650 fellH5307; and 28UriahH223 the HittiteH2850 alsoH1571 diedH4191. 18Then JoabH3097 sentH7971 and reportedH5046 to DavidH1732 allH3605 the eventsH1697 of the warH4421. 19He chargedH6680 the messengerH4397, sayingH559, “When you have finishedH3615 tellingH1696 allH3605 the eventsH1697 of the warH4421 to the kingH4428, 20and ifH518 it happensH1961 that the king’sH4428 wrathH2534 risesH5927 and he saysH559 to you, ‘WhyH4069 did you goH5066 so nearH5066 to the cityH5892 to fightH3898? Did you not knowH3045 that they would shootH3384 from the wallH2346? 21WhoH4310 29struckH5221 downH5221 AbimelechH40 the sonH1121 of JerubbeshethH3380? Did not a womanH802 throwH7993 an upperH7393 millstoneH7393 on him from the wallH2346 so that he diedH4191 at ThebezH8405? WhyH4100 did you goH5066 so nearH5066 the wallH2346?’--then you shall sayH559, ‘Your servantH5650 UriahH223 the HittiteH2850 is deadH4191 alsoH1571.’”

22So the messengerH4397 departedH1980 and cameH935 and reportedH5046 to DavidH1732 allH3605 that JoabH3097 had sentH7971 him to tell. 23The messengerH4397 saidH559 to DavidH1732, “The menH376 prevailedH1396 againstH5921 us and cameH3318 out againstH413 us in the fieldH7704, but we 30pressedH1961H5921 them as farH5704 as the entranceH6607 of the gateH8179. 24Moreover, the archersH3372 shotH3372 at your servantsH5650 from the wallH2346; so someH4480 of the king’sH4428 servantsH5650 are deadH4191, and your servantH5650 UriahH223 the HittiteH2850 is alsoH1571 deadH4191.” 25Then DavidH1732 saidH559 to the messengerH4397, “ThusH3541 you shall sayH559 to JoabH3097, ‘Do not let thisH2088 thingH1697 31displeaseH7489H5869 you, for the swordH2719 devoursH398 oneH2088 as well as anotherH2088; makeH2388 your battleH4421 againstH413 the cityH5892 strongerH2388 and overthrowH2040 it’; and so encourageH2388 him.”

26Now when the wifeH802 of UriahH223 heardH8085 that UriahH223 her husbandH376 was deadH4191, 32she mournedH5594 for her husbandH1167. 27When the time of mourningH60 was overH5674, DavidH1732 sentH7971 and 33broughtH622 her to his houseH1004 and 34she becameH1961 his wifeH802; then she boreH3205 him a sonH1121. But 35the thingH1697 that DavidH1732 had doneH6213 was evilH7489 in the sightH5869 of the LordH3068.