2 Samuel 11

Bathsheba, David’s Great Sin

11Then it happenedH1961 23in the springH8666, at the timeH6256 when kingsH4428 goH3318 outH3318 to battle, that DavidH1732 sentH7971 JoabH3097 and his servantsH5650 with him and allH3605 IsraelH3478, and they broughtH7843 destructionH7843 on the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 and 4besiegedH6696H5921 RabbahH7237. But DavidH1732 stayedH3427 in JerusalemH3389.

2Now at eveningH6153 timeH6256 DavidH1732 gotH6965 upH6965 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 servants and inquiredH1875 about the womanH802. And someone saidH559, “Is thisH2088 not 6BathshebaH1339, the daughterH1323 of EliamH463, the wifeH802 of 7UriahH223 the HittiteH2850?” 4Then DavidH1732 sentH7971 messengersH4397 and 8had her broughtH3947, and when she cameH935 to him, 9he sleptH7901 with her; 10and when she had purifiedH6942 herself from her uncleannessH2932, she returnedH7725 to her houseH1004. 5But the womanH802 conceivedH2029; so she sentH7971 word and informedH5046 DavidH1732, and saidH559, “11I am pregnantH2030.”

6Then DavidH1732 sentH7971 word to JoabH3097: “SendH7971 me UriahH223 the HittiteH2850.” So JoabH3097 sentH7971 UriahH223 to DavidH1732. 7When UriahH223 cameH935 to him, 12DavidH1732 askedH7592 about Joab’sH3097 well-beingH7965 and 13that of the peopleH5971, and the conditionH7965 of the warH4421. 8Then DavidH1732 saidH559 to UriahH223, “GoH3381 downH3381 to your houseH1004, and 14washH7364 your feetH7272.” So UriahH223 leftH3318 the king’sH4428 houseH1004, and a giftH4864 from the kingH4428 15was sentH3318 afterH310 him. 9But UriahH223 sleptH7901 16at 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 informedH5046 DavidH1732, sayingH559, “UriahH223 did not goH3381 downH3381 to his houseH1004,” DavidH1732 saidH559 to UriahH223, “Did you not comeH935 from a journeyH1870? WhyH4069 did you not goH3381 downH3381 to your houseH1004?” 11And UriahH223 saidH559 to DavidH1732, “17The arkH727 and IsraelH3478 and JudahH3063 are stayingH3427 in 18temporaryH5521 sheltersH5521, and my lordH113 JoabH3097 and 19the servantsH5650 of my lordH113 are campingH2583 in the openH6440 fieldH7704. Should I then goH935 to my houseH1004 to eatH398 and drinkH8354 and to sleepH7901 with my wifeH802? By your lifeH2416 and the lifeH2416 of your soulH5315, I will not doH6213 thisH2088 thingH1697.” 12Then DavidH1732 saidH559 to UriahH223, “20StayH3427 hereH2088 todayH3117 alsoH1571, and tomorrowH4279 I will letH7971 you go back.” So UriahH223 remainedH3427 in JerusalemH3389 that dayH3117 and the dayH4283 afterH4283. 13Now DavidH1732 summonedH7121 21Uriah, and he ateH398 and drankH8354 in his presenceH6440, and he 22madeH7937 23Uriah drunkH7937; and in the eveningH6153 Uriah wentH3318 outH3318 to lieH7901 on his bedH4904 24with his lord’sH113 servantsH5650, and he still did not goH3381 downH3381 to his houseH1004.

14So in the morningH1242 DavidH1732 25wroteH3789 a letterH5612 to JoabH3097 and sentH7971 it by the handH3027 of UriahH223. 1526He had writtenH3789 in the letterH5612 27the followingH559: “28StationH3051 UriahH223 on the frontH4136H6440 lineH4136H6440 of the 29fiercestH2389 battleH4421 and pullH7725 backH7725 from him, 30so that he may be struckH5221 and killedH4191.” 16So it was as JoabH3097 keptH8104 watchH8104 on the cityH5892, that he 31stationedH5414 UriahH223 at the placeH4725 whereH834 he knewH3045 thereH8033 were valiantH2428 menH376. 17And the menH376 of the cityH5892 wentH3318 outH3318 and foughtH3898 againstH854 JoabH3097, and someH4480 of the peopleH5971 amongH4480 David’sH1732 servantsH5650 fellH5307; and 32UriahH223 the HittiteH2850 alsoH1571 diedH4191. 18Then JoabH3097 sentH7971 a messenger and reportedH5046 to DavidH1732 allH3605 the eventsH1697 of the warH4421. 19He orderedH6680 the messengerH4397, sayingH559, “When you have finishedH3615 tellingH1696 allH3605 the eventsH1697 of the warH4421 to the kingH4428, 20then it shall be that ifH518 the king’sH4428 wrathH2534 risesH5927 and he saysH559 to you, ‘WhyH4069 did you moveH5066 againstH413 the cityH5892 to fightH3898? Did you not knowH3045 that they would shootH3384 from the wallH2346? 21WhoH4310 33struckH5221 AbimelechH40 the sonH1121 of JerubbeshethH3380? Did a womanH802 not throwH7993 an upperH7393 millstoneH6400 on him from the wallH2346 so that he diedH4191 at ThebezH8405? WhyH4100 did you moveH5066 againstH413 the wallH2346?’--then you shall sayH559, ‘Your servantH5650 UriahH223 the HittiteH2850 alsoH1571 diedH4191.’”

22So the messengerH4397 departedH1980 and cameH935 and reportedH5046 to DavidH1732 everythingH3605 that JoabH3097 had sentH7971 him to tell. 23The messengerH4397 saidH559 to DavidH1732, “The menH376 prevailedH1396 againstH5921 us and cameH3318 outH3318 againstH413 us in the fieldH7704, but we 34pressedH1961H5921 them as farH5704 as the entranceH6607 of the gateH8179. 24Also, the archersH3372 shotH3372 at your servantsH5650 from the wallH2346; so someH4480 of the king’sH4428 servantsH5650 diedH4191, and your servantH5650 UriahH223 the HittiteH2850 alsoH1571 diedH4191.” 25Then DavidH1732 saidH559 to the messengerH4397, “ThisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 you shall sayH559 to JoabH3097: ‘Do not let thisH2088 thingH1697 35displeaseH7489H5869 you, for the swordH2719 devoursH398 oneH2088 as well as anotherH2088; 36fightH2388H4421 withH2388 determinationH2388 againstH413 the cityH5892 and overthrowH2040 it’; and thereby encourageH2388 him.”

26Now when Uriah’sH223 wifeH802 heardH8085 that her husbandH376 UriahH223 was deadH4191, 37she mournedH5594 for her husbandH1167. 27When the time of mourningH60 wasH5674 overH5674, DavidH1732 sentH7971 servants and 38had her broughtH622 to his houseH1004 and 39she becameH1961 his wifeH802; then she boreH3205 him a sonH1121. But 40the thingH1697 that DavidH1732 had doneH6213 wasH7489 evilH7489 in the sightH5869 of the LordH3068.