II Samuel 11

1. And it came to pass at the turn of the year, at the time kings go forth to war, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they destroyed the children of Ammon and circled Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.

2. And it came to pass one evening, David arose from his bed 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 to look upon.

3. And David sent and asked about the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?”

4. And David sent messengers and took her. And she came in to him and he lay with her. And when she had purified herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her house.

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

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

7. And when Uriah had come to him, David asked how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war went.

8. And David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” And Uriah left the king’s house. And a gift from the king went out after him.

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.

10. And they told David, saying, “Uriah did not go to his house.” And David said to Uriah, “Did you not come from a journey? Why have you not gone down to your house?”

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

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

13. And when David had 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.

14. And it came to pass in the morning, David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

15. And he wrote in the letter, saying, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and draw back from him so that he may be stricken and die.”

16. And it came to pass when Joab observed the city, he sent Uriah to a place where he knew brave men were.

17. And the men of the city went out and fought with Joab. And some of the people of the servants of David fell. And Uriah the Hittite also died.

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

19. And he commanded the messenger saying, “When you have made an end of telling the matters of the war to the king,

20. And if it be so that the king’s wrath arise, and he say 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?

21. Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go near the wall?’ And you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.’ ”

22. And the messenger departed, and came and told David all that Joab had sent him to tell.

23. And the messenger said to David, “Surely the men prevailed against us and came out to us to the field, and we were upon them even to the entering of the gate.

24. And the shooters shot from off the wall upon your servants, and some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.”

25. Then David said to the messenger, “So you shall say to 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. And you encourage him.’ ”

26. And the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, and mourned for her husband.

27. And when her mourning was past, 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 was evil in the eyes of the LORD.