2 Samuel 11
David Commits Adultery with Bathsheba
1 In the spring of the year, at the time when kingss normally conduct wars,t David sent out Joab with his officerst and the entire Israelite army.t They defeated the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed behind in Jerusalem.ts2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of his palace.t From the roof he saw a woman bathing. Now this woman was very attractive.t
3 So David sent someone to inquire about the woman. The messengert said, “Isn’t this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?”
4 David sent some messengers to get her.t She came to him and he had sexual relations with her.t (Now at that time she was in the process of purifying herself from her menstrual uncleanness.)t Then she returned to her home.
5 The woman conceived and then sent word to David saying, “I’m pregnant.”
6 So David sent a message to Joab that said, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent Uriah to David.7 When Uriah came to him, David asked about how Joab and the army were doing and how the campaign was going.t8 Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your home and relax.”t When Uriah left the palace, the king sent a gift to him.t
9 But Uriah stayed at the door of the palace with alls the servants of his lord. He did not go down to his house.
10 So they informed David, “Uriah has not gone down to his house.” So David said to Uriah, “Haven’t you just arrived from a journey? Why haven’t you gone down to your house?”11 Uriah replied to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah reside in temporary shelters, and my lord Joab and my lord’s soldiers are camping in the open field. Should I go to my house to eat and drink and have marital relationst with my wife? As surely as you are alive,t I will not do this thing!”12 So David said to Uriah, “Stay here another day. Tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem both that day and the following one.t
13 Then David summoned him. He ate and drank with him, and got him drunk. But in the evening he went out to sleep on his bed with the servants of his lord; he did not go down to his own house.
14 In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah.
15 In the letter he wrote: “Station Uriah in the thick of the battle and then withdraw from him so he will be cut down and killed.”
16 So as Joab kept watch on the city, he stationed Uriah at the place where he knew the best enemy soldierst were.
17 When the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, some of David’s soldierst fell in battle. Uriah the Hittite also died.
18 Then Joab sent a full battle report to David.t19 He instructed the messenger as follows: “When you finish giving the battle report to the king,20 if the king becomes angry and asks you, ‘Why did you go so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you realize they would shoot from the wall?
21 Who struck down Abimelech the son of Jerub-Besheth? Didn’t a woman throw an upper millstones down on him from the wall so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go so close to the wall?’ just say to him, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.’”
22 So the messenger departed. When he arrived, he informed David of all the news that Joab had sent with him.23 The messenger said to David, “The men overpowered us and attacked ust in the field. But we forced them to retreat all the wayt to the door of the city gate.24 Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall and some of the king’s soldierss died. Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.”
25 David said to the messenger, “Tell Joab, ‘Don’t let this thing upset you.t There is no way to anticipate whom the sword will cut down.t Press the battle against the city and conquert it.’ Encourage him with these words.”t
26 When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband Uriah was dead, she mourned for him.t
27 When the time of mourning passed, David had her brought to his palace.t She became his wife and she bore him a son. But what David had done upset the Lord.t
2 Samuel 11
David and Bathsheba
1 The following spring, at the time of the year when kings usually go to war, David sent out Joab with his officers and the Israelite army; they defeated the Ammonites and besieged the city of Rabbah. But David himself stayed in Jerusalem.
2 One day, late in the afternoon, David got up from his nap and went to the palace roof. As he walked around up there, he saw a woman taking a bath in her house. She was very beautiful. 3 So he sent a messenger to find out who she was, and learned that she was Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite. 4 David sent messengers to get her; they brought her to him and he made love to her. (She had just finished her monthly ritual of purification.) Then she went back home.
5 Afterward she discovered that she was pregnant and sent a message to David to tell him.
6 David then sent a message to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent him to David. 7 When Uriah arrived, David asked him if Joab and the troops were well, and how the fighting was going. 8 Then he said to Uriah, “Go on home and rest a while.” Uriah left, and David had a present sent to his home. 9 But Uriah did not go home; instead he slept at the palace gate with the king's guards.
10 When David heard that Uriah had not gone home, he asked him, “You have just returned after a long absence; why didn't you go home?”
11 Uriah answered, “The men of Israel and Judah are away in battle, and the Covenant Box is with them; my commander Joab and his officers are camping out in the open. How could I go home, eat and drink, and sleep with my wife? By all that's sacred, I swear that I could never do such a thing!”
12 So David said, “Then stay here the rest of the day, and tomorrow I'll send you back.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next.
13 David invited him to supper and got him drunk. But again that night Uriah did not go home; instead he slept on his blankett in the palace guardroom.
14 The next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by Uriah. 15 He wrote: “Put Uriah in the front line, where the fighting is heaviest, then retreat and let him be killed.” 16 So while Joab was besieging the city, he sent Uriah to a place where he knew the enemy was strong.
17 The enemy troops came out of the city and fought Joab's forces; some of David's officers were killed, and so was Uriah.
18 Then Joab sent a report to David telling him about the battle, 19 and he instructed the messenger, “After you have told the king all about the battle, 20 he may get angry and ask you, ‘Why did you go so near the city to fight them? Didn't you realize that they would shoot arrows from the walls?
21 Don't you remember how Abimelech son of Gideon was killed? It was at Thebez, where a woman threw a millstone down from the wall and killed him. Why, then, did you go so near the wall?’ If the king asks you this, tell him, ‘Your officer Uriah was also killed.’”
22 So the messenger went to David and told him what Joab had commanded him to say. 23 He said, “Our enemies were stronger than we were and came out of the city to fight us in the open, but we drove them back to the city gate.
24 Then they shot arrows at us from the wall, and some of Your Majesty's officers were killed; your officer Uriah was also killed.”
25 David said to the messenger, “Encourage Joab and tell him not to be upset, since you never can tell who will die in battle. Tell him to launch a stronger attack on the city and capture it.”
26 When Bathsheba heard that her husband had been killed, she mourned for him.
27 When the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to the palace; she became his wife and bore him a son. But the LORD was not pleased with what David had done.