THE SECOND BOOK OF
SAMUEL,
2 Samuel 11 ©
While Joab, at David’s command, besieges the city of Rabbah, v. 1. David at home commits adultery with Bathsheba, 2. And hearing that she was great with child, he sends for Uriah, her husband, out of the camp to cover his shame, 5. Which having miscarried, he sends Uriah again into the camp, with a letter unto Joab, whom he commands to order the matter so, as that Uriah may fall by the enemies’ hand, 9. Which so happens and word being sent unto David by Joab, David marries the same Bathsheba, 17.
AND ita came to pass, after the year was 1expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his 2servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged 3Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.
¶And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his 4bed, and walked upon the 5roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.
And David sent and enquired after the woman. And 6one said, 7Is not this 8Bath-sheba, the daughter of 9Eliam, the wife of Uriah the 10Hittite?
And David 11sent messengers, and 12took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was 13purified fromb her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.
And the woman conceived, and 14sent and 15told David, and said, I am with child.
¶And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.
And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab 16did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.
And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and 17wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there 18followed him a messcof meat from the king.
But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.
And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy 19journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house?
And Uriah said unto David, The 20ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the 21open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as 22thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, 23I will not do this thing.
And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.
And when David had called him, he did eat and drink 24before him; and 25he made him drunk: and at even 26he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of 27his lord, but 28went not down to his house.
¶And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote 29a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.
And he wrote in the letter, 30saying, 31Set ye Uriah in the 32forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.
And it came to pass, when Joab 33observed the 34city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.
And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there 35fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.
¶Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war;
And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king,
And if so be that the king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would 36shoot from the wall?
Whod smote Abimelech the son of 37Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.
¶So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for.
And the messenger said unto David, Surely 38the men 39prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entering of the 40gate.
And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king's servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.
Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, 41Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth 42one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and 43encourage thou him.
¶And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her 44husband.
And when the mourning was past, David sent and 45fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done 46displeased the LORD.