The Second Book of Samuel

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- Chapter 11 -

Now it happened that, at the turn of the year, in the time when kings usually go forth to war, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all of Israel, and they laid waste to the sons of Ammon, and they besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.(a)

While these things were taking place, David happened to arise from his bed after midday, and he walked upon the terrace of the king’s house. And he saw, across from his terrace, a woman washing herself. And the woman was very beautiful.

Therefore, the king sent and inquired who the woman might be. And it was reported to him that she was Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah, the Hittite.

And so, David sent messengers, and he took her. And when she had entered to him, he slept with her. And presently, she was purified from her uncleanness.(b)

And she returned to her house, having conceived an unborn child. And sending, she informed David, and she said, “I have conceived.”

Then David sent to Joab, saying, “Send me Uriah, the Hittite.” And Joab sent Uriah to David.(c)

And Uriah went to David. And David inquired whether Joab was doing well, and about the people, and how the war was being conducted.

And David said to Uriah, “Go into your house, and wash your feet.” And Uriah departed from the house of the king. And a meal from the king followed after him.

But Uriah slept before the gate of the king’s house, with the other servants of his lord, and he did not go down to his own house.

And it was reported to David by some, saying, “Uriah did not go into his house.” And David said to Uriah: “Did you not arrive from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?”

And Uriah said to David: “The ark of God, and Israel and Judah, dwell in tents, and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, stay upon the face of the earth. And should I then go into my own house, so that I may eat and drink, and sleep with my wife? By your welfare and by the welfare of your soul, I will not do this thing.”

Therefore, David said to Uriah, “Even so, remain here today, and tomorrow I will send you away.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem, on that day and the next.

And David called him, so that he might eat and drink before him, and he made him inebriated. And departing in the evening, he slept on his bedding, with the servants of his lord, and he did not go down to his own house.

David Arranges Uriah’s Death

Therefore, when morning arrived, David wrote a letter to Joab. And he sent it by the hand of Uriah,

writing in the letter: “Place Uriah opposite the warfare, where the battle is the strongest, and then abandon him, so that, having been wounded, he may die.”

And so, when Joab was besieging the city, he positioned Uriah in the place where he knew the strongest men to be.

And the men, departing from the city, made war against Joab. And some of the people among the servants of David fell, and Uriah the Hittite also died.

And so, Joab sent and reported to David every word about the battle.

And he instructed the messenger, saying: “When you have completed all the words about the war to the king,

if you see him to be angry, and if he says: ‘Why did you draw near to the wall in order to fight? Are you ignorant that many darts are thrown from above the wall?

Who struck down Abimelech, the son of Jerubbaal? Did not a woman throw a fragment of a millstone upon him from the wall, and so kill him at Thebez? Why did you approach beside the wall?’ then you shall say: ‘Your servant Uriah, the Hittite, also lies dead.’ ”

Therefore, the messenger departed. And he went and described to David all that Joab had instructed him.

And the messenger said to David: “The men prevailed against us, and they went out to us in the field. Then we pursued them, making an assault, even to the gate of the city.

And the archers directed their arrows at your servants from the wall above. And some of the king’s servants died, and then also your servant Uriah the Hittite died.”

And David said to the messenger: “You shall say these things to Joab: ‘Do not let this matter dishearten you. For varied are the events of war. Now this one, and now that one, is consumed by the sword. Encourage your warriors against the city and exhort them, so that you may destroy it.’ ”

David Marries Bathsheba

Then the wife of Uriah heard that her husband Uriah had died, and she mourned for him.

But when the lamentation was completed, David sent and brought her into his house, and she became his wife, and she bore a son to him. And this word, which David had done, was displeasing in the sight of the Lord.

Footnotes

(a)11:1 The Jewish sacred calendar begins in the spring, so this passage is asserting that spring is the time when kings usually went to war.(Conte)

(b)11:4 The expression “purified from her uncleanness” means that her monthly cycle ceased because she was pregnant.(Conte)

(c)11:6 David intended to murder Uriah in this way, so he is guilty of an actual mortal sin. But Joab did not carry out the full instruction of David: though he positioned Uriah in a place where the enemy soldiers were strongest, he did not fall back and abandon Uriah. So David was guilty of murder, but not Joab.(Conte)

At the return of the year, at the time when kings go out, David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem.

At evening, David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. From the roof, he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to look at.

David sent and inquired after the woman. One said, “Isn’t this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, Uriah the Hittite’s wife?”

David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in to him, and he lay with her (for she was purified from her uncleanness); and she returned to her house.

The woman conceived; and she sent and told David, and said, “I am with child.”

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

When Uriah had come to him, David asked him how Joab did, and how the people fared, and how the war prospered.

David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” Uriah departed out of the king’s house, and a gift from the king was sent after him.

But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and didn’t go down to his house.

When they had told David, saying, “Uriah didn’t go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Haven’t you come from a journey? Why didn’t you go down to your house?”

Uriah said to David, “The ark, Israel, and Judah, are staying in tents; and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open field. Shall I then go into 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!”

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

When David had called him, he ate and drank before him; and he made him drunk. At evening, he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but didn’t go down to his house.

David Arranges Uriah’s Death

In the morning, David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

He wrote in the letter, saying, “Send Uriah to the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck and die.”

When Joab kept watch on the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew that valiant men were.

The men of the city went out and fought with Joab. Some of the people fell, even of David’s servants; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war;

and he commanded the messenger, saying, “When you have finished telling all the things concerning the war to the king,

it shall be that, if the king’s wrath arise, and he asks you, ‘Why did you go so near to the city to fight? Didn’t you know that they would shoot from the wall?

Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Didn’t a woman cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’ then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.’”

So the messenger went, and came and showed David all that Joab had sent him for.

The messenger said to David, “The men prevailed against us, and came out to us into the field; and we were on them even to the entrance of the gate.

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

Then David said to the messenger, “Tell Joab, ‘Don’t let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Make your battle stronger against the city, and overthrow it.’ Encourage him.”

David Marries Bathsheba

When Uriah’s wife heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.

When the mourning was past, David sent and took her home to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.