2 Samuel, 11

1. And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth [to battle], that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.

1. In the spring of that year, when kings usually set out to fight, David sent out Joab, his officers and all the Israelite troops. They slaughtered the Ammonites and attacked Rabbah, while David remained in Jerusalem.

2. And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman [was] very beautiful to look upon.

2. One afternoon, David got up from his siesta and took a walk on the roof of the royal house. From the rooftop, he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful.

3. And David sent and enquired after the woman. And [one] said, [Is] not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?

3. David sent to inquire about the woman, and was told, "She is Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam and wife of Uriah, the Hittite."

4. And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.

4. So David sent messengers to have her brought to him; and he had intercourse with her after she had cleansed herself after her monthly period. Then she returned to her house.

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

5. As the woman saw she was with child, she sent word to David, "I am with child."

6. And David sent to Joab, [saying], Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.

6. David then sent a message to Joab, "Send me Uriah the Hittite." So Joab sent Uriah to David.

7. And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded [of him] how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.

7. When Uriah came, David asked him about Joab, how the people were and how the war was proceeding;

8. And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess [of meat] from the king.

8. then he told Uriah, "Go down to your house and wash your feet." Uriah left the palace and the king had a portion from his table sent to him.

9. 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.

9. Uriah, however, did not go down to his house but slept by the door of the king's palace with all the servants of his lord.

10. And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from [thy] journey? why [then] didst thou not go down unto thine house?

10. David was told that Uriah did not go down to his house, and he said to him, "Have you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?"

11. And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? [as] thou livest, and [as] thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.

11. Uriah replied, "The ark, the men of Israel and Judah are housed in tents while my lord Joab and his servants are encamped in the open country. Shall I go to my house to eat and drink there and sleep with my wife? As you live, I will not do this!"

12. 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.

12. So David said to Uriah, "Remain here today also and I will dismiss you tomorrow." Uriah therefore stayed in Jerusalem that day and the day after.

13. And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.

13. David invited him to table and he ate and drank until he was drunk. When evening fell, however, he went to lie down on his couch with the guards of his lord instead of going down to his house.

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

14. The next morning, David wrote Joab a letter to be taken by hand by Uriah,

15. And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.

15. in which he said, "Place Uriah in the front row where the fighting is very fierce and then withdraw from him so that he may be struck down and die."

16. And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men [were].

16. When Joab was attacking the city, he assigned Uriah to a place which he knew was being defended by strong warriors.

17. And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell [some] of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

17. And the defenders attacked the men of Joab. Some of David's soldiers and officers were killed; Uriah the Hittite also died.

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

18. Then Joab sent a messenger to tell David everything that had happened during the battle.

19. And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king,

19. And he said to him, "When you have finished recounting the outcome of the battle to the king,

20. 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 shoot from the wall?

20. perhaps he will get angry and ask you, 'Why did you go so near the city to fight? Did you not know they would shoot from the wall?

21. Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? 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.

21. Who killed Abimelech, son of Jerubbesheth? Was it not a woman who dropped a millstone on him from the wall so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so close to the wall?'; then you shall say: Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead."

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

22. So the messenger went to tell David all that Joab instructed him.

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

23. So he answered the king and explained, "These men had overcome us and pushed us in the field; then we drove them back to the entrance gate.

24. 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.

24. But the archers aimed at your guard from the top of the wall, killing some of them. Your servant Uriah the Hittite has also been killed."

25. Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him.

25. David said to the messenger, "Try to encourage Joab with this message: Do not let this thing disturb you, for the sword devours one this time and another at another time. Intensify your attacks against the city and overthrow it."

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

26. When Uriah's wife heard of the death of her husband, she mourned for him.

27. And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

27. After her mourning was over, David had her brought to his house. She became his wife and bore him a son. But Yahweh was displeased with what David had done.