(KJV) 2 Samuel 11¹

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⥃David and Bathsheba

[1] And it came to pass, after the year² was expired, at the time³ when kings go forth [to battle], that David sent⁴ Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah⁵. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.⁶

[2] [¶]And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from⁷ off his bed, and walked upon the roof of⁸ the king’s house: and from the roof he saw⁹ a woman washing herself; and the woman [was] very beautiful¹⁰ to look upon. [3] And David sent¹¹ and enquired after the woman. And [one] said, [Is] not this Bath–sheba¹², the daughter of Eliam¹³, the wife of Uriah¹⁴ the Hittite? [4] And David sent messengers¹⁵, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay¹⁶ with her; for she was¹⁷ purified¹⁸ from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house. [5] And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I [am] with child¹⁹.

[6] And David sent to Joab, [saying], Send me²⁰ Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David. [7] And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded [of him] how Joab did²¹, and how the people did, and how the war prospered. [8] And David said to Uriah, Go down²² to thy house, and wash²³ thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king’s house, and there followed him²⁴ a mess²⁵ [of meat] from the king. [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.²⁶ [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? [11] And Uriah said unto David, The ark²⁷, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord²⁸ Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then²⁹ go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? [as] thou livest³⁰, and [as] thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing. [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.³¹ [13] And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him³² drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants³³ of his lord, but went not down to his house.

⥃David Arranges Uriah’s Death

[14] And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter³⁴ to Joab, and sent [it] by the hand of Uriah. [15] And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye³⁵ Uriah in the forefront of the hottest³⁶ battle, and retire ye from him³⁷, that he may be smitten, and die³⁸. [16] And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned³⁹ Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men [were]. [17] And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell⁴⁰ [some] of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

[18] [¶]Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war; [19] And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto 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? [21] Who smote Abimelech⁴¹ the son of Jerubbesheth⁴²? 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 servant⁴³ Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

[22] [¶]So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for. [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. [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. [25] Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee⁴⁴, for the sword⁴⁵ devoureth one⁴⁶ as well as another: make⁴⁷ thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him.

⥃David Marries Bathsheba

[26] [¶]And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned⁴⁸ for her husband. [27] And when⁴⁹ the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her⁵⁰ to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing⁵¹ that David had done displeased⁵² the Lord.

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