2 Samuel 11

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
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 At the turn of the year, when kings go out on campaign, David sent out Joab along with his officers and the army of Israel, and they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. David, however, 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 evening David rose from his siesta and strolled about on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing, who was very beautiful.
3 And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?	3 David had inquiries made about the woman and was told, "She is Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam, and wife of (Joab's armor-bearer) 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 Then David sent messengers and took her. When she came to him, he had relations with her, at a time when she was just purified after her monthly period. She then returned to her house.
5 And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child.	5 But the woman had conceived, and sent the information 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 therefore 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 he came, David questioned him about Joab, the soldiers, and how the war was going, and Uriah answered that all was well.
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 David then said to Uriah, "Go down to your house and bathe your feet." Uriah left the palace, and a portion was sent out after him from the king's table.
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 But Uriah slept at the entrance of the royal palace with the other officers of his lord, and did not go down to his own house.
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 had not gone home. So he said to Uriah, "Have you not come from a journey? Why, then, 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 answered David, "The ark and Israel and Judah are lodged in tents, and my lord Joab and your majesty's servants are encamped in the open field. Can I go home to eat and to drink and to sleep with my wife? As the LORD lives and as you live, I will do no such 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.	12 Then David said to Uriah, "Stay here today also, I shall dismiss you tomorrow." So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day. On the day following,
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 summoned him, and he ate and drank with David, who made him drunk. But in the evening he went out to sleep on his bed among his lord's servants, and did not go down to his home.
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 a letter to Joab which he sent 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 it he directed: "Place Uriah up front, where the fighting is fierce. Then pull back and leave him to be struck down dead."
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 So while Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew the defenders were strong.
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 When the men of the city made a sortie against Joab, some officers of David's army fell, and among them Uriah the Hittite died.
18 Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war;	18 Then Joab sent David a report of all the details of 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 instructing the messenger, "When you have finished giving the king all the details of the battle,
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 the king may become angry and say to you: 'Why did you go near the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall above?
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 Jerubbaal? Was it not a woman who threw a millstone down on him from the wall above, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go near the wall?' Then you in turn 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 The messenger set out, and on his arrival he relayed to David all the details as Joab had 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 He told David: "The men had us at a disadvantage and came out into the open against us, but we pushed them back to the entrance of the city 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 Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall above, and some of the king's servants died, among them your servant Uriah."
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: "This is what you shall convey to Joab: 'Do not be chagrined at this, for the sword devours now here and now there. Strengthen your attack on the city and destroy it.' Encourage him."
26 And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.	26 When the wife of Uriah heard that her husband had died, she mourned her lord.
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 But once the mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her into his house. She became his wife and bore him a son. But the LORD was displeased with what David had done.