2 Samuel 11

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 At the turn of the year, at the time when kings go campaigning, David sent Joab and with him hisguards and al Israel. They massacred the Ammonites and laid siege to Rabbah-of-the-Ammonites. David,however, remained in 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 It happened towards evening when David had got up from resting and was strol ing on the palace roof,that from the roof he saw a woman bathing; the woman was very beautiful.	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 David made enquiries about this woman and was told, 'Why, that is Bathsheba daughter of Eliam andwife 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 David then sent messengers to fetch her. She came to him, and he lay with her, just after she hadpurified herself from her period. She then went home again.	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 The woman conceived and sent word to David, 'I am pregnant.'	5 But the woman had conceived, and sent the information to David, "I am with child."
6 David then sent word to Joab, 'Send me Uriah the Hittite,' whereupon 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 When Uriah reached him, David asked how Joab was and how the army was and how the war wasgoing.	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 David then said to Uriah, 'Go down to your house and wash your feet.' Uriah left the palace and wasfol owed by a present from the king's table.	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 Uriah, however, slept at the palace gate with al his master's bodyguard and did not go down to hishouse.	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 This was reported to David; 'Uriah', they said 'has not gone down to his house.' So David askedUriah, 'Haven't you just arrived from the journey? Why didn't you go down to your 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 To which Uriah replied, 'The ark, Israel and Judah are lodged in huts; my master Joab and my lord'sguards are camping in the open. Am I to go to my house, then, and eat and drink and sleep with my wife? AsYahweh lives, and as you yourself live, I shal do no such 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 David then said to Uriah, 'Stay on here today; tomorrow I shal send you off.' So Uriah stayed thatday in Jerusalem.	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 The next day, David invited him to eat and drink in his presence and made him drunk. In the evening,Uriah went out and bedded down with his master's bodyguard, but did not go 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 Next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by Uriah.	14 The next morning David wrote a letter to Joab which he sent by Uriah.
15 In the letter he wrote, 'Put Uriah out in front where the fighting is fiercest and then fal back, so thathe gets wounded and kil ed.'	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 Joab, then besieging the city, stationed Uriah at a point where he knew that there would be toughfighters.	16 So while Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew the defenders were strong.
17 The people of the city sallied out and engaged Joab; there were casualties in the army, amongDavid's guards, and Uriah the Hittite was kil ed as wel .	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 Joab sent David a ful account of the battle.	18 Then Joab sent David a report of all the details of the battle,
19 To the messenger he gave this order: 'When you have finished tel ing the king al about the battle,	19 instructing the messenger, "When you have finished giving the king all the details of the battle,
20 if the king's anger is aroused and he says, "Why did you go near the town to give battle? Didn't youknow that they would shoot from the ramparts?	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 kil ed Abimelech son of Jerubbaal? Wasn't it a woman who dropped a millstone on him from theramparts, causing his death at Thebez? Why did you go near the ramparts?" you are to say, "Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead too." '	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 set off and, on his arrival, told David everything that Joab had instructed him tosay. David flew into a rage with Joab and said to the messenger, 'Why did you go near the ramparts? Who kil edAbimelech son of Jerubbaal? Wasn't it a woman who dropped a millstone on him from the ramparts, causing hisdeath at Thebez? Why did you go near the ramparts?'	22 The messenger set out, and on his arrival he relayed to David all the details as Joab had instructed him.
23 The messenger replied to David, 'Their men had won an initial advantage and then came out toengage us in the open. We then drove them back into the gateway,	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 but the archers shot at your retainers from the ramparts; some of the king's retainers lost their lives,and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead too.'	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 David then said to the messenger, 'Say this to Joab, "Do not take the matter to heart; the sworddevours now one and now another. Attack the town in greater force and destroy it." That wil encourage 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 When Uriah's wife heard that her husband Uriah was dead, she mourned for her husband.	26 When the wife of Uriah heard that her husband had died, she mourned her lord.
27 When the period of mourning was over, David sent to have her brought to his house; she became hiswife and bore him a son. But what David had done displeased Yahweh.	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.