Scrutatio

Sabato, 4 maggio 2024 - San Ciriaco ( Letture di oggi)

2 Samuel 11


font
NEW JERUSALEMCATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
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 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.
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 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.
3 David made enquiries about this woman and was told, 'Why, that is Bathsheba daughter of Eliam andwife of Uriah the Hittite.'3 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.
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 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.
5 The woman conceived and sent word to David, 'I am pregnant.'5 And she returned to her house, having conceived an unborn child. And sending, she informed David, and she said, “I have conceived.”
6 David then sent word to Joab, 'Send me Uriah the Hittite,' whereupon Joab sent Uriah to David.6 Then David sent to Joab, saying, “Send me Uriah, the Hittite.” And 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 And Uriah went to David. And David inquired whether Joab was doing well, and about the people, and how the war was being conducted.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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?”
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 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.”
12 David then said to Uriah, 'Stay on here today; tomorrow I shal send you off.' So Uriah stayed thatday in Jerusalem.12 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.
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 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.
14 Next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by Uriah.14 Therefore, when morning arrived, David wrote a letter to Joab. And he sent it by the hand of 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 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.”
16 Joab, then besieging the city, stationed Uriah at a point where he knew that there would be toughfighters.16 And so, when Joab was besieging the city, he positioned Uriah in the place where he knew the strongest men to be.
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 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.
18 Joab sent David a ful account of the battle.18 And so, Joab sent and reported to David every word about the battle.
19 To the messenger he gave this order: 'When you have finished tel ing the king al about the battle,19 And he instructed the messenger, saying: “When you have completed all the words about the war to the king,
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 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?
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 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.’ ”
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 Therefore, the messenger departed. And he went and described to David all that 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 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.
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 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.”
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 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.’ ”
26 When Uriah's wife heard that her husband Uriah was dead, she mourned for her husband.26 Then the wife of Uriah heard that her husband Uriah had died, and she mourned for him.
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 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.