David and Bathsheba

1In the spring \At the turn of the year/,a at the time when kings march out to war, David (beloved) sent out Joab (YHWH is father) and his servants with the whole army of Israel (he wrestles with God). They destroyed the Ammonites (tribal) and besieged Rabbah (great), but David remained in Jerusalem (city of peace).

2One evening David (beloved) got up from his bed and strolled around on the roof of the palace. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing—a very beautiful woman. 3So David (beloved) sent and inquired about the woman, and he was told, “This is Bathsheba (daughter of an oath), the daughter of Eliam (Ammiel)b and the wife of Uriah (YHWH is my light) the Hittite.”

4Then David (beloved) sent messengers to get her, and when she came to him, he slept with her. (Now she had just purified herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned home. 5And the woman conceived and sent word to David (beloved), saying, “I am pregnant.”

6At this, David (beloved) sent orders to Joab (YHWH is father): “Send me Uriah (YHWH is my light) the Hittite.” So Joab sent him to David.

7When Uriah (YHWH is my light) came to him, David (beloved) asked how Joab (YHWH is father) and the troops were doing and how the war was going. 8Then he (beloved) said to Uriah (YHWH is my light), “Go down to your house and wash your feet.”

So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king followed him. 9But Uriah (YHWH is my light) slept at the door of the palace with all his master’s servants; he did not go down to his house.

10And David (beloved) was told, “Uriah (YHWH is my light) did not go home.”

“Haven’t you just arrived from a journey?” David asked Uriah. “Why didn’t you go home?”

11Uriah (YHWH is my light) answered (beloved), “The ark and Israel (he wrestles with God) and Judah (praised) are dwelling in tents (staying at Sukkoth),c and my master Joab (YHWH is father) and his soldiers are camped in the open field. How can I go to my house to eat and drink and sleep with my wife? As surely as you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do such a thing!”

12“Stay here one more day,” David (beloved) said to Uriah (YHWH is my light), “and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem (city of peace) that day and the next.

13Then David (beloved) invited Uriah to eat and drink with him, and he got Uriah drunk. And in the evening Uriah went out to lie down on his cot with his master’s servants, but he did not go home.

David Arranges Uriah’s Death

14The next morning David (beloved) wrote a letter to Joab (YHWH is father) and sent it with Uriah (YHWH is my light). 15In the letter he wrote: “Put Uriah (YHWH is my light) at the front of the fiercest battle; then withdraw from him, so that he may be struck down and killed.”

16So as Joab (YHWH is father) besieged the city, he assigned Uriah (YHWH is my light) to a place where he knew the strongest enemy soldiers were. 17And when the men of the city came out and fought against Joab (YHWH is father), some of David’s (beloved) servants fell, and Uriah (YHWH is my light) the Hittite also died.

18Joab (YHWH is father) sent to David (beloved) a full account of the battle 19and instructed the messenger, “When you have finished giving the king a full account of the battle, 20if the king’s anger flares, he may ask you, ‘Why did you⁺ get so close to the city to fight? Did you⁺ not realize they would shoot from atop the wall? 21Who struck Abimelech (my father is king) son of Jerubbesheth (Jerubbaal)d? Was it not a woman who dropped an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez (conspicuous)? Why did you⁺ get so close to the wall?’

If he asks you this, then you are to say, ‘Your servant Uriah (YHWH is my light) the Hittite is dead as well.’”

22So the messenger set out and reported to David (beloved) all that Joab (YHWH is father) had sent him to say. 23The messenger said to David (beloved), “The men overpowered us and came out against us in the field, but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate. 24Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall, and some of the king’s servants were killed. And your servant Uriah (YHWH is my light) the Hittite is dead as well.”

25Then David (beloved) told the messenger, “Say this to Joab (YHWH is father): ‘Do not let this matter upset you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Strengthen your attack against the city and demolish it.’ Encourage him with these words.”

David Marries Bathsheba

26When Uriah’s (YHWH is my light) wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. 27And when the time of mourning was over, David (beloved) had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son.

But the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the LORD {YHWH}.