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Chapter 11
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Verse 1

In the spring, at the time when kings go out to war, David sent Joab along with his servants and all of Israel. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah, but David stayed in Jerusalem.

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.

Verse 2

One evening, David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the king’s house. From the roof, he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful.

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.

Verse 3

David sent someone to inquire about the woman, and it was reported to him, 'Isn’t this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite?'

And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?

Verse 4

So David sent messengers, took her, and she came to him. He slept with her while she was purifying herself from her uncleanness. Then she returned to her house.

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.

Verse 5

The woman conceived and sent a message to David, saying, 'I am pregnant.'

And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child.

Verse 6

So David sent word to Joab, 'Send me Uriah the Hittite,' and Joab sent Uriah to David.

And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.

Verse 7

When Uriah came to him, David asked about Joab’s well-being, the well-being of the troops, and the condition of the war.

And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.

Verse 8

Then David said to Uriah, 'Go down to your house and wash your feet.' So Uriah left the king’s house, and a gift from the king was sent after him.

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.

Verse 9

But Uriah slept at the entrance of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord and did not go down to his house.

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.

Verse 10

When they told David, 'Uriah did not go down to his house,' David said to Uriah, 'Haven’t you just come from a journey? Why didn’t you go home?'

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?

Verse 11

Uriah said to David, 'The Ark, Israel, and Judah are staying in tents, and my lord Joab and the king’s servants are camped in the open field. How can I go to my house to eat and drink and lie with my wife? As surely as you live and as your soul lives, I will not do such a thing!'

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.

Verse 12

Then David said to Uriah, 'Stay here one more day, and tomorrow I will send you back.' So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next.

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.

Verse 13

David invited Uriah to eat and drink with him, and David made him drunk. In the evening, Uriah went out to lie on his mat among his master's servants but did not go home.

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.

Verse 14

The next morning, David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah.

And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

Verse 15

In the letter, David wrote, 'Put Uriah at the front where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and killed.'

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.

Verse 16

As Joab kept watch over the city, he positioned Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest defenders were.

And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.

Verse 17

When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of David’s men fell in battle, and Uriah the Hittite also died.

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.

Verse 18

Joab sent David a full report of the battle.

Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war;

Verse 19

He instructed the messenger, 'When you finish delivering the report of the battle to the king,

And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king,

Verse 20

if the king becomes angry and asks, "Why did you go so near the city to fight? Didn’t you know they would shoot arrows from the wall?

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?

Verse 21

Who killed Abimelech son of Jerubbesheth? Didn’t a woman drop a millstone on him from the wall so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?" then say to him, "Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead."'

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.

Verse 22

The messenger set out, and when he arrived, he reported to David everything Joab had sent him to say.

So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for.

Verse 23

The messenger said to David, 'The men overpowered us and came out against us in the open field, but we drove them back to the entrance of the city gate.'

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.

Verse 24

Then the archers shot arrows at your servants from the wall, and some of the king’s men died. Moreover, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.

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.

Verse 25

David said to the messenger, 'Say this to Joab: Don’t let this thing upset you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Press your attack against the city and destroy it. Encourage him.'

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.

Verse 26

When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him.

And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.

Verse 27

After the mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the LORD.

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.

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Chapter 11
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