1And it happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out 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 remained at Jerusalem. 2And it happened at night time, that David arose from his bed and walked around on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very pleasant in appearance. 3And David sent and inquired after the woman. And someone said, Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? 4And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her. And when she was sanctified from her uncleanness, she returned to her house. 5And the woman conceived; and sent and reported to David, and said, I am with child. 6And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David. 7And when Uriah came to him, David asked after Joab’s welfare, and the people’s welfare, and the progress of the war. 8And David said to Uriah, Go down to your house and wash your feet. So Uriah departed from the king’s house, and a portion of food from the king followed him. 9But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. 10So when they reported to David, saying, Uriah did not go down to his house, David said to Uriah, Did you not come from a journey? Why have you not gone down to your house? 11And Uriah said to David, The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in booths, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped on the face of the land. Shall I then go to my house to eat and drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing. 12And David said to Uriah, Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will send you away. So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13And when David summoned him, he ate and drank before him; and he made him drunk. And at evening he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house. 14In the morning it happened that David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set Uriah in the forefront of the strongest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck down and die. 16So it was, while Joab besieged the city, that he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew there were valiant men. 17And the men of the city came out and fought with Joab. And some of the people of the servants of David fell; and Uriah the Hittite died also. 18And Joab sent and reported to David all the things concerning the war, 19and charged the messenger, saying, When you have finished speaking of the matters of the war to the king, 20if it happens that the king’s wrath arises, and he says to you: Why did you approach so near to the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? 21Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman cast a piece of millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go near the wall? then you shall say, Your servant Uriah the Hittite has died also. 22So the messenger went, and came and reported to David all that Joab had sent by him. 23And the messenger said to David, The men prevailed against us and came out to us in the field; then we were upon them as far as the entrance of the gate. 24And the archers shot from the wall at your servants; and some of the king’s servants died, and your servant Uriah the Hittite has also died. 25And David said to the messenger, Thus you shall say to Joab: Do not let this thing cause your eye to quiver, for the sword devours one as well as another. Strengthen the battle against the city, and overthrow it. And encourage him. 26When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband had died, she mourned for her husband. 27And when her mourning was passed, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done caused the eyes of Jehovah to quiver.