2 Samuel 11

2 Samuel Chapter 11 KJV

1While Joab besiegeth Rabbah, 2David committeth adultery with Uriah's wife. 5Bath-sheba conceiveth; David sendeth for Uriah from the army, who cometh to David, but refuseth to go down to his house. 14He carrieth to Joab a letter requiring his death, is exposed in the front of the battle, and slain. 18Joab sendeth the news of it to David. 22The messenger's report, and David's answer. 26David taketh Bath-sheba to wife, who beareth a son.
1 And it came to pass, aafter 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.
2 ¶ And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David 1arose from off his bed, and 2walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he 3saw a woman 4washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to 5look upon.
3 And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this aBath-sheba, the daughter of bEliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?
4 And David 1sent messengers, and took her; and she 2came in unto him, and he lay with her; afor she was 3purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.
5 And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, 1I am with child.
6 ¶ And David sent to Joab, saying, 1Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.
7 And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him ahow Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.
8 And David said to Uriah, 1Go down to thy house, and 2wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and 3there afollowed him 4a mess of meat from the king.
9 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.
10 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?
11 And Uriah said unto David, 1The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and 2my lord Joab, and 3the 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 4thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.
12 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.
13 And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he 1made 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.
14 ¶ And it came to pass in the morning, that David 1wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.
15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the ahottest battle, and retire ye bfrom him, that he may 1be smitten, and die.
16 And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that 1he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.
17 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.
18 ¶ Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war;
19 And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king,
20 And if so be that the king's 1wrath 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?
21 Who smote 1Abimelech the son of aJerubbesheth? 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.
22 ¶ So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for.
23 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.
24 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.
25 Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing adisplease thee, for 1the sword devoureth bone as well as another: 2make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him.
26 ¶ And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.
27 And when the mourning was past, David sent and afetched her to his house, and she 1became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done bdispleased the Lord.
2 Samuel 11