| NET Bible | New International Version |
| 1In the spring of the year, at the time when kings normally conduct wars, David sent out Joab with his officers and the entire Israelite army. They defeated the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed behind in Jerusalem. | 1In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king's men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem. |
| 2One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of his palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. Now this woman was very attractive. | 2One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, |
| 3So David sent someone to inquire about the woman. The messenger said, "Isn't this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" | 3and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, "She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite." |
| 4David sent some messengers to get her. She came to him and he had sexual relations with her. (Now at that time she was in the process of purifying herself from her menstrual uncleanness.) Then she returned to her home. | 4Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness.) Then she went back home. |
| 5The woman conceived and then sent word to David saying, "I'm pregnant." | 5The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, "I am pregnant." |
| 6So David sent a message to Joab that said, "Send me Uriah the Hittite." So Joab sent Uriah to David. | 6So David sent this word to Joab: "Send me Uriah the Hittite." And Joab sent him to David. |
| 7When Uriah came to him, David asked about how Joab and the army were doing and how the campaign was going. | 7When Uriah came to him, David asked him how Joab was, how the soldiers were and how the war was going. |
| 8Then David said to Uriah, "Go down to your home and relax." When Uriah left the palace, the king sent a gift to him. | 8Then David said to Uriah, "Go down to your house and wash your feet." So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king was sent after him. |
| 9But Uriah stayed at the door of the palace with all the servants of his lord. He did not go down to his house. | 9But Uriah slept at the entrance to the palace with all his master's servants and did not go down to his house. |
| 10So they informed David, "Uriah has not gone down to his house." So David said to Uriah, "Haven't you just arrived from a journey? Why haven't you gone down to your house?" | 10David was told, "Uriah did not go home." So he asked Uriah, "Haven't you just come from a military campaign? Why didn't you go home?" |
| 11Uriah replied to David, "The ark and Israel and Judah reside in temporary shelters, and my lord Joab and my lord's soldiers are camping in the open field. Should I go to my house to eat and drink and have marital relations with my wife? As surely as you are alive, I will not do this thing!" | 11Uriah said to David, "The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my commander Joab and my lord's men are camped in the open country. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and make love to my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!" |
| 12So David said to Uriah, "Stay here another day. Tomorrow I will send you back." So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem both that day and the following one. | 12Then David said to him, "Stay here one more day, and tomorrow I will send you back." So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. |
| 13Then David summoned him. He ate and drank with him, and got him drunk. But in the evening he went out to sleep on his bed with the servants of his lord; he did not go down to his own house. | 13At David's invitation, he ate and drank with him, and David made him drunk. But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his mat among his master's servants; he did not go home. |
| 14In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. | 14In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. |
| 15In the letter he wrote: "Station Uriah in the thick of the battle and then withdraw from him so he will be cut down and killed." | 15In it he wrote, "Put Uriah out in front where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die." |
| 16So as Joab kept watch on the city, he stationed Uriah at the place where he knew the best enemy soldiers were. | 16So while Joab had the city under siege, he put Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest defenders were. |
| 17When the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, some of David's soldiers fell in battle. Uriah the Hittite also died. | 17When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David's army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died. |
| 18Then Joab sent a full battle report to David. | 18Joab sent David a full account of the battle. |
| 19He instructed the messenger as follows: "When you finish giving the battle report to the king, | 19He instructed the messenger: "When you have finished giving the king this account of the battle, |
| 20if the king becomes angry and asks you, 'Why did you go so close to the city to fight? Didn't you realize they would shoot from the wall? | 20the king's anger may flare up, and he may ask you, 'Why did you get so close to the city to fight? Didn't you know they would shoot arrows from the wall? |
| 21Who struck down Abimelech the son of Jerub-Besheth? Didn't a woman throw an upper millstone down on him from the wall so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go so close to the wall?' just say to him, 'Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.'" | 21Who killed Abimelek son of Jerub-Besheth? Didn't a woman drop an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you get so close to the wall?' If he asks you this, then say to him, 'Moreover, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.'" |
| 22So the messenger departed. When he arrived, he informed David of all the news that Joab had sent with him. | 22The messenger set out, and when he arrived he told David everything Joab had sent him to say. |
| 23The messenger said to David, "The men overpowered us and attacked us in the field. But we forced them to retreat all the way to the door of the city gate. | 23The messenger said to David, "The men overpowered us and came out against us in the open, but we drove them back to the entrance of the city gate. |
| 24Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall and some of the king's soldiers died. Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead." | 24Then 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." |
| 25David said to the messenger, "Tell Joab, 'Don't let this thing upset you. There is no way to anticipate whom the sword will cut down. Press the battle against the city and conquer it.' Encourage him with these words." | 25David told the messenger, "Say this to Joab: 'Don't let this upset you; the sword devours one as well as another. Press the attack against the city and destroy it.' Say this to encourage Joab." |
| 26When Uriah's wife heard that her husband Uriah was dead, she mourned for him. | 26When Uriah's wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. |
| 27When the time of mourning passed, David had her brought to his palace. She became his wife and she bore him a son. But what David had done upset the LORD. | 27After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the LORD. |
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