1 It happened, at the return 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 stayed at Jerusalem. 2 It happened at evening, that David arose from off his bed, and walked on the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful to look on. 3 David sent and inquired after the woman. One said, "Isn't this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" 4 David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in to him, and he lay with her (for she was purified from her uncleanness); and she returned to her house. 5 The woman conceived; and she sent and told David, and said, "I am with child." 6 David sent to Joab, (saying), "Send me Uriah the Hittite." Joab sent Uriah to David. 7 When Uriah was come to him, David asked of him how Joab did, and how the people fared, and how the war prospered. 8 David said to Uriah, "Go down to your house, and wash your feet." Uriah departed out of the king's house, and a gift from the king was sent after him. 9 But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and didn't go down to his house. 10 When they had told David, saying, "Uriah didn't go down to his house," David said to Uriah, "Haven't you come from a journey? Why didn't you go down to your house?" 11 Uriah said to David, "The ark, Israel, and Judah, are staying in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open field. Shall I then go into my house to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing!" 12 David said to Uriah, "Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will let you depart." So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day, and the next day. 13 When David had called him, he ate and drink before him; and he made him drunk. At evening, he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but didn't go down to his house. 14 It happened in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15 He wrote in the letter, saying, "Send Uriah to the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck, and die." 16 It happened, when Joab kept watch on the city, that he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew that valiant men were. 17 The men of the city went out, and fought with Joab. Some of the people fell, even 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 he commanded the messenger, saying, "When you have finished telling all the things concerning the war to the king, 20 it shall be that, if the king's wrath arise, and he asks you, 'Why did you go so near to the city to fight? Didn't you know that they would shoot from the wall? 21 who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Didn't a woman cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?' then you shall say, 'Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.'" 22 So the messenger went, and came and showed David all that Joab had sent him for. 23 The messenger said to David, "The men prevailed against us, and came out to us into the field, and we were on them even to the entrance of the gate. 24 The shooters shot at your servants from off the wall; and some of the king's servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also." 25 Then David said to the messenger, "Thus you shall tell Joab, 'Don't let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Make your battle stronger against the city, and overthrow it.' Encourage him." 26 When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she made lamentation for her husband. 27 When the mourning was past, David sent and took her home to his house, and she became his wife, and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased Yahweh.
David sends Joab against the Ammonites, who besieges the city of Rabbah, 2-Samuel 11:1. He sees Bath-sheba, the wife of Uriah, bathing; is enamoured of her; sends for and takes her to his bed, 2-Samuel 11:2-4. She conceives, and informs David, 2-Samuel 11:5. David sends to Joab, and orders him to send to him Uriah, 2-Samuel 11:6. He arrives; and David having inquired the state of the army, dismisses him, desiring him to go to his own house, 2-Samuel 11:7, 2-Samuel 11:8. Uriah sleeps at the door of the king's house, 2-Samuel 11:9. The next day the king urges him to go to his house; but he refuses to go, and gives the most pious and loyal reasons for his refusal, 2-Samuel 11:10-11. David after two days sends him back to the army, with a letter to Joab, desiring him to place Uriah in the front of the battle, that he may be slain, 2-Samuel 11:12-15. He does so; and Uriah falls, 2-Samuel 11:16, 2-Samuel 11:17. Joab communicates this news in an artful message to David, 2-Samuel 11:18-25. David sends for Bath-sheba and takes her to wife, and she bears him a son, 2-Samuel 11:26, 2-Samuel 11:27.
INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 11
This chapter begins with the destruction of the Ammonites, and the siege of Rabbah their chief city, 2-Samuel 11:1; and enlarges on the sins of David in committing adultery with Bathsheba, 2-Samuel 11:2; in contriving to conceal his sin by sending for her husband home from the army, 2-Samuel 11:6; in laying a scheme for the death of him by the hand of the Ammonites, 2-Samuel 11:14; and in marrying Bathsheba when he was dead, 2-Samuel 11:26.
(2-Samuel 11:1-5) David's adultery.
(2-Samuel 11:6-13) He tries to conceal his crime.
(2-Samuel 11:14-27) Uriah murdered.
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