2 Samuel 11

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.

As the year ended, when kings usually led their armies to war, David sent Joab, his men, and all of Israel to fight. They decimated the Ammonites and surrounded Rabbah. Meanwhile, David stayed back in Jerusalem.

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.

As dusk fell, David, restless, rose from his bed and strolled atop the king's palace. From there, he spotted a woman bathing, her beauty captivating him instantly.

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?

David, intrigued, asked about the woman. Someone replied, "Isn't she Bathsheba, Eliam's daughter and Uriah the Hittite's wife?"

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.

David sent his men and took her. She came to him, and he slept with her, for she had been cleansed of her impurities. Afterwards, she returned to her own home.

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

The woman conceived. She sent word to David, telling him, "I am pregnant."

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

David messaged Joab, pleading, "Bring Uriah the Hittite to me." Without hesitation, Joab ushered Uriah to David.

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

When Uriah arrived, David anxiously asked him about Joab's wellbeing, the condition of the people, and the progress of the war.

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.

David gently told Uriah, "Go home and relax." Uriah left the king's palace, a generous meal from the king trailing behind him.

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.

Uriah, loyal and humble, chose to sleep at the king's doorstep alongside his fellow servants, refusing to return to the comfort of his own 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?

When they informed David that Uriah hadn't gone home, David, with a hint of surprise and confusion, asked Uriah, "Didn't you just return from a trip? Why didn't you go home?"

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.

Uriah told David, "The sacred Ark, our people, and our leaders are living in tents and fighting in the fields. How can I enjoy the comforts of home, eat, drink, and be with my wife while they suffer? I swear on your life and mine, I can't do that."

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.

David gently told Uriah, "Stay here today and tomorrow, you're free to leave." So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem for that day and the next.

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.

When David summoned him, Uriah feasted and drank in his presence, and David got him drunk. As night fell, he went out to lie down among his lord's servants, but he did not go home.

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

As dawn broke, David, filled with determination, penned a letter to Joab. He entrusted it to Uriah, who carried it with unwavering loyalty.

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.

In his letter, he coldly instructed, "Place Uriah at the front line of the fiercest battle, then abandon him so he may be struck down and perish."

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

When Joab saw the city, he strategically placed Uriah where he knew brave men were fighting.

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.

The city's men, filled with courage, clashed in battle with Joab. Tragically, some of David's loyal servants were lost, including the brave Uriah the Hittite.

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

Joab passionately relayed to David every detail about the war.

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

Instructed the messenger with urgency, "Once you've finished recounting the war details to the king,

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?

If the king gets angry and asks you, "Why did you get so close to the city during the battle? Didn't you know they would fire from the walls?"

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.

Who was it that killed Abimelech, the son of Jerubbesheth? Wasn't it a woman who, from the wall, dropped a millstone down upon him, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go so close to the wall? If he says this, then tell him: Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead too.

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

The messenger, filled with purpose, hurried to David. He relayed everything Joab had entrusted him with, his words echoing with sincerity.

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.

The messenger, with a heavy heart, told David, "We were overpowered, they ambushed us in the open field. We fought back fiercely, right up to the city gates."

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.

The archers on the wall targeted your servants, causing the death of some, including your loyal servant Uriah the Hittite.

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.

David told the messenger, "Tell Joab not to be upset. In war, anyone can fall. So, strengthen your fight against the city, conquer it and keep his spirits high."

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

Upon hearing the tragic news of her husband Uriah's death, his wife was consumed by a deep, sorrowful grief.

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.

After the period of grief, David brought her into his home, making her his wife, and she bore him a son. But what David had done was evil in the LORD's eyes.