1 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.
2 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.
3 And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?
4 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.
5 And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child.
6 And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.
7 And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.
8 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.
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, 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.
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 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.
14 And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote 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 hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.
16 And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he 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 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?
21 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.
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 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.
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 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.

1And it came to passe, that after the yeere was expired, at the time when kings goe foorth to battell, that Dauid sent Ioab and his seruants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah: but Dauid taried still at Ierusalem.

2 And it came to passe in an euening tide, that Dauid arose from off his bed, and walked vpon the roofe of the kings house: and from the roofe he saw a woman washing her selfe; and the woman was very beautifull to looke vpon.

3And Dauid sent and enquired after the woman: and one said, Is not this Bath-sheba the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?

4And Dauid sent messengers, and tooke her, and shee came in vnto him, and he lay with her, ( for she was purified from her vncleannesse) and shee returned vnto her house.

5And the woman conceiued, and sent and tolde Dauid, and said, I am with childe.

6 And Dauid sent to Ioab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Ioab sent Uriah to Dauid.

7And when Uriah was come vnto him, Dauid demanded of him how Ioab did, and how the people did, and how the warre prospered.

8And Dauid said to Uriah, Goe downe to thy house, and wash thy feete. And Uriah departed out of the Kings house, and there followed him a messe of meat from the king.

9But Uriah slept at the doore of the kings house, with all the seruants of his lord, and went not downe to his house.

10And when they had tolde Dauid, saying, Uriah went not downe vnto his house, Dauid said vnto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy iourney? why then diddest thou not goe downe vnto thine house?

11And Uriah said vnto Dauid, The Arke, and Israel, and Iudah abide in tents, and my lord Ioab, and the seruants of my lord are encamped in the open fields; shall I then goe into mine house, to eate and to drinke, and to lie with my wife? As thou liuest, and as thy soule liueth, I will not doe this thing.

12And Dauid said to Uriah, Tary here to day also, and to morow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Ierusalem that day, and the morrow.

13And when Dauid had called him, hee did eate and drinke before him, and he made him drunke: and at euen hee went out to lie on his bed with the seruants of his lord, but went not downe to his house.

14 And it came to passe in the morning, that Dauid wrote a letter to Ioab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

15And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set yee Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battel, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.

16And it came to passe when Ioab obserued the citie, that he assigned Uriah vnto a place where hee knewe that valiant men were.

17And the men of the city went out, and fought with Ioab: and there fell some of the people of the seruants of Dauid, and Uriah the Hittite died also.

18 Then Ioab sent, and tolde Dauid all the things concerning the warre:

19And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an ende of telling the matters of the warre vnto the King;

20And if so be that the kings wrath arise, and hee say vnto thee, Wherefore approched ye so nigh vnto the city when yee did fight? Knew yee not that they would shoot from the wall?

21Who smote Abimelech the sonne of Ierubesheth? Did not a woman cast a piece of a milstone vpon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? Then say thou, Thy seruant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

22 So the messenger went, and came and shewed Dauid all that Ioab had sent him for.

23And the messenger said vnto Dauid, Surely the men preuailed against vs, and came out vnto vs into the field, and we were vpon them euen vnto the entring of the gate.

24And the shooters shot from off the wall vpon thy seruants, and some of the Kings seruants be dead, and thy seruant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

25Then Dauid said vnto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say vnto Ioab, Let not this thing displease thee: for the sword deuoureth one as well as another: Make thy battell more strong against the citie, and ouerthrow it; and encourage thou him.

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

27And when the mourning was past, Dauid sent, and fet her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a sonne: but the thing that Dauid had done, displeased the Lord.

I = 1st Chr 20:1

 

 

 

 

II == Gen 34:2 ; Deut 22:8 ; Job 31:1 ; Matt 5:28

 

 

III == 2nd Sam 23:39 ; 1st Chr 3:5

 

IV == Lev 15:18 ; James 1:14

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VIII == Gen 18:4 ; 19:2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XI == 2nd Sam 7:2 , 6 ; 20:6

 

 

 

 

 

 

XIII == Gen 19:33 , 35 ; 2nd Sam 11:9

 

 

 

XIV == 1st Kings 21:8-9

XV == 2nd Sam 12:9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXI == Judg 6:32 ; 9:53 ; Jer 11:13 ; Hos 9:10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXVII == 2nd Sam 12:9

1 At the turn of the year, when kings go out on campaign, David sent out Joab along with his officers and the army of Israel, and they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. David, however, remained in Jerusalem.

2 One evening David rose from his siesta and strolled about on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing, who was very beautiful.

3 David had inquiries made about the woman and was told, "She is Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam, and wife of (Joab's armor-bearer) Uriah the Hittite."

4 Then David sent messengers and took her. When she came to him, he had relations with her, at a time when she was just purified after her monthly period. She then returned to her house.

5 But the woman had conceived, and sent the information to David, "I am with child."

6 David therefore sent a message to Joab, "Send me Uriah the Hittite." So Joab sent Uriah to David.

7 When he came, David questioned him about Joab, the soldiers, and how the war was going, and Uriah answered that all was well.

8 David then said to Uriah, "Go down to your house and bathe your feet." Uriah left the palace, and a portion was sent out after him from the king's table.

9 But Uriah slept at the entrance of the royal palace with the other officers of his lord, and did not go down to his own house.

10 David was told that Uriah had not gone home. So he said to Uriah, "Have you not come from a journey? Why, then, did you not go down to your house?"

11 Uriah answered David, "The ark and Israel and Judah are lodged in tents, and my lord Joab and your majesty's servants are encamped in the open field. Can I go home to eat and to drink and to sleep with my wife? As the LORD lives and as you live, I will do no such thing."

12 Then David said to Uriah, "Stay here today also, I shall dismiss you tomorrow." So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day. On the day following,

13 David summoned him, and he ate and drank with David, who made him drunk. But in the evening he went out to sleep on his bed among his lord's servants, and did not go down to his home.

14 The next morning David wrote a letter to Joab which he sent by Uriah.

15 In it he directed: "Place Uriah up front, where the fighting is fierce. Then pull back and leave him to be struck down dead."

16 So while Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew the defenders were strong.

17 When the men of the city made a sortie against Joab, some officers of David's army fell, and among them Uriah the Hittite died.

18 Then Joab sent David a report of all the details of the battle,

19 instructing the messenger, "When you have finished giving the king all the details of the battle,

20 the king may become angry and say to you: 'Why did you go near the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall above?

21 Who killed Abimelech, son of Jerubbaal? Was it not a woman who threw a millstone down on him from the wall above, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go near the wall?' Then you in turn shall say, 'Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.'"

22 The messenger set out, and on his arrival he relayed to David all the details as Joab had instructed him.

23 He told David: "The men had us at a disadvantage and came out into the open against us, but we pushed them back to the entrance of the city gate.

24 Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall above, and some of the king's servants died, among them your servant Uriah."

25 David said to the messenger: "This is what you shall convey to Joab: 'Do not be chagrined at this, for the sword devours now here and now there. Strengthen your attack on the city and destroy it.' Encourage him."

26 When the wife of Uriah heard that her husband had died, she mourned her lord.

27 But once the mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her into his house. She became his wife and bore him a son. But the LORD was displeased with what David had done.

 

v 1. It was customary to wait until appropriate weather for battles. Joab wasted Ammon before laying siege, but David stayed (idle?) at Jerusalem, 1 Chr. 20: 1.  IN THE SPRING: the turn of the year.

v 2--5. Probably David was too warm to sleep at that early hour and went to the roof where it was cooler. Bathsheba was indiscreet to be bathing (an indication she was purified from uncleanness) where she could be seen from roof tops. It was also her responsibility to call for help, Deut. 22:24. But David watching was inexcusable. His action was common with heathen kings, but it was even worse when he found out she was the wife of one of his most mighty soldiers,1 Chr. 11:41. David and Bathsheba were both spiritual people. Most affairs with preachers and a woman begin with spiritual contacts. Christian young people need to beware. The siege was still going on and David home when she sent word that she was pregnant.

v 6-13. David used trickery, bringing Uriah back from battle and getting him drunk two nights with the hope of making Uriah think the child born would be his own. David didn’t figure what if the child was a red head looking just like him. Uriah’s faithfulness to his job instead of taking advantage of his “furlough” was commendable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 14-17. It was detestable that David had Uriah carry the letter decreeing his own execution in battle to Joab. Unnecessary exposure to the enemy also caused the death of some of Uriah’s fellow soldiers. David was responsible for murder.

 

 

 

 

v 18-21. Joab foresaw David’s rebuke for going too near the wall, as in Jud. 9:53, so the messenger was to mention that Uriah was also killed. After this verse, the Greek text, which is here the older form, has David, angry with Joab, repeat exactly the questions Joab had foreseen in 2 Sam 11:20-21. In 2 Sam 11:24 of our oldest Greek text, the messenger specifies that about eighteen men were killed.

 

 

 

 

 

v 22--25. David’s reply was callous, but it bothered him spiritually, Ps. 51; 32:1-5.

 

 

 

 

v 26,27. Bathsheba’s mourning was brief or customary, she was quickly consoled by being David’s wife. This whole episode displeased the Lord