14
In the morning David wrote a letter to Jo'ab, and sent it by the hand of Uri'ah.
15
In the letter he wrote, "Set Uri'ah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die."
16
And as Jo'ab was besieging the city, he assigned Uri'ah to the place where he knew there were valiant men.
17
And the men of the city came out and fought with Jo'ab; and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uri'ah the Hittite was slain also.
18
Then Jo'ab sent and told David all the news about the fighting;
19
and he instructed the messenger, "When you have finished telling all the news about the fighting to the king,
20
then, if the king's anger rises, and if he says to you, 'Why did you go so near the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall?
21
Who killed Abim'elech the son of Jerub'besheth? Did not a woman cast an upper millstone upon him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?' then you shall say, 'Your servant Uri'ah the Hittite is dead also.'"
22
So the messenger went, and came and told David all that Jo'ab had sent him to tell.
23
The messenger said to David, "The men gained an advantage over us, and came out against us in the field; but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate.
24
Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall; some of the king's servants are dead; and your servant Uri'ah the Hittite is dead also."