2 Samuel 11:3-13

3 So David sent his servants to find out who she was. A servant answered, "That woman is Bathsheba daughter of Eliam. She is the wife of Uriah the Hittite."
4 So David sent messengers to bring Bathsheba to him. When she came to him, he had sexual relations with her. (Now Bathsheba had purified herself from her monthly period.) Then she went back to her house.
5 But Bathsheba became pregnant and sent word to David, saying, "I am pregnant."
6 So David sent a message to Joab: "Send Uriah the Hittite to me." And Joab sent Uriah to David.
7 When Uriah came to him, David asked him how Joab was, how the soldiers were, and how the war was going.
8 Then David said to Uriah, "Go home and rest." So Uriah left the palace, and the king sent a gift to him.
9 But Uriah did not go home. Instead, he slept outside the door of the palace as all the king's officers did.
10 The officers told David, "Uriah did not go home." Then David said to Uriah, "You came from a long trip. Why didn't you go home?"
11 Uriah said to him, "The Ark and the soldiers of Israel and Judah are staying in tents. My master Joab and his officers are camping out in the fields. It isn't right for me to go home to eat and drink and have sexual relations with my wife!"
12 David said to Uriah, "Stay here today. Tomorrow I'll send you back to the battle." So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next.
13 Then David called Uriah to come to see him, so Uriah ate and drank with David. David made Uriah drunk, but he still did not go home. That evening Uriah again slept with the king's officers.

2 Samuel 11:3-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 11

This chapter begins with the destruction of the Ammonites, and the siege of Rabbah their chief city, 2Sa 11:1; and enlarges on the sins of David in committing adultery with Bathsheba, 2Sa 11:2-5; in contriving to conceal his sin by sending for her husband home from the army, 2Sa 11:6-13; in laying a scheme for the death of him by the hand of the Ammonites, 2Sa 11:14-25; and in marrying Bathsheba when he was dead, 2Sa 11:26,27.

Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.