Third Millennium Bible TMB
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
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.
1
In the spring, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, his mercenaries, and Israel's army [to war]. They destroyed the Ammonites and attacked Rabbah, while David stayed in Jerusalem.
2 And it came to pass in an eveningtide that David arose from 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.
2
Now, when evening came, David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the royal palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing, and she was very pretty.
3 And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, "Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?"
3
David sent someone to ask about the woman. The man said, "She's Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam and 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.
4
So David sent messengers and took her. She came to him, and he went to bed with her. (She had just cleansed herself after her monthly period.) Then she went home.
5 And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, "I am with child."
5
The woman had become pregnant. So she sent someone to tell David that she was pregnant.
6 And David sent to Joab, saying, "Send me Uriah the Hittite." And Joab sent Uriah to David.
6
Then David sent a messenger to Joab, saying, "Send me Uriah the Hittite." So Joab sent Uriah to David.
7 And when Uriah had come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.
7
When Uriah arrived, David asked him how Joab and the troops were and how the war was going.
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 meal of meat from the king.
8
"Go home," David said to Uriah, "and wash your feet." Uriah left the royal palace, and the king sent a present to him.
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.
9
But Uriah slept at the entrance of the royal palace among his superior's mercenaries. He didn't go home.
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 did thou not go down unto thine house?"
10
When they told David, "Uriah didn't go home," David asked Uriah, "Didn't you just come from a journey? Why didn't you go home?"
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."
11
Uriah answered David, "The ark and [the army of] Israel and Judah are in temporary shelters, and my commander Joab and Your Majesty's mercenaries are living in the field. Should I then go to my house to eat and drink and go to bed with my wife? I solemnly swear, as sure as you're living, I won't do this!"
12 And David said to Uriah, "Tarry here today also, and tomorrow I will let thee depart." So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the morrow.
12
David said to Uriah, "Then stay here today, and tomorrow I'll send you back." So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next.
13 And when David had called him, he ate and drank before him, and he made him drunk; and at evening he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.
13
David summoned him, ate and drank with him, and got him drunk. But that evening Uriah went to lie down on his bed among his superior's mercenaries. He didn't go home.
14 And it came to pass in the morning that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.
14
In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with 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."
15
In the letter he wrote, "Put Uriah on the front line where the fighting is heaviest. Then abandon him so that he'll be struck down 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.
16
Since Joab had kept the city under observation, he put Uriah at the place where he knew the experienced warriors 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.
17
The men of the city came out and fought Joab. Some of the people, namely, some of David's mercenaries, fell and died--including Uriah the Hittite.
18 Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war,
18
Then Joab sent [a messenger] to report to David all the details of the battle.
19 and charged the messenger, saying, "When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king,
19
And he commanded the messenger, "When you finish telling the king about the battle,
20 and if so be that the king's wrath arise and he say unto thee, `Why approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye fought? Knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall?
20
the king may become angry. He might ask you, 'Why did you go so close to the city to fight? Didn't you know 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.'"
21
Who killed Jerubbesheth's son Abimelech? Didn't a woman on the wall of Thebez throw a small millstone at him and kill him? Why did you go so close to the wall?' If the king asks this, then say, 'Your man Uriah the Hittite is also dead.'"
22 So the messenger went, and came and showed David all that Joab had sent him for.
22
The messenger left, and when he arrived, he reported to David everything Joab told him to say.
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 entrance of the gate.
23
The messenger said, "Their men overpowered us and came to attack us in the field. Then we forced them back to the entrance of the city gate.
24 And the shooters shot from the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king's servants are dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also."
24
The archers on the wall shot down at your mercenaries, and some of Your Majesty's mercenaries died. Your man Uriah the Hittite also is dead."
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. Press thy battle stronger against the city, and overthrow it'; and encourage thou him."
25
David said to the messenger, "This is what you are to say to Joab, 'Don't let this thing trouble you, because a sword can kill one person as easily as another. Strengthen your attack against the city, and destroy it.' Say this to encourage him."
26 And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.
26
When Uriah's wife heard that her husband Uriah was dead, she mourned for him.
27 And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house; and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.
27
When her mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to his home, and she became his wife. Then she gave birth to a son. But the LORD considered David's actions evil.
Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.